The Benefits of Embracing Doubt and Mystery in Business
In the business world, I’ve observed that many leaders want to have all the answers — the unknown can make them quite uncomfortable. That’s understandable. I’ve experienced the desire to know everything and the unease around mystery.
But over the years, I’ve learned that doubt and mystery have a place in business. The combination of doubt and mystery can facilitate curiosity, open-mindedness and, ultimately, more effective leadership. Here are six ways I believe embracing doubt and mystery in business can benefit us.
1. Increases Curiosity
The reality is that no one knows everything. People who think they do can become shortsighted and uncurious. On the flip side, people who are comfortable admitting that they don’t know all the answers are more likely to want to learn the answers.
Doubt and mystery can power curiosity, which is a powerful force in business. Consider research by behavioral scientist Francesca Gino. In a Harvard Business Review article, she explained that her research “found that curiosity encourages members of a group to put themselves in one another’s shoes and take an interest in one another’s ideas rather than focus only on their own perspective.” In turn, that leads “them to work together more effectively and smoothly.”
2. Builds Resilience
In business, it’s important to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Geopolitical events, economic downturns and technological disruptions are just three factors that can wreak havoc and discomfort in business.
By embracing doubt and mystery, we can build our resilience to the many uncertainties that can affect our companies at any given time. Nicole Whiting, a clinically trained (e)Motion coach, noted in Psychology Today that when we let go of control, it “reduces stress and anxiety, boosting resilience and adaptability with a growth mindset.” Additionally, according to research, “personal growth often requires experiencing discomfort” — and “seeking discomfort as a signal of growth can increase motivation.”
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3. Helps Us Live in the Present Moment
I believe that by embracing doubt and mystery, we can decrease our anxiety about the future — because we’ll have accepted that there are certain things out of our control. In turn, we can live in the present moment.
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As psychotherapist Jennifer Gerlach wrote in Psychology Today, we “approach the unknown whether we wish to or not.” However, “moving toward something intentionally with our values in mind and realizing that what we hope for may or may not happen allows us to cope with whatever does happen effectively.” Personally, when I embrace uncertainty, I fret less about the what-ifs of the future.
4. Makes Us More Adaptable
If you’ve ever firmly held onto a plan, you probably found it hard to pivot when things didn’t work out the way you intended.
Uncertainty is a part of life. When we become OK with doubt and mystery, I believe we become more adaptable because we know from the start of embarking on an endeavor that try as we might, we can’t accurately predict the outcome, and we become more willing to make decisions that take us in a new direction. Consider a part of a recap of journalist Maggie Jackson’s book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure in the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine: “When we can let go of sureness, look beyond what we already know, stay curious, and listen to dissent, we can often come up with better solutions to the problems we encounter.”
5. Increases Our Empathy
In my view, when we accept doubt and mystery into our lives, we become more curious, and willing to learn about other people, which can increase our empathy. And when we learn about other people, we’re able to recognize that just as we don’t have all the answers and total control, neither does anyone else.
Executive coach Peter Bregman explained in the Harvard Business Review that curiosity is the response “that’s important and necessary before empathy” in light of someone else being vulnerable.
6. Makes Us More Aligned With Reality — and Inspirational
Doubt and mystery are a fact of life. Embracing them makes us more aligned with reality. Additionally, there’s a lot to say about a leader who can stand up and admit that they don’t know it all, that they have doubts. That’s vulnerability, which, McKinsey explained, “is a sign of strength” when it’s “handled correctly.” Vulnerability can go a long way in leadership and ultimately create stronger teams.