The Value of Uncertainty
Self-confidence is supposed to be a good thing. We’re often more comfortable taking advice from a person who has confidence and answers. When asked to solve a problem, some of us have a tendency to ignore our doubts and propose solutions, sometime before we’ve fully comprehended the details of the problem. It can be difficult to express uncertainty, especially in an area where we consider ourselves expert, but the teams we work with can benefit when we do.
Some of the reasons for this are cultural, and some may be related to how are brains are wired. In "Your Brain Is Hooked on Being Right," Judith E. Glaser explains that we often find ourselves responding to challenges to our positions in one of four ways: fight, flight, freeze, or appease. Glaser says that these reactions are often harmful because they make it harder to share information, and she provides some advice for how to avoid these traps.
Being uncertain can help when you want to teach or guide team members. In a New Scientist article titled "Unsure Robots Make Better Teachers than Know-alls," we read about how a group of children learned language more effectively when a teaching robot appeared to learn from them, rather than just teach. The idea that peer-to-peer learning works better than master-student learning is very applicable to the kinds of cross-functional teams of generalizing specialists that are recommended for agile software development. Everyone on such a team potentially has something to teach and something to learn.
When we have an idea, we naturally want to sell it. Selling ideas is something we all do, according to author Dan Pink in his book To Sell Is Human. When we’ve thought through the issues and are convinced that we have the best solution to a problem, persistence in selling is not a bad thing. Before being too persistent, it’s good to remember to take a step back and make sure that your idea actually solves a problem.
The Harvard Business Review blog has some guidelines for when to persist and when to quit. These suggestions are targeted at those engaged in new ventures, but you can apply some of the guidelines to any effort you are evaluating.
When identifying solutions and avoiding the traps of our biases and desires, the rule of three is a good approach. By forcing yourself to consider more than one solution, you can foster an environment for creative problem solving—or at least help avoid tunnel vision.
Confidence and persistence are important when you know you have the best solution. But a bit of uncertainty and humility can not only help you identify whether your solution is the best one but can also help your team reach a better solution.
What techniques do you use to balance reaching decisions quickly, but with a reasonable amount of consideration?
