future-proof skill: dealing with ambiguity.
These days, there are a few skills that are especially valuable for crushing interviews and dealing with all things work (and life). Dealing with ambiguity is one of them.
Why do companies love this skill?
We live in messy times, and companies don’t have it all figured out. Their forecasting and decision-making aren’t as data-informed and undeniable as we’d hope—and their OKRs are bound to be changed mid-year to deal with the outside world. Having employees who embrace ambiguity and see it as an opportunity for growth rather than the hot mess it kind of is sounds pretty promising, then. Who doesn’t love an employee who likes tackling challenges and problem-solving on the go? Dealing with ambiguity is somewhat of an umbrella-skill for other cool stuff: think adaptability, flexibility and resilience.
Why is this skill good for you, too?
Not everyone thrives in ambiguity. Many of us first need to learn how to tolerate it and hide our distaste for constantly changing plans. But after a few trials (and fails), accepting uncertainty as an opportunity for creative pivots might grow on you. Embracing ambiguity and have a mini crisis plan ready for when things get messy can be pretty helpful in other life situations too. Ambiguity can push us out of our comfort zone, create learning experiences, and broaden our perspective. All of this adds to our confidence in being able to deal with heavy stuff. That’s pretty cool, no?
How can you work on this skill?
Chances are that your workplace delivers enough situations for you to practice this skill. If that’s not the case, reflect on what responsibilities you could take on that allow you to handle something new and where the outcome is uncertain. How about a collab with a team you barely know? Or maybe you’d like to work on a new feature? If you are a big fan of plans, prepare yourself with a (very adaptable) crisis management plan for approaching unexpected challenges. So, instead of getting discouraged when those will come up, you’ll feel prepared and ready to tackle things.
about the author:
Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.
