Let’s Make It Happen: In Praise of Doubt
23/02/25
When was the last time you experienced a doubt? How did you feel?
In a BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible), doubt plays a crucial role in finding balance and driving innovation. It is the beginning of wisdom. A curious mindset is essential for tackling today’s challenges and seizing opportunities in a constantly changing world—beyond any victimist or persecutory mindset.
In a BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible), doubt plays a crucial role in finding balance and driving innovation. It is the beginning of wisdom. A curious mindset is essential for tackling today’s challenges and seizing opportunities in a constantly changing world—beyond any victimist or persecutory mindset.
For those who seek certainty, doubt can feel uncomfortable and unsettling in challenging their few remaining certainties. Yet, it is precisely at this boundary that we can explore new horizons of change and evolution.
As Maddalena Berlino and Maria Elettra Cugini highlight in their book Il Dubbio, Nostro Inseparabile Amico (Doubt, Our Inseparable Friend), embracing new questions requires courage and self-reflection, often leading to initial confusion but fostering profound growth. Anxiety itself is often viewed as an obstacle, but, in reality, it can be a useful companion in managing doubt. When it’s not paralyzing, anxiety pushes us to adapt, make decisions, and change course when necessary.
Uncertainty is a constant in both our personal and professional lives. As Robert Frost said, the "Secret" of life remains partly mysterious, yet our ability to embrace it with confidence is what allows us to move forward. The continuous global emergencies of the 2020s have severely tested our ability to deal with uncertainty. Many employees wonder, "When will we return to normal?" or "When will we be able to live without fear again?" These questions are not only legitimate but indicate a deep need to confront and understand doubt. In a world that is always changing, doubt pushes us to explore new possibilities, reassess our certainties, and grow.
Embracing doubt means being ready to learn, change, and evolve. The challenge is not to eliminate uncertainty but to face it with courage and the ability to engage in dialogue. Training about complexity management and generative questions can be a first step.
Embracing doubt means being ready to learn, change, and evolve. The challenge is not to eliminate uncertainty but to face it with courage and the ability to engage in dialogue. Training about complexity management and generative questions can be a first step.
