On not knowing
/In contrast to last week's “Uncomfortable Act”, I was recently speaking in Canberra to a Federal Government agency responsible for national and global disaster response. Those are big shoes!
Among other things, we were discussing the need to act long before there’s enough information to be certain that your actions will be the right ones. In their work, it's guaranteed that they will never have all the information they need before action. The situation will continue to evolve as they work to respond. Some evolutions will require a radical change of plans.
They are not alone. Incomplete and/or ambiguous information is a fact of life. We often have to act, long before we have certainty. Sometimes certainty never arrives.
Here are some of the tactics we discussed, which help:
Move/Act based on what you do know or can reasonably surmise
Explicitly acknowledge the gaps in your knowledge.. For example, make it clear if you are making an assumption or drawing a conclusion. It helps to keep it clearly separated from facts.
Clearly acknowledge that the picture is incomplete and ask yourself and others to revise and change it as more information becomes available.
Wait as long as you can before taking action. It’s prudent to use all the available time to make the most complete assessment possible. Note: this is very different from Analysis Paralysis or procrastination.
Paradoxically, act early and decisively where you can.
Get comfortable not knowing everything.
Seek alternative, informed perspectives
Ask yourself and others “What are we missing?”