Visibility Obscured by Uncertainty
Be it business or life, when visibility is obscured by uncertainty, what should we do?
How do we navigate complexities with confidence? Let us look at the scenario of a blindfolded journey and the lesson it teaches. When limited or zero visibility haunts you in the light of uncertainties, the journey is a blindfolded one. When walking blindfolded, our reliance “beyond sight” becomes paramount for successful navigation. A high-level reliance on senses such as hearing, touch, and feeling, as well as intuition and experience, matters when you are blindfolded.
Here are a few thoughts to navigate the complexities when you lack visibility:
1) Relying on collaboration as a guiding sense
In a blindfolded scenario, trust and communication with a reliable partner would be critical for a safe journey. By forging strong partner relationships, one can sharpen their collaborative “sense” by sharing information, insights, and potential solutions or outcomes, effectively enhancing their ability to navigate through the fog of limited visibility.
2) Enhancing sense via technology
Just as a blindfolded traveler might use a cane, a stick, or any other similar tool to augment their senses, use technology props to enhance understanding and visibility. These tools are metaphorical canes providing critical insights into the inner workings of smooth sailing.
3) Preparing a multi-sensory contingency plan of action
A blindfolded navigation scenario necessitates a well-thought-out plan in case of unexpected challenges. One should craft comprehensive contingency plans to address potential disruptions. It is like an emergency tool kit. Building resilience through multi-sensory optimization becomes necessary to overcome challenges.
4) Navigating with clarity beyond sight
By practicing all of the above, one can illuminate the path forward. The blindfolded journey teaches us that in the absence of one sense (sight), other senses sharpen and become more attuned.
If we unpack this a bit, we can see there are three distinct cohorts: past, present, and future. Some people lack visibility into the past; others lack visibility into the present; and others lack visibility into the future. Maybe there can also be a classification where all three visit and torture a night’s sleep!
A lack of visibility into the past, if it persists longer than normal, is a tough place to be. No matter how much you try, it is a thing of the past, and nothing much can be done about it. So, think of it this way: We have this lack of visibility into the past that’s bothering you in the present. This shouldn’t necessarily have made it this far. Those were normal things that are now clustered in current times. Leave it in the past and let it not haunt you.
A lack of visibility into the present is something that affects your present accomplishments. You are not able to meet your necessary milestones for incremental progress, and your challenges are exacerbated by a lack of visibility. You need to bridge these gaps through partnerships that provide you with insights, information, and sound advice. Moving goalposts without much thought is the most annoying approach that prevents you from supposedly achieving success.
A lack of visibility into the future does not necessarily mean a lack of a clear path forward or enough resources or momentum to continue forward. It could also mean that there are multiple directions, but you don’t necessarily know which path to take. The impact is more profound when we are pulling forward the outcome dates into the present day because you are doing an opportunity cost analysis to resolve the future situation today.
In summary, life and business can be amazing, wonderful, and inspiring. Just participating in it with blessings from above can often be the right decision, even if the outcomes don’t go the way one had hoped.
While the magnitude and reasons behind your thinking can be based on your life experiences, sometimes even disruptive and painful ones, it is part of a regenerative cycle. Get good partnerships in place, use technological tools, prepare contingency plans as emergency tool kits, and sharpen your senses beyond sight. Keep making good, informed decisions with calculated risk, and you will have good outcomes.
