The Ambiguity Advantage: What Great Leaders are Great at

The ability to deal with ambiguity is a defining attribute for all leaders; it is what separates the great leaders from the average. This innovative new work shows that a key factor for great leadership is the ability to recognize, explore and profit from ambiguous and near chaotic situations, whilst less able peers take all the steps necessary to simply reduce any ambiguity. Drawing upon the author's own research, and including compelling international case studies and stories, this engaging book shows how to lead others through situations of high ambiguity and uncertainty in a manner that creates opportunity, innovation and competitive advantage.

Table of Contents:
The Nature of Ambiguity Types of Ambiguity Responses to Ambiguity The Nature of Leadership What Good Leaders Do with Ambiguity Getting Creative with Ambiguity Developing Ambiguity Conclusions

About the Author :
DAVID WILKINSON is the Head of Professional Development at Cranfield University where he researches and teaches many aspects of learning, leadership, personal, professional and organizational development. Having designed and run Command Level Public Order courses for the UK police services, he runs trainer training for disaster and post-terrorist incident management around the world. Teaching at a number of universities and conferences in many countries, David also consults for business, emergency and defence services, various agencies and governments internationally.

Review :
'For a leader in the old world, certainty offered an advantage. In the new world, uncertainty will give the leader an edge. Wilkinson blurs the lines between what we know we don't know and what we don't know we know. A must read for anyone who wants to take advantage of the chaos around them.' - Dr. David Lomas, Head of Innovation and Talent, Royal Mail Group 'Anyone who believes that the status quo is a credible option urgently needs to read this book' - Chief Superintendent Philip Aspey, National Secretary Police Superintendents Association of England & Wales 'Book important Wilkinson's, topic neglected, distinctions powerful read valuable. Confused, annoyed or intrigued by that opening sentence? It's pretty tame, as far as ambiguity goes. Whether you are irritated, mystified or attracted by ambiguity, the fact remains that there is a great deal of it in the complex and dynamic world of modern work. If you have leadership responsibilities, and you have never felt puzzled, then you are almost certainly not rising to the challenge of your job. Most people shy away from ambiguity. Leaders cannot afford to, because ambiguity is the raw material from which the future is generated. Dave Wilkinson's Ambiguity Advantage is an important book because it reveals how we deceive and limit ourselves, and our organisations, by over-simplifying ambiguity. It is a powerful and valuable book because it also shows how to work with ambiguity and create opportunities from it.' - Alan Robertson, Management Consultant & Executive Coach (Author of The Fast Track Formula and Managing Talented People) 'This book has very interesting insights for leaders managing ambiguity and therefore by definition for all leaders. It is very readable and the case studies make the points clearly. It's a fresh approach to reviewing leadership.' - Dale Haddon, People & Organisational Development Director for Parcelforce Worldwide