Most people who’ve worked with me know I’m a big fan of design thinking. Reading Tom and David Kelley’s Creative Confidence shaped so much of how I approach problem-solving and how I think about designing products, services, and systems that meet the needs of customers, employees, and the business. I loved it so much that I’ve made it part of my team book clubs more than once.
Design thinking has become one of those timeless skills and mindsets that feels indispensable in our world of constant, unpredictable change. As a People Ops leader, I’m passionate about equipping others with this way of thinking because it helps us break free from patterns that hold us back, like:
- Getting stuck in analysis or debate paralysis
- Jumping straight into solutions without first defining the problem, context, or needs
- Running the same old playbooks that worked in a different era
How Design Thinking Helps Us Navigate Ambiguity
I recently came across a Harvard Business Review article by Amy Bonsall and Alyson Meister that perfectly captures how design thinking can help teams thrive amid uncertainty. They highlight how the framework helps us manage our natural human reactions to ambiguity and constant change. Additionally, they hit on some simple, easy to apply today tips for better practicing design thinking in your work today.
Here are a few key takeaways from their piece that resonated with me:
- Acknowledge our human reaction to ambiguity. Our instinct is often rooted in survival (think fight, flight, or freeze response). Awareness gives us space to pause and choose how to respond instead of just reacting.
- Create space for inspiration. Instead of rushing to solve, allow time for exploration, curiosity, and creative thinking. A little space can unearth the best solutions.
- Reframe ambiguity as opportunity. Uncertainty doesn’t have to be a barrier. It can be the soil where innovation grows.
- Start small. Take simple, intentional steps to build clarity rather than waiting for the perfect solution or the “right” time.
A Quote to Sit With
One line from the article stopped me in my tracks:
“Ambiguity isn’t a bug; it’s a feature of life. It’s in times of ambiguity that you can make the biggest, boldest moves—where breakthrough thinking can be born. The trick? You have to get comfortable staying in the space of ambiguity.”
I love this reminder because it speaks directly to what design thinking is all about: curiosity, iteration, and comfort with the unknown. It’s an invitation to shift from needing to have all the answers to being willing to explore the possibilities.
In today’s ever-changing world, that might be one of the most important muscles we can build, both as individuals and as organizations.
LinkedIn Post
Most people who’ve worked with me know I’m a big fan of design thinking.
Reading Tom & David Kelley’s Creative Confidence shaped how I approach problem-solving — and how I help teams design products and experiences that truly meet the needs of customers, employees, and businesses. I loved it so much, I made it a team book club pick (more than once 😅).
Design thinking is one of those timeless mindsets that helps us navigate today’s world of never-ending “unprecedented times.” As a People leader, I’m passionate about equipping others with this way of thinking because it helps us break free from patterns that hold us back, like:
- Analysis or debate paralysis
- Jumping straight into solutions before defining the real problem
- Repeating playbooks that worked in the past but no longer fit today’s world
I recently read a great HBR article by Amy Bonsall and Alyson Meister, which explores how design thinking can help teams manage ambiguity and constant change. A few takeaways I loved:
- Our instinctive reaction to ambiguity is survival — awareness helps us pause and respond instead of react.
- Create space for inspiration before problem-solving.
- Reframe ambiguity as an opportunity, not a threat.
- Take small steps toward clarity instead of waiting for perfect answers.
If you’re leading through change — or just trying to navigate the unknown — I can’t recommend design thinking enough.
It’s not just a framework.
It’s a way to move forward with intention, focus, and courage.
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