When ambiguity is a better strategy than clarity

The Utility of Ambiguity

Striving for clarity and completeness is not always appropriate,
however. For example, it might inadvertently signal finality and
inflexibility when the situation calls for exploration. Or it might lead
to bluntness and offense in dealing with sensitive subjects. Purposeful
ambiguity can serve as a useful tool in many sticky communication
situations.

What, then, is the difference between productive and unproductive ambiguity? When and how should deliberate ambiguity be deployed to obtain the best communication outcomes?

Probing and Exploring

Ambiguity can be used to encourage engagement, dialogue, and
collaboration. In situations like negotiating or initiating
partnerships, avoiding stating proposals too clearly may signal finality
and inflexibility when it can be more productive to ask questions, tell
stories, or suggest multiple possibilities. 

For example, if you are trying to determine your boss’s risk
tolerance for an innovative idea you have, you might tell a story about
another organization implementing a similar idea to gauge her reaction
rather than directly asserting your desired course of action. 

Unlocking Opportunities

Ambiguity can act as a catalyst for collaborative uncovering of
opportunities and innovation. It provides a fertile ground for multiple
interpretations and thus inviting exploration and encouraging creative
suggestions. 

Consider a brainstorming session where a leader initiates ideation by
simply posing open-ended questions without defining a clear goal. The
ambiguity invites more ingenuity as a productive path to eventual focus
and clarity. 

Face-Saving and Flexibility

In scenarios where building and preserving relationships and saving
face are crucial, ambiguity can help. Nothing is more corrosive to
collaboration and innovation than inducing fear or defensiveness by
striking sensitive topics with the precision of a missile, especially
when the topic is incidental to the purpose of the communication.
Nuanced communication can nurture potential hurt feelings and maintain
psychological safety. 

For example, when giving a superior constructive feedback, the
reception and effect may be multiplied if it is combined with positive
feedback, if details are sufficient to communicate the point but don’t
go so far as precipitating a defensive reaction, or if only selective
aspects are put forth. An appropriate level of ambiguity maximizes the
possibility of the message being embraced, demonstrates goodwill,
preserves the working relationship, and increases the probability that
best efforts will be applied.   

Implying Commitment without Taking a Stance

Any number of situations exist where we are asked to take a position
that might put us at a disadvantage. In such situations, deploying
ambiguity can fulfill the requirement to respond and can validate the
other parties’ intent while leaving possibilities open.

Making statements like “This is an important issue” does not clearly
delineate a stance, but can signal receipt of the message or respect for
the question. Similarly, telling a prospect interested in a currently
unplanned product feature “would be very useful” implies that the
feature will be considered without committing to it.

When ambiguity can help

Here are some examples of specific situations where using ambiguity strategically could be helpful.

1  Negotiations: Ambiguity can prevent deadlock or
the premature convergence on a suboptimal outcome, allowing negotiators
to explore a broader range of acceptable outcomes. This facilitates a
more flexible and adaptable approach to reaching a more mutually
beneficial agreement.

2  Marketing:
In marketing luxury goods, strategic ambiguity can create an
aspirational allure, emphasizing associations and aesthetics over
concrete details. A Dior perfume advertisement might, for example, focus
on the elegance and prestige conveyed by the product, rather than its
chemical composition or price.

3  Intervening in Complex Systems: For processes
that are too intricate to detail completely, ambiguity can help focus
attention on essential aspects while granting flexibility in execution.
For example, in a luxury hotel’s customer service protocol, specifying
core principles of hospitality may be more effective than detailing
every conceivable scenario, creating an unwieldy standard operating
procedure, which is impossible to operationalize. 

4  Inspiring others: To inspire and motivate,
sometimes the exact steps are less important than the overall vision and
values. A recruit might be more drawn to a company’s aspirational, more
vague goals rather than specific tactical details. Directionality over
specificity allows recipients to more easily hear what they want to find
in the message.

The toolkit

The tools of strategic ambiguity are as varied as the purposes for
which they can be deployed. Leveraging the advantages of ambiguity
involves mastering some of the following specific techniques. 

1  Metaphors, Similes, & Analogies: Convey ideas abstractly by comparison with other situations.
Example: Our current financial situation is akin to a battle.

2  Selective Detailing: Choose details that imply your point of view without declaring it in detail.
Example: Say, “The room is warm,” rather than requesting the window be open.

3  Reframing: Use higher-level abstractions to focus on broader connections.
Example: A specific question about why something is so expensive is reframed as a question about value.

4  Word Choice & Phrasing: Employ strategic word choices to imply, suggest, or cushion.
Example: This course of action is certified. 

5  Open-Ended Questions: Foster directed dialogue and exploration.
Example: What are the criteria for success?

6  Scenarios: Scenario planning can illustrate potential outcomes hypothetically, without commitment.
Example: Referencing cases that align with your goal.

Deciding when and how to be ambiguous

As with all high-stakes, strategic communication, we must consider
the goal and context to help craft effective messages. In defining our
messages, we must think about what we want our audience to know, feel,
and do. Further, we need to consider how they will feel about our
discussion topic and its associations. In situations where these might
invite concern, confusion, or consternation, making our message more
ambiguous might invite better acceptance and engagement.

Additionally, all communication occurs in a social context that
defines what is accepted and expected. We must consider these norms
along with the spoken and unspoken rules around clarity. For example, in
the midst of a surgery or when flying an airplane, there is an
expectation of clear, concise communication between professionals that
outweighs some of the negative repercussions of communicating in such a
direct manner.

Ethics must be considered

While ambiguity can be advantageous, it bears ethical implications.
Purposeful ambiguity should not be wielded to mislead or deceive but
rather to foster mutually beneficial outcomes. Each communication
situation needs to net out the benefit versus potential optics of being
ambiguous. While potentially more demanding, this vetting will allow for
better socio-emotional and task outcomes.

In our pursuit of effective communication, strategic ambiguity offers
a valuable dimension to business communication. It can foster
flexibility, nurture creativity, and manage relational dynamics,
sometimes achieving what unerring clarity and comprehensiveness cannot.
By embracing ambiguity judiciously, business leaders and communicators
create better paths to eventual clarity and beneficial outcomes