The Anxious Achiever Uncertainty Can Be Awesome With Maggie Jackson
47 snips
Dec 16, 2025 
Maggie Jackson, an author and expert on uncertainty, dives into how embracing the unknown can enhance creativity and resilience. She explores how our brains react to uncertainty and redefines it from a threat to an opportunity for growth. The discussion reveals the power of 'good stress' and the benefits of curiosity in reducing anxiety. Listeners will learn practical strategies to foster an environment that welcomes uncertainty, encourages exploration, and strengthens collaboration, ultimately transforming decision-making for leaders and teams alike.
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Prediction Error Drives Learning
- Seeking prediction error (surprises) is how uncertainty updates our models and stimulates learning.
- Jackson found experts and innovative teams value being jolted out of assumptions.
Create Pauses For Better Decisions
- Build pauses and spaciousness into workflows to allow deeper assessment of complex problems.
- Adaptive experts spend more time investigating before acting rather than rushing to fix.
Use Language That Invites Openness
- Change language to normalize uncertainty; use 'maybe' or 'sometimes' to invite perspectives.
- Surface not-knowing in meetings and keep problems open to encourage collaboration.
