Andrea Small is a design leader, strategist, educator, and former Stanford University d.school teaching fellow. We discuss her book Navigating Ambiguity. Creating Opportunity in a World of Unknowns. The timing is perfect for this book — as many of us personally, professionally and in the world at large are dealing with unknowns.

She shares the differences between ambiguity and uncertainty…and how we can embrace the discomfort of the unknown to create new, innovative, and creative possibilities. She invites us to lean into ‘not knowing’, to be more open to being surprised.

The inside cover of the book says it perfectly ‘ The book shows you how to surrender control by being adaptable, curious, and unbiased as well as resourceful, tenacious, and courageous.

This book has a lot to teach us beyond its original intention for design and education. These ideas and concepts can be applied to various challenges as we go through our lives.