Not Knowing: The Art of Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity

Knowledge and expertise are highly valued in today’s business world. These values are introduced at an early age by our education system, and at work, we are assessed based on what we know—on having the answers and solutions. Our need for certainty, to know what’s going on, to have all the answers, exerts strong pressure in our lives. This important book offers an alternative, contrarian approach to dealing with such pressures—to embrace “not knowing” rather than fearing it. The authors argue that it is by not knowing that we in fact develop an exploratory mindset, and discover, engage, and create new ways to deal with business and management problems and issues. The book is supported by stories of individuals and the positive change they made in their lives through not knowing. Solving new problems with old ways of thinking are no longer useful in the new world.

About the Authors

Steven is the Director of Deeper Learning Ltd, a global executive education consultancy based in London, UK. He currently works internationally as a consultant, speaker and coach in the areas of leadership, organizational development, diversity, networking, managing in uncertainty and social capital. He has trained in Gestalt psychology for groups and individuals, ontological coaching and is an experienced executive coach, working frequently with senior teams including at the CEO level.

Steven is a sought-after speaker in many global companies and some of his clients have included firms such as Accenture, AMEX, BT, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, Eurostar, Financial Times, Goldman Sachs and PwC. He has also delivered workshops or talks for the United Nations ILO, On Purpose, the Hub "Connections" and the Windsor Fellowship among several other social enterprises and government organizations. He has spoken in places as diverse as Tbilisi, Bucharest, Shanghai and Sofia.

Steven is an Associate Professor of IE Business School. IE is ranked as the #1 Business School in Europe (Financial Times 2013). He is also an educator for Duke Corporate Education (ranked #1 by the Financial Times for Custom Executive Education for the past 11 years). He helped design and serves as a faculty member of the Barclay's Leadership Academy. He has been a visiting lecturer on several programmes including London Business School, the London School of Economics, and the IE Brown Executive MBA.

Steven is the author of two international bestselling books on Diversity and Networking, published by Prentice Hall. His first book, Made in Britain, featured role models from diverse communities in the UK and was sponsored free for schools. It was personally presented to HRH Prince Charles. His second book, Brilliant Networking, has been translated into several languages and was featured by The Independent in their "Success at Work" series. Steven has been featured in national and international media. He served as the Ambassador for the Australian Institute of Management's National Networking Week in 2013 and in the past has been a Co-Chair of MERLIN (Business in the Community) and a Governor of the City of Westminster College.

Steven enjoys table tennis, being in nature, coffee and conversation, and thinking about the relationships between psychology, philosophy, leadership, management and spirituality alongside social justice. He is currently founding an organization to bring "Contemplative Leadership" into Business Education.

Diana has spent most of her life moving from one state of Not Knowing to another. From fleeing her country of birth, Romania, to an unknown future in a new country; to a continuous process of professional reinvention covering the fields of law, strategy, communications, refugee advocacy and leadership development.

Diana is Director of Not Knowing Lab, an international consulting practice focused on building the capability of organizations and individuals to successfully navigate uncertainty and complexity. She consults to senior executives in a range of commercial, government and community organizations around the world.

She weaves together a range of disciplines including Adaptive Leadership, Complexity Theory, Adult Development and Process Oriented Psychology to help people become better leaders and make a positive impact in the world around them.

Diana has taught on a variety of leadership programs, including as a Faculty member with Harvard University JF Kennedy School of Government for ‘The Art & Practice of Leadership Development’; The University of Adelaide and The University of Texas LBJ School of Government's ‘Transformative Leadership’; and Leadership Victoria's ‘Adaptive Leadership Masterclasses with Marty Linsky’.

She is collaborating with the Centre for Sustainability Leadership and The University of Adelaide to develop and deliver a range of public and customized leadership programs.