Holding space for ambiguity has become a hot topic in leadership, mental health, and hybrid workplaces. More than a trendy phrase, it’s a vital skill for navigating uncertainty—whether emotionally or organizationally. In this guide, you’ll learn what holding space for ambiguity really involves, why it matters now, and how to build it in your life and workplace.
What Is Holding Space for Ambiguity?
Holding space for ambiguity means resisting the urge to immediately solve or judge when something isn’t clear. It’s letting uncertainty exist while staying present and compassionate—with ourselves, others, and systems. This requires emotional maturity, empathy, and tolerance for ambiguity .
Originally coined by psychologist Donald Winnicott in 1960, the concept of “holding” described how caregivers create safe environments for emotional growth Today, it has evolved: you can hold space for someone in crisis, or hold space for a team when goals are undefined.
Why It’s a Trend in 2025
1. Hybrid Work & VUCA World
Remote and hybrid work have ignited volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) at all levels. No one has all the information. That’s why mental models grounded in agility—and the ability to hold uncertainty—are vital for adaptive leadership.
2. Emotional Well‑Being & Burnout
Studies link ambiguity to anxiety and burnout. According to Gallup, it’s a top‑5 driver of burnout—60 % of employees don’t know what’s expected of them. Holding space for ambiguity becomes an antidote: it invites honest communication and space to explore feelings, easing stress.
3. Emergence in Culture & Media
The term surged in popularity after the 2024 Wicked interviews—where “holding space” became shorthand for empathetic presence. But its cultural power extends beyond buzz: it underscores humanity in uncertainty.
The Science Behind It
Tolerance of Ambiguity
Psych research defines ambiguity tolerance as the capacity to hold complex situations open-endedly. It correlates positively with creativity, job performance, well‑being—and negatively with prejudice, anxiety, and depression. That means developing this skill is not just nice—it’s evidence‑based.
Psychological Safety
Workplace resilience research highlights how psychological safety helps teams thrive in uncertainty. When leaders hold space for ambiguity—rather than punishing questions—teams feel supported, adaptable, and innovative.
How to Practice Holding Space for Ambiguity
1. Build Comfort with “I Don’t Know”
- Resist jumping to quick decisions.
- Use phrases like “That’s ambiguous right now—let’s sit with it.”
- Normalize uncertainty in team meetings.
2. Set Intentional Boundaries
- State, “We’re exploring possibilities, not solving this now.”
- Protect time where exploration—not outcomes—is the goal.
3. Listen Deeply
Embrace the practice from mental health care: “holding space means offering compassionate, nonjudgmental support without trying to fix things”. That kind of listening builds trust.
4. Frame as Experimentation
Position uncertainty as an opportunity for creativity. Use tools like OODA Loop or first-principles thinking to turn ambiguity into structured exploration.
5. Model the Behavior
Leaders: show you’re comfortable being unsure. Admit what you don’t know. Encourage exploration over certainty. According to McKinsey, resilient leaders model adaptability and build others’ capacity to face change.
Real-World Examples
Startup Founders
Early-stage companies operate in fast-changing landscapes. Investors often highlight founders who can hold space for ambiguity—i.e., stay calm amid unknowns and creatively navigate pivots.
Teams in AI Development
As generative AI models evolve, developers face unknown limitations daily. Teams that “sit with ambiguity”—through iterative sprints and learning cycles—outperform those demanding quick answers.
Mental Health Contexts
Therapists and physiotherapists apply holding space to help clients process trauma or chronic pain—often by supporting emotional exploration without rushing them.
Tools & Strategies to Support the Practice
- Cultivate Reflective Pauses
- Start meetings with 1 minute of open reflection—no objectives needed.
- Ambiguity Mapping
- Visualize what’s unknown. Tag assumptions, list needed data.
- Safe Language
- Replace certainty (“must”) with exploration (“what if?”, “maybe”) language.
- Shared Mental Models
- Use frameworks like SWOT, VUCA, or scenario forecasting to build comfort.
- Post‑mortems on Uncertainty
- Follow up after ambiguous decisions: What worked? What didn’t? What did we learn?
Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
- Toxic Resilience: If holding space becomes a mask for silence or forced optimism, it’s toxic.
- Overwhelm by Open-Endedness: Too much ambiguity without guardrails leads to paralysis. Counter by setting limited-time exploration phases.
- Misuse as Avoidance: If you always “hold space” without action, you risk stagnation. Follow reflection with deliberate decisions.
Benefits to Expect
- Enhanced Well‑Being: Reduced burnout, more psychological safety, lower anxiety.
- Better Decision‑Making: Teams that embrace uncertainty catch more angles, are more creative, and avoid premature conclusions.
- Resilience & Adaptability: Individuals and organizations build real agility in unpredictable environments .
Quick Checklist: Holding Space in Action
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. | Acknowledge uncertainty: “I don’t know yet.” |
| 2. | Invite exploration: “What ideas do we have?” |
| 3. | Reflect actively: “What are we learning?” |
| 4. | Validate feelings: “You’re feeling anxious—that’s normal.” |
| 5. | Capture insights: Log questions, observations, next steps. |
| 6. | Decide intentionally: Move forward based on new clarity or further exploration. |
Why Holding Space for Ambiguity Is a Superpower
In 2025’s volatile world, the ability to hold space for ambiguity is no longer optional—it’s a strategic edge. It fosters:
- Emotional intelligence—staying present amid uncertainty.
- Organizational agility—processing new information without panic.
- Culture of trust—where questions are valued, not penalized.
Final Thoughts
Holding space for ambiguity isn’t just a feel-good phrase. It’s a powerful practice, rooted in psychological research and evolving workplace needs. By learning to be comfortable with not knowing, you open pathways to creativity, resilience, and human connection. In a world of constant change, that might be the most practical skill of all.
Letting go of perfectionism in such moments becomes not a weakness, but a necessity. Organizations across industries are shifting from rigid hierarchies to adaptive, agile frameworks where iteration trumps flawless execution. Leaders who foster a tolerance for uncertainty aren’t promoting mediocrity—they’re empowering innovation. The pressure to always “get it right” can paralyze decision-making and stifle original thought. In contrast, embracing ambiguity invites diverse perspectives, encourages experimentation, and accelerates learning.
Research from the Harvard Business Review suggests that teams which tolerate ambiguity and reduce perfectionist tendencies are significantly more adaptable in times of crisis (HBR, 2020). Whether you’re leading a product launch, navigating organizational change, or simply confronting a complex problem, the ability to hold space for the unknown is rapidly becoming a competitive advantage.
The shift is clear: high-performing individuals and teams are no longer defined by their capacity to control every outcome, but by their ability to stay grounded, focused, and collaborative—even when the road ahead is blurry.
References
1. Gard & Leung (2020)
David E. Gard and Lawrence N. Leung, “How Meaning Is Made: Ambiguity Tolerance as a Central, Operationalizable Concept for Psychotherapy Integration,” International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy, Vol. 11, 2020. Available at: https://merl.sfsu.edu/…/PDF_Article_0.pdf
2. Starr (2025)
R.J. Starr, “Holding Space: What It Actually Requires and Why It’s Not Just Being Quiet,” May 2025. Available at: https://profrjstarr.com/…/holding-space-what-it-actually-requires
3. Psychology Today (2023)
Liza Summer (ed.), “Is There a Right Way to Hold Space for Someone in Crisis?”, Psychology Today, February 2025. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/is-there-a-right-way-to-hold-space-for-someone-in-crisis
