[Book] What Lies Beyond Efficiency: The 'Courage Not to Rush for Answers' and the 'Human Capabilities' HR Should Cultivate in the AI Era
I read Junko Edahiro's book, 'The Courage Not to Rush for Answers: A Recommendation for Negative Capability' (East Press, 2023).
The modern era is called the 'VUCA era,' characterized by ongoing instability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Against this backdrop, our society has come to value 'speed,' 'problem-solving,' and 'clarity' more than ever before.
Seeking efficiency, simplifying matters, and jumping immediately to 'answers.' This trend is symbolized by the term 'time performance' (taipa). In such an era, the abilities valued are those of gathering information, analyzing, planning, and executing—in other words, 'positive capability' (problem-solving ability).
From childhood, we are rushed with 'hurry up,' and both at school and in the workplace, we are constantly asked how to reach the correct answer as quickly as possible. It can truly be called an era of 'positive capability from birth to death.'
However, positive capability alone cannot deal with complex problems where traditional premises no longer apply, or with 'problems that have no answers' in the first place. There is even a danger of falling into symptomatic treatment or partial optimization, which may end up worsening the problem.
What is Negative Capability: The ability to 'leave things be'
Therefore, this book presents another essential ability: 'negative capability.'
This concept was proposed by the 19th-century British poet John Keats and later rediscovered by the psychoanalyst Wilfred Bion. Keats cited this ability as a characteristic of individuals who achieve great work (creation), such as Shakespeare.
Negative capability refers to 'the state of being able to remain in uncertainties, mysteries, and doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.'
In simpler terms, it is the ability to endure anxiety and impatience while remaining in a state of 'not knowing,' and the ability to 'leave things be' without jumping to hasty judgments or conclusions.
For example, when a friend comes to you with a complex problem, giving easy advice like 'you should do this' out of discomfort is a state where negative capability is not being exercised. Conversely, being able to 'wait' and accompany the other person's meandering story without rushing to a conclusion is a state where this ability is being exercised.
Relationship with Positive Capability: Two abilities as the two wheels of a car
Negative capability is different from mere 'indecisiveness' or 'thought paralysis.' It is the courage to stop with intention and purpose in order to 'wait' for new thoughts or perceptions to emerge.
This book compares positive capability and negative capability to the 'two wheels of a car.' With only the accelerator (positive), you will run out of control, and with only the brake (negative), you cannot move forward.
New ideas do not emerge if we only think within the realm of what we 'already know.' It is only through negative capability, which patiently examines the edge between 'what is known' and 'what is not known,' that new insights are born, and those insights can then be materialized through positive capability.
Accepting the anxiety of 'not knowing': The impulse to 'disperse' and the importance of the 'container'
There is a reason why we cannot endure the state of 'not knowing.' This book introduces two key terms that are important for understanding negative capability.
One is 'dispersal.' This refers to defensive behaviors such as jumping to easy conclusions, distracting oneself, or blaming others to escape the anxiety and discomfort arising from 'not knowing.'
The other is 'containment.' This is having a psychological container to 'accept' anxiety and confusion rather than 'dispersing' them. It does not mean 'accepting (agreeing with)' them, but simply holding the emotion as it is—thinking, 'Ah, I am feeling anxious'—without denying it. The size of this 'container' can be said to be the size of one's negative capability.
What negative capability brings: The 'human-like power' needed in the AI era
By enhancing negative capability, we can move closer to our 'ideal selves,' listen to others' words without jumping to conclusions, and become deeply empathetic and tolerant. Furthermore, by not jumping to easy answers, we can delve deeper into the essence of things.
In the era of AI (artificial intelligence), the value of this capability is even higher. Many 'positive capabilities,' such as 'collecting information' and 'analyzing,' are likely to be replaced by AI. However, negative capability—the ability to intentionally 'leave things as they are' without rushing to understand or judge—is something AI cannot possess.
'Social intelligence,' such as empathy and support for others, and 'creativity,' which involves questioning existing frameworks, are the most difficult areas to computerize, and these are all supported by negative capability.
To Enhance Capability: Things to Be Conscious of in Daily Life
This book argues that this capability is not innate, but can be learned (trained) through conscious effort.
In daily life, practices such as 'slowing down,' 'being conscious of pauses,' 'stopping when you feel discomfort or unease,' 'connecting with nature,' and 'engaging with art and literature' serve as training.
Tools such as 'solo brainstorming (generating ideas without judgment),' 'solo debating (intentionally thinking from the opposing perspective),' 'systems thinking (considering structures rather than immediate events),' and 'meditation (observing things as they are without judgment)' are also effective.
Practice in Interpersonal Relationships: An Attitude of 'Waiting' Rather Than 'Raising' People
This capability is also extremely important in situations where you are developing others. Especially in parenting, adults tend to impose positive capability by saying, 'Hurry up.'
However, children inherently possess rich negative capability, such as losing track of time while being absorbed in something. What adults should do is trust the child's power to 'grow' (intransitive verb) and adopt an attitude of 'waiting' for the fermentation process, rather than 'raising' (transitive verb) them for the adult's convenience. This adult negative capability of 'waiting' fosters the child's resilience (the ability to bounce back flexibly).
Leadership in the VUCA Era: Mechanisms for 'Stopping' in Organizations
This attitude of 'waiting' is also common in business talent development and leadership. What is required of leaders in the VUCA era is not a strong leader who 'knows everything,' but a leader who can accept 'not being perfect' and 'not knowing.'a leader who can accept 'not being perfect' and 'not knowing'.
In the 'Tylenol crisis' case introduced in this book, the CEO at the time, amidst the uncertainty of 'unknown causes,' did not engage in hasty finger-pointing or shirking responsibility (= scattering), but made the decision to recall all products based on the philosophy of putting the customer first. This is a prime example of creative leadership that successfully balances negative capability and positive capability.
As an organization, it is also important to incorporate mechanisms that allow for 'Wait a minute' pauses (negative capability activation devices), such as establishing a 'negative team' that intentionally voices opposing opinions or introducing 'scenario planning' that does not narrow down future predictions to just one.
Conclusion: To Avoid Losing Sight of What Is Truly Important
This book points out that negative capability is also rooted in the wisdom of Eastern philosophy, such as Laozi's ',Wu Wei' (devoting all effort to doing nothing) or Zen Master Takuan's ',place of the mind' (not being attached to anything).
Negative capability is like the invisible 'roots' that support the visible trunk and flowers (positive capability). The book strongly argues that precisely because we live in an age where speed and efficiency seem to dominate everything, cultivating these 'roots' and having the courage to 'stay' leads to a 'human way of living' that does not lose sight of what is truly important.
How to Apply This Book from an HR Perspective
Reading this book made me think deeply that many of the 'people' and 'organization' issues we face daily are caused precisely by this lack of negative capability, or by an excessive bias toward positive capability.
The HR department holds both the role of promoting 'efficiency' and 'optimization' (positive) to achieve management goals, and the role of dealing with 'things that have no answers or are unknown' (negative), such as 'human emotions' and 'organizational culture.'
From an HR perspective, I will examine specific ways to implement this 'negative capability' within an organization.
1. [Recruitment] Escaping the curse of 'immediate assets' and identifying talent with 'ambiguity tolerance'
Modern recruitment activities tend to fall into a bias toward positive capability, in the name of 'immediate assets.' While 'problem-solving ability' and 'execution' are certainly important, they alone are not enough to overcome the VUCA era.
Applying the concepts of this book to recruitment means establishing ',ambiguity tolerance' and 'listening skills'—forms of negative capability—as new evaluation criteria.
In interview situations, rather than just asking about 'success stories (= stories where answers were found),' the following types of questions would be effective.
'What was the most difficult situation you have experienced where you felt there was no answer?'
'At that time, I imagine you felt impatient because there was no conclusion; how did you face that, and how did you act?'
'When you had to work with a member whose opinion was completely different from yours, what did you do first?'
What we should look for here is whether they took 'dispersing' actions (blaming others, giving up halfway, forcing a conclusion) or whether they functioned as a 'vessel,' accepting the situation and others' opinions, and persistently trying to find the essence.
2. [Human Resource Development] From 'problem-solving' training to 'listening and reflection' training
Many corporate training programs are biased toward 'logical thinking' and 'problem-solving' (positive). However, what is truly needed is the ability to pause before that.
Intentionally introducing training programs that cultivate negative capability is also a viable strategy.
Listening and Dialogue Training: Many managers, when faced with a subordinate's consultation, exercise positive capability and immediately provide a 'solution (advice).' Instead, training is needed to 'suspend' judgment and advice, and to 'accept' the other person's words and silence as a 'vessel.'
Reflection Training: This prevents 'doing things and leaving them be' and cultivates the ability to learn from experience. Using the 'ladder of inference' introduced in this book to objectively view why one reached a certain conclusion and what kind of assumptions (mental models) one was trapped by is the core of negative capability.
Systems Thinking Training: Instead of reacting to the 'event' in front of you (e.g., a drop in sales) and rushing to symptomatic treatment (e.g., shouting encouragement), this is a way of thinking that encourages you to 'wait a minute' and consider the 'structure' behind it. This serves as a practical tool for negative capability in an organization.
3. [Leadership] Leaders who 'wait for answers' draw out the 'growth' power of subordinates
As HR, we need to present a new leader image for the VUCA era to the organization. It is a shift from a 'strong leader' who knows everything to a leader who can admit 'I don't know' and a leader who can accept 'not being perfect'.
Just as this book argues that parenting should shift from 'raising (transitive verb)' to an attitude of 'waiting' for them to 'grow (intransitive verb)'grow (intransitive verb), human resource development is the same.
Transformation of the quality of 1-on-1 meetings: Redefine 1-on-1s from a place for progress checks and problem-solving (positive) to a place for listening (negative) to a subordinate's confusion, anxiety, and conflict 'without dispersing them.' By the leader acting as a 'vessel,' subordinates can reflect with peace of mind and cultivate the power to find answers themselves (= negative capability).
Fostering a coaching culture: The transition from teaching (giving answers) to coaching (waiting to draw out answers) is precisely the promotion of organizational negative capability. A leader having the skill to 'wait' is essential for fostering the autonomy of subordinates.
4. [Organizational Development] Creating a Psychologically Safe 'Vessel' Where It Is Okay to Say 'I Don't Know'
Individual capability development alone is insufficient. For negative capability to be exercised, an organizational 'vessel' that can accept it—namely psychological safety—is essential.
In workplaces where saying 'I don't know' is not permitted and the pressure to 'come up with an answer quickly' (i.e., the pressure to disperse) is strong, no one will ever stop to reflect.
To foster this psychological 'vessel,' the HR department can lead the integration of the following 'negative capability activation mechanisms' into the organization.
Intentional Setup of 'Meetings Without Conclusions'
Not every meeting needs to aim for decision-making (positive). By setting up spaces such as 'brainstorming' or 'dialogue' sessions, where the explicit goal is to 'withhold conclusions' and simply 'accept' diverse perspectives, you create a space for reflection.Introduction of a 'Negative Team'
As introduced in this book, by establishing a team (or a 'shadow board') whose role is to intentionally raise objections to mainstream opinions by saying 'Wait a minute,' you can institutionally suppress the organization's impulse to 'disperse' and ensure diversity of thought.
Conclusion: Aiming for an Organization That Is 'Ambidextrous' in Both Positive and Negative Capabilities
HR departments are often chased by the demands of positive capability, such as efficiency and optimization. However, to protect the organization's sustainable growth, innovation, and, above all, the 'human' way of working for its employees, the perspective of negative capability is indispensable.
The power to pursue short-term results (positive) and the power to endure the complexity of having no answers (negative) while exploring the essence of things. I felt that cultivating this 'ambidextrous' organizational culture is one of the HR strategies for overcoming the VUCA era.
