Most people hate and fear uncertainty. It causes such stress and anxiety that we often choose certain surrender over doubt, becoming passive, dependent, addicted — and more anxious than ever. Artists live with uncertainty constantly — but instead of waiting for the future, they run towards making it. What can we learn from them, about facing into a future that grows more uncertain daily? At a time when organizations of all kinds crave innovation but complain their people lack creativity and initiative, the arts have never been so essential to our future.
In her new book Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians and artists thrive in an unpredictable world (Bristol University Press), Margaret Heffernan, one of the most important philosophers in the UK, acclaimed TED talk speaker, entrepreneur, CEO and author, reveals how the power of the arts helps us imagine, innovate and flourish through harnessing uncertainty. She is joined in conversation by Andrew Kelly, formerly Director of Bristol Ideas, to argue for the vital integration of art into all aspects of our lives and how we can think like the very creatives and artists that she urges us to learn from.
Margaret Heffernan worked for 13 years as a radio and television drama and documentary producer. She then spent eight years in the US running media technology companies and was named one of the Internet’s Top 100 by Silicon Alley Reporter and one of the Top 100 Media Executives by The Hollywood Reporter.
She is the author of six books including Wilful Blindness, A Bigger Prize and Uncharted, and her TED talks have been seen by over 15 million people. She is a frequent broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and the author of many plays and programmes. In 2023, she was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in recognition of the impact of her work. She is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath and mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organizations. She chairs the board of DACS and is a parish councillor.
Andrew Kelly is a visiting professor at the University of the West of England and has written or edited 25 books on subjects ranging from film and cinema history aviation and Bristol’s rich cultural history. He was director of Bristol Ideas 1993-2024. He is currently working on a new biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and continues to host events about ideas.
Praise for the book
“A timely, insightful book about staying creative in a changing world. Using her extensive experience and impressive knowledge, Margaret Heffernan highlights what it takes to excel in turbulent times.” Adam Grant, author of Think Again and Hidden Potential, and host of the podcast Re:Thinking
“At a time when algorithms promise to extinguish all doubt, Heffernan makes a compelling case for uncertainty as humanity’s greatest resource. Her deep examination of how artists work offers an inspired and inspiring model for thriving in an unpredictable world.” Daniel H. Pink, author of The Power of Regret, Drive and Whole New Mind
“A call to creativity, written as a response to the deadening effects of tech-enabled managerialism. This long-overdue book invites readers of whatever stripe to learn from the way artists work, to see uncertainty for what it is: ‘the great propulsive power behind curiosity, learning, discovery and invention – the essence of being human’.” Tracey Camilleri, co-author of The Social Brain
“There is no more compelling, convincing and articulate guide to what the arts have to teach us about uncertainty than Margaret Heffernan. Robert Poynton, author of Do Improvise
“Margaret Heffernan’s beautifully expressed insight that the essential quality of artistry is a strength we all need and can develop in ourselves is hugely welcome. A life-enhancing book.” Lucy Parker, co-author of The Activist Leader and Senior Partner at Brunswick Group