Performing under Uncertainty - March 19, 2024

The ASU Master Class, hosted by Amelia Gracia, aims to connect Arizona State University researchers with global audiences on topics like managing uncertainty in entrepreneurship. Sponsored by Cintana Education, the session offers Spanish translations and features Dr. Steven Cho, who will discuss his career journey and techniques for handling uncertainty over a 30-minute lecture.

Dr. Steven Cho shares his background, emphasizing his experience and education, including a stint at MIT. He explains that his ability to handle uncertainty and innovate is what set him apart in his career, which spanned various industries without initial expertise. He introduces the concept of 'The Groove'—a system he developed to handle uncertainty and experimentation in innovation.

Dr. Cho delves into the challenges of managing uncertainty, discussing the emotional and psychological hurdles that innovators face. He emphasizes the need for new techniques, introducing his concept of 'The Groove.' This system involves acknowledging some core ideas, mastering technical skills, and recognizing common situational factors in innovation.

The concept of 'The Groove' is broken down into specific mindsets that help tackle uncertainty. Dr. Cho highlights the importance of maintaining a writer's meticulous focus, being economically rational, and having an architect's layered understanding of problems. These disciplines help overcome the inherent laziness of systems and drive change.

Innovators must acknowledge environmental factors like momentum, which can aid productivity if harnessed correctly. Dr. Cho explains the exponential potential of sustained effort and encourages scheduling to maximize this. He stresses focusing on task completion, likening productivity to executing in sports with consistent effort.

Facing innovation challenges involves understanding the layers and simplifying complexity through experimentation. Dr. Cho discusses how reducing problems incrementally and focusing on variable reduction can lead to success, sharing practices from his semiconductor industry experience as examples of tackling big issues effectively.

The need to overcome personal bias and adapt to circumstances is crucial for innovation. Dr. Cho explains how realists thrive by understanding situations without inflexible preconceived notions. He shares an anecdote about an interview question on perspective to illustrate this, emphasizing the importance of adaptability.

Dr. Cho addresses how to manage various emotions associated with uncertainty, such as fear and stress. He shares techniques for not letting fear take over, focusing instead on concrete steps to mitigate anxiety. He advises against engaging in negative thought spirals and recommends admitting struggles as a step toward resolving stress-related issues.

Highlighting the unpredictable nature of success, Dr. Cho encourages having faith in one's processes and hard work to navigate uncertainty. He provides examples where skill and luck interplay and emphasizes maintaining faith in doing the right things, underscoring the role of fundamentals in achieving innovation success.

In the Q&A session, Dr. Cho expands on points like balancing detail-oriented focus with broader perspectives and explains how personal motivation is key to career progression. He advises students and professionals on overcoming procrastination and intention building, underscoring lifelong learning and adaptability in a constantly changing world.