State Tolerance of Ambiguity Drives Performance and Well-Being Outcomes Within Project Managers: Evidence from a Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

This study investigates Tolerance of Ambiguity in project managers, focusing on how their ability to navigate ambiguous situations varies over time and influences their performance. In a four-week study of 275 project managers, we tracked changes in Tolerance of Ambiguity in project managers and found that these temporary fluctuations were significantly associated with positive mood, adaptive performance, and project progress. Factors such as self-control, coping skills, creativity, and supportive leadership emerged as key drivers of these changes. This study highlights Tolerance of Ambiguity as a dynamic, context-dependent competency in project managers, offering novel insights for enhancing project managers’ ability to navigate ambiguous situations.