Sometimes people speak about “the new normal” as if it’s a static state that we will transition to, and then live with for a while. Not true. The rate of technological change – with inevitable consequences for our organizations and social structures – continues to accelerate.
The US military developed the concept of VUCA:
V = Volatility. The nature and dynamics of change, and the nature and speed of change forces and change catalysts.
U = Uncertainty. The lack of predictability, the prospects for surprise, and the sense of awareness and understanding of issues and events.
C = Complexity. The multiplex of forces, the confounding of issues and the chaos and confusion that surround an organization.
A = Ambiguity. The haziness of reality, the potential for misreads, and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.
We’re living in a VUCA world now and will be for the foreseeable future. VUCA spans all our leadership work. VUCA complicates our decisions. VUCA requires us to think about tempo, momentum, and agility. VUCA erodes the ground that we might have thought safe. VUCA gives us new opportunities that were simply unavailable a short time ago.
There are four things necessary to thrive as a leader in a VUCA world:
- Trust
- Clarity of thinking and communication
- Purposefulness (meaning, the work has high value beyond a paycheck)
- Confidence
All four have something in common: you can’t buy them. They’re difficult to measure, but all agree on their value. You can’t operate on any of them directly; they are byproducts of things we do and say, and our experiences working with one another.
So how do you thrive in a VUCA world? You first accept that this is the “new normal” and stop acting surprised by VUCA environments — and certainly no complaining! Next, you keep working at the little and big things about leading people and managing projects well. Reframe your thinking; this is an adventure! The secret to thriving in a VUCA world is to recognize that people haven’t fundamentally changed in thousands of years but our environments have been transformed.
I challenge you to daily ask and answer these types of questions:
- What can I do to serve people well?
- What can I communicate today to someone to increase their clarity?
- Where do I need to think carefully and deeply?
- How can I use rituals and rhythms to improve my self-confidence, so others will benefit indirectly?
You’re on the VUCA ride whether you believe it or not. Thriving leadership requires recognizing it and working with VUCA as a reality.
Whenever I meet a new person and begin to forge a relationship, whatever form that may take, I go in with the full understanding that for everything I think I know about that person, there is infinitely more I don’t know. Some of it, I will never know. And that’s OK. To think we ever really know everything there is to know about another person — their motivations, their past, the inner workings of their emotions, etc. — is a bit foolish. Even with my closest friends of 20 years, I am still learning new things; and rather than feeling slighted that I didn’t know until now, I think, “Wow! There’s so much to you!”
In a strong and healthy personal relationship, we adjust as new information becomes available. If it is a relationship of commitment, the commitment is never to “the stuff we think we know,” but rather to the person, fully realizing that “knowing” will be an ongoing process between two complex — and ever-changing — people.
So why is it that we feel we “should” be able to know and predict everything about ANY venture (business included) in order for our relationship with that venture to be a positive one. If the commitment remains to the core values, to people and to continuing honest dialog, changes don’t present a threat. As you say, Glenn, they should represent a true adventure. In any real adventure (e.g., white water rafting, climbing, exploring), all I really want to know is that the people with me have my back and my best interest at heart. If I fall out of the raft, they will do whatever they must to help me, not just continue on and wish me luck. If we get separated in the woods, they’re going to come looking for me.
I think in any relationship — person to person, person to business, business to business — that’s all any of us really wants to know. It’s that TRUST. With that settled, handling changes or working toward greater clarity are just par for the course, even enjoyable opportunities to interact, learn and grow together.
Well said, Erik. There are good reasons we create covenants with people vs. contracts. Your comments remind of C.S. Lewis’ insight: “You have never met an ordinary person.”
Great post, Glenn. I have never heard of the concept VUCA, but love it. Those four questions to ask yourself are great, especially “What can I do to serve people well?” – Great advice. Are there other materials you know of on VUCA?
Adam, a good jumping off point is Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility,_uncertainty,_complexity_and_ambiguity . Another good article on adaptive leadership for VUCA situations is at http://www.thunderbird.edu/article/adaptive-leadership-vuca-world-tale-two-managers