These are extraordinary times. The pace of change and uncertainty is beyond what most of us have ever experienced before, and as a result, the way we do business has to change with the times.
The best leaders know they cannot act and react the same way they did before.
Leaders need to change the way they think, the choices they make, and how they show up. When they do this, they will be better prepared to face the challenges they will undoubtedly encounter now and in the future.
The best leaders have the courage to take risks, think more creatively and act quickly in the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world in which we now live.
Bob Johansen with the Institute for the Future created what are known as the key skills for VUCA leaders. He has identified four characteristics for leaders to counteract VUCA. Let’s look at these in more depth.
Vision
When dealing with volatility, vision enables you to see through the turbulence and paint the picture of what the future holds. You do not have to be the administrator of the vision for you company to undertake this initiative.
Rather, think about this in terms of the outcomes or results that you want to achieve in your world, and how having a clear line of sight will help you get there. This is much like having a compass pointing everyone due north and that direction, motivates the team for facing the unknown. As the leader you need to align the team so that you share the same vision – the same destination.
Understanding
Understanding is the antidote for uncertainty. At a time when there is unpredictability, with incomplete or even inaccurate information – we still need to be decisive. An important question to ask is, “How do we gain an understanding of the patterns and the inter-connectedness of things (the nuances) that impact us and our team?” Your ability to sort through and interpret meaning brings the needed focus to tackle the tough challenges. As a result, your team is positioned to confront these challenges with an eye towards solutions. When you understand the challenges being faced, you can rise above uncertainty and assist your team to be decisive as well.
Clarity
Clarity helps us cut through complexity by reducing things to their simplest form. It helps us make sense of the chaos and provides direction for ourselves and our teams. When we can clearly see the path forward of what we need to do, where we need to go, becomes more apparent. Having clarity helps us determine which strategies will be the most effective in cutting through the chaos. The team appreciates your transparency and the focus this brings to solving the countless challenges they face.
Agility
The agile leader overcomes obstacles by pivoting quickly when they confront ambiguity. This flexibility helps you select from many options to determine cause and effect enabling you to be adaptable and decisive. If the choice that you make winds up not being optimal, this helps you assess the situation and course correct to find the best possible alternatives. It is critical that you bring your team along to help them do the same. A cohesive team works together to overcome the hurdles encountered in their path.
Leaders that are good at adapting to the changing times embody these four unique skills (Vision, Understanding Clarity and Agility) and help their teams develop these critical skills as well. You will meet challenges head-on and do it with renewed focus that leads to success.
Sage Alliance, a Leadership Performance Company, provides coaching, team-building and assessments, workshops and speaking on topics including; leadership development, empowering teams, communications, lasting impressions, personal branding and building a coaching culture for executives and high-potentials – for both team and individual leaders.
Contact us today to discover how your organization can get the most through improved productivity, efficiency and direct impact to your bottom line, while leaders gain powerful insight, crystallize opportunities for growth and fine tune their strengths, enabling them to make the greatest impact. You can contact Shelley Hammell directly at shammell@thesagealliance.com.