To navigate VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity), you must elevate your leadership.

VUCA Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity

These are extraordinary times.

Let’s face it, our world has been turned upside down. There is disorder, uncertainty and the pace of change is only increasing. This is the “new normal”, and it is comprised of a lot of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

How do you elevate your leadership during these unprecedented times? What is it that you need to do, to be the kind of leader that can effectively deal with this uncertainty and unpredictability? Leaders that effectively navigate these turbulent waters pivot
and make decisions that lead to success, for their teams and their organizations.

VUCA was originally used by the US Army as a response to the turbulence during war times. It was later adopted for business and stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. When you understand what VUCA is, you are in a much better position, as a leader to navigate and help your team navigate through these uncertain times.

It can feel like a storm is emerging on the horizon, and at times – can seem unpredictable and downright scary. However, VUCA presents an opportunity to look for new ways to think, to communicate, to innovate and to lead – whether you are an executive or a team leader.

When you think of the change and chaos happening since Covid began, what words come to mind? I asked this on a webinar I recently led and some of the descriptive words were: challenging, uncertain, unknown, anxiety, worry, fear, dread and even growth.

VUCA Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity

What does VUCA really mean?

When talking about VUCA, any one of these challenges could be enormous on their own, but when combined, (which is really the business climate that we are in right now), it can feel daunting. Let’s explore each of these in greater detail to help you prepare for the oncoming storms as a result of the change and chaos you are experiencing.

Volatility

With volatility, I think about constant change– just like the weather. Before the lockdown and stay-at-home orders, I traveled to Phoenix where it was a beautiful day. The weather was warm and sunny, when suddenly, a storm moved in – a microburst. if you have ever experienced this, it is scary! The sky turned black with a heavy downpour and gusty winds. And only a few moments later, the sun was shining with the storm an almost forgotten memory. However, what was left in its wake was upturned furniture, power outages and other disruptions. This is what volatility can feel like. A frequent and rapid change.

Uncertainty

Uncertainty, on the other hand is about the unpredictability of the future. It is hard to prepare when you do not know what is coming your way. Think of this as a trip to Las Vegas and the unpredictability in gambling. The mood is upbeat as you hear people, all around you shout, “I won! I won!” They are surprised by their winnings on the slot machines. Just like the surprise shouted by these gamblers, we do not always know what to expect or what the future may bring. But there is a lot of opportunity to fuel decision making. When we do this well, it can feel just like winning at the slot machines.

Complexity

When we talk about complexity, think about volumes of information coming at us every day with varied and interwoven “connection points”. This reminds me of the corn mazes you see around the Fall season. They can be fun as an adult, but when you are a child making the wrong turn, it can feel like you will never find your way out. At each wrong turn, you feel like you are further from the end than when you started. The complexity of the interconnected maze seems confusing and overwhelming! Not much different than when we are presented with a complex situation that involves multiple decisions that hinge on one another.

Ambiguity

Think of a time when things were not cut and dried. There is not a simple “yes” or “no” answer when we are experiencing ambiguity. I equate this to having more questions than there are answers. This can lead to different opinions and possibly different interpretations. When this occurs, there is an opportunity for misreads or misunderstandings. What you think are the facts surrounding a situation may be different than what I think the facts are. Things are not so simple or straight forward.

Given our current business climate, VUCA is more prevalent and here to stay. As a future focused leader, you need to elevate your leadership capabilities as well as the leadership of your team.

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.