Last week I talked about VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. The term comes out of Software Development where waterfall programming (developing the whole software before testing) got lapped by agile sprints (all hands working on one small piece, testing and repeat.)
I mentioned that leadership expert Bob Johansen proposed this antidote to VUCA in the real world :
VUCA Prime.
Vision – maintain a clear and compelling focus on a purpose or a goal.
Understanding – assess the dynamics driving the changes and uncertainty.
Clarity – break down the complex into simple and actionable steps.
Agility -adapt quickly and effectively to achieve the goal.
We need an antidote if we are to survive, at a minimum, and find opportunity in the chaos of the world changing events of the last several weeks. The pandemic taught us a lot about how to respond to a changed environment. Bring out that tool chest again.
During the pandemic restaurants, hotels, and airlines were immediately affected. We stayed home. We learned to communicate on zoom. Absolutely forced to make changes, we did. The federal government saved our economy with the PPP program, and cash to those who lost jobs, etc. This current situation is brought to us by the Executive Branch of the federal government. We have to save ourselves.
Today, the federal government is in disarray. Services we counted on are rapidly disappearing. Tariffs will mess with our product flow and drive inflation spikes. Diplomacy is gone and our world partners are bring treated as enemies while our enemies are being treated as partners. Cruelty and bullying are celebrated at the highest levels of political power. And, all the checks and balances are gone.
Ask the immigrants you know what it was like where they came from. Ask them how you survive when there is limited rule of law. The word corruption comes up a lot in those conversations.
In the face of all this, FOCUS. Be a master of VUCA Prime. Get ahead of the chaos.
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