VUCA- VUCA is an acronym. VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity’. Credit goes to U.S Army War College for introducing the concept of VUCA in 90s for describing 21st century uncertain and complex world after the COLD WAR.
We are human beings. We have certain limitations for predicting future, however 21st century world are witnessing full of uncertainty and complexity. Every day we face millions of new challenges in terms of technologies, rapid changes, dynamism, disruption and uncontrollable environments in all walks of life.
It reminds me famous dialogue of Estragon “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, and it’s awful!” These awful situations are part and parcel in of our day to day personal and professional life. It heavily depends on our way of dealing the situations.
VUCA is related to how people perceives the conditions under which they make decisions, plan forward, manage risk etc. to solve problems. Let’s understand what is VUCA World!-
- Let’s us find out what Wikipedia says about 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, no cause-and-effect chain and confusion that surrounds organization.
- A = Ambiguity: the haziness of reality, the potential for misreads, and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility,_uncertainty,_complexity_and_ambiguity
How to approach a challenging situation and deal with the things happening around us
We are 21st century generation. We are leading smart people as well as smart challenges. We cannot predict the situations, however our readiness and preparedness to face the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous situations makes us smart. Our knowledge, power of visualization, understanding situations and resilience determine the rational solutions.
VUCA world demands skilling and re-skilling every day. It must not surprise us that the thing and the thinking we were carrying in previous week become obsolete today. VUCA world is not only specific for leadership, in fact it is applicable for common man. Whosoever thought NOKIA become archaic and KODAK become out of the market. Most of the teachers had never ever thought to teach online before March 2020; nowadays they are proficient in online teaching.
Power of readiness and resilience can be a game changer in the time of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. If we wish to succeed in personal and professional life, we need to know the real meaning and characteristics of following key terms;
- Vision,
- Understanding,
- Courage
- Communication
- Competencies
- Readiness
- Resilience
- Intelligence
- Emotional Intelligence
- Adversity Quotients
To survive in VUCA world essentially requires intelligence, more than intelligence that is emotional intelligence and most importantly adversity quotients that is resilience or we can say adaptability.
VUCA world poses challenges in each and every moment of life. Earlier life changes within circle frame of 10 years now it can be possibly change in 10 minutes, 10days, 10 weeks or 10 months. Nowadays life changes with upgradation of software. Technological advancement in artificial intelligence, robotics, sharing platforms and high speed of internet are rapidly changing the things and thinking.
We need to redefine ourselves for facing uncertainty, turbulence, rapid change, complicated, chaotic, dynamism, disruption, complexity, competition and uncontrollable environment. If we cannot predict then what is need to worry. Whatever comes in our way, we will handle. VUCA world exists in past, it exists in present and it will exist in future too, however our attitude, approach, and assertiveness to deal with the things happening around are going to change the scene and scenario.
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