VUCA’S Impact on Organisational Resilience
The most successful businesses are the ones that persevere despite the most unexpected (and usually complex) obstacles strewn in their path. That strength, focus, and unity required to “press on” are summed up as organisational resilience. Normal circumstances bring many organisational challenges, but a VUCA crisis like COVID-19 pushes leaders and their teams to the limit.
Resilience is a key differentiator between success and failure when VUCA rears its ugly head. The quality determines how decision-makers and their employees can bounce back from an unforeseen pitfall and soldier onward. Like will power, which works like a muscle, the more a leader exercises his/her resilience, the stronger it gets.
One key factor in organisational resilience lies in readiness or vigilance. By identifying and anticipating some of the most common issues springing forth from VUCA scenarios, leaders can rally their teams with minimal delay and avoid miscommunication.
For example, while nobody could ever predict an outlying event like a pandemic, a resilient decision-maker always has contingency plans. VUCA-trained leaders would have the plans on hand to switch communication channels in the event of organisational disruption. Such Quick responses can provide the organisation with a significant advantage over ill-prepared competitors.
Volatility — Ride the Rapid Change
The V in VUCA refers to fierce and frequent changes to the immediate environment. A resilient workforce can overcome volatility by always having alternatives on standby. Hence, a leader needs to become adaptive in his/her decision-making to “ride the wave of change.”
Additional, communication is a vital part of the process as you interact with teams to expedite pragmatic solutions. A resilient leader might not have surefire solutions to volatile situations (nobody does), but they understand how to respond in such an event while limiting losses effectively.
Uncertainty — Foster Flexibility
VUCA brings a great deal of uncertainty that challenges the confidence and performance of an organisation. Resilient leaders and their teams can counter the fear of the unknown by establishing flexibility as a core component of workplace culture.
While creativity and innovation can go a long way in a VUCA world, it’s also necessary to develop and optimize risk management practices. Ideally, leaders should consider a business strategy that drives action while safeguarding their resources as much as they can.
Complexity — Simplify and Resolve
Complexity in a VUCA world functions like complicated algebraic expressions — they become clear and manageable when expressed in simplified terms. A resilient organisation needs to identify the common links found in overlapping situations and processes.
By doing so, teams can effectively generate ideas to resolve specific issues one at a time without getting lost in the details.
Ambiguity — Leave Nothing to Guesswork
A VUCA world is confusing and stressful as it is, and organisational resilience requires leaders to maintain direct and smooth communication with their teams at all times. A resilient organisation works as a cohesive unit through sharing and applying divergent viewpoints in response to VUCA’s tricky challenges.
Leaders need to respect varying perspectives and realise that sometimes, they are precisely what an organisation needs to overcome ambiguity. While organisations will inevitably take a hit from VUCA scenarios, leaders have the power to determine whether it makes or breaks their plans for the future.
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