The extent to which a culture can handle uncertainty and lack of clarity is referred to as
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Thriving in Turbulent TimesBusiness is all about risk taking and managing uncertainties and turbulence.– Gautam Adani, Indian businessman. The business world has changed dramatically over the past few decades, and we now live in a connected society where change can be fast-paced, constant and unpredictable. Rapid advances in technology created an environment where the internet, smartphones, and social media are ubiquitous, and global events such as the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID pandemic, and, most recently, conflict in Ukraine, have increased the sense of turbulence, danger and unpredictability. A state of flux has replaced the sense of certainty, stability and familiarity that people were used to. This type of environment can be described using the "VUCA" acronym, which stands for "Volatile," "Uncertain," "Complex," and "Ambiguous." Click here to access a transcript of this video. In this article, we'll explore what VUCA means in more detail, and we'll look at how you can prepare for and deal with each of its elements, so that you can manage successfully in an unpredictable business world. What Is VUCA?The United States Army War College was one of the first organizations to use the VUCA acronym, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Military planners were worried about the radically different and unfamiliar international security environment that had emerged, so they used VUCA to describe it. VUCA stands for:
Bob Johansen, of the Institute for the Future, adapted VUCA for the business world in his 2009 book, Leaders Make the Future. He used it to reflect the turbulent and unpredictable forces of change that could affect organizations, and he argued that you need new skills, approaches and behaviors to manage in the face of the four VUCA threats. VUCA represents a set of challenges that individuals, teams, managers, and organizations in affected industries all have to face. Individually, these challenges can be significant, but they can be formidable when they're combined. Note:Despite its challenges, VUCA may not pose the same threat to all industries. For example, certain business areas may be more stable, protected or regulated. And, when you or your organization are proactive and set the agenda for change, you are less likely to experience the full extent of its threats. Why Is VUCA Important?Many people predict that volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are going to become more and more prevalent in the business world. To manage teams in the VUCA age, you should be aware of the changes that this kind of environment can cause. A VUCA environment can:
If your industry or organization is affected by this environment, you have to reconsider the way you and your business operate. How to Manage in a VUCA WorldAlthough VUCA might seem inescapable in certain industries, you can manage yourself, your team and your organization to mitigate its effects. You can even use it to your advantage. The key to managing in this environment is to break VUCA down into its component parts, and to identify volatile, uncertain, complex, or ambiguous situations. Each type of situation has its own causes and resolutions, so you should aim to deal with one at a time. In his book, Johansen proposes a framework that you can use to respond to VUCA threats, called VUCA Prime. He suggests that you should do the following: Counter Volatility With Vision
Meet Uncertainty With Understanding
React to Complexity With Clarity
Fight Ambiguity With Agility
From 'Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World,' by Bob Johansen. First edition © 2009. Reproduced with permission from Bob Johansen. Warning:Some people might be tempted to use VUCA as an excuse for a lack of action, planning or direction in their work. As a manager, it's important to be aware of sloppy work and to take appropriate action to resolve the problem. Benefits of Managing in a VUCA WorldIn an industry or organization that's affected by VUCA, you have a choice. Either you allow VUCA to "manage," overload and overwhelm you, or you accept and manage it, so that you and your team can mitigate its effects. When you decide to accept VUCA, you choose to make yourself and your people less vulnerable, and you empower everyone to deal with uncontrollable, unpredictable forces. Get the Free Newsletter!Learn new career skills every week, plus get a bonus Be a Successful Manager Checklist, free! Read our Privacy Policy You can view VUCA as a challenge to improve your leadership and management skills, and you can turn it into an opportunity to make your team more effective by focusing on the following areas:
Barriers to Managing in a VUCA WorldOne of the biggest challenges of managing in a VUCA world is team members who resist change. They may refuse to accept that the world has evolved, want to stick with "tried and tested" methods, or simply fail to see the full picture. They might even be paralyzed by fear and fail to take action. The unpredictability of VUCA often renders traditional, top-down organizational structures obsolete, so avoid using an inflexible, autocratic leadership style. In a VUCA world, collaboration, participation, debate, and even dissent are more important than obedience, command and groupthink – they allow you to remain flexible and to take action quickly. Key PointsVUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It describes the situation of constant, unpredictable change that is now the norm in certain industries and areas of the business world. VUCA demands that you avoid traditional, outdated approaches to management and leadership, and day-to-day working. These are usually too sluggish and limited to be effective in a turbulent environment. Newer, more agile and pragmatic processes are the key to managing in the VUCA world. Make vision, understanding, clarity, and agility your guiding principles to counteract the threats of VUCA, and to turn them to your advantage. What are the Big 5 personality traits quizlet?The five factors have been defined as openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, often listed under the acronyms OCEAN or CANOE. Beneath each proposed global factor, a number of correlated and more specific primary factors are claimed.
Which of the big five personality traits has the strongest effect on task performance?Conscientiousness is the strongest predictor of all five traits for job performance (John & Srivastava, 1999). A high score of conscientiousness has been shown to relate to high work performance across all dimensions.
Which Big Five taxonomy personality dimension would describe a person who is sociable friendly and outgoing?Extraversion. Extraversion (or extroversion) is a personality trait characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness.1 People high in extraversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations.
What is the key driver of maximum performance which reflects performance in brief special circumstances that demand an employee's best effort?employee's ability is key driver for this, reflects performance in brief, special circumstances that demand a person's best effort.
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