The Mark Divine BLOG: Living in a VUCA World – Part 2

What does leading in a VUCA world look like to a VUCA leader?

Volatility is replaced with Vision. In the old, linear world vision is an experience or a special skill of an enlightened leader. To a VUCA leader, vision is trained and refined through daily practice, enhancing focus and learning to concentrate on the right things while mitigating the destabilizing effects of volatility.

Uncertainty is replaced with Understanding. The VUCA leader develops the capacity to take perspective and make new perspectives that include all players in the system. This involves not only taking additional perspectives but also seeking out perspectives (i.e., talking with people who hold different perspectives on some key issue) and then coordinating those perspectives in a way that generates alignment and buy-in.

Complexity is replaced with Clarity. The VUCA leaders sees through the complexity, closes the gap and gains clarity where others see only confusion. This clarity also involves the capacity to stay calm and present even in the face of an overwhelming situation so you can see what the right move is and then make it.

Ambiguity is replaced with Agility. Avoiding analysis paralysis and group think, the VUCA leader is agile and adaptive, embraces the suck of new challenges, runs toward the metaphoric gunfire to learn how the enemy thinks, and employs rapid planning and execution to gain momentum where others stall.

If becoming a VUCA leader is an urgent matter for you, and you are open for serious physical, mental and emotional challenge leading to serious growth, consider attending a SEALFIT Academy or Kokoro Camp, where vertical learning is employed. And if this topic is something you would like to hear more on, let me know as I am considering my next book topic – and The VUCA Leader is on the list!

To vision, understanding, clarity and agility!
–Mark Divine