Leadership In A Vuca World

This open access book brings together works by specialists from different disciplines and continents to reflect on the nexus between leadership, spirituality and discernment, particularly with regard to a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). The book spells out, first of all, what our VUCA world entails, and how it affects businesses, organizations, and societies as a whole. Secondly, the book develops new perspectives on the processes of leadership, spirituality, and discernment, particularly in this VUCA context. These perspectives are interdisciplinary in nature, and are informed by e.g. management studies, leadership theory, philosophy, and theology.

This book examines volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) and addresses the need for broader knowledge and application of new concepts and frameworks to deal with unpredictable and rapid changing situations. The premises of VUCA can shape all aspects of an organization. To cover all areas, the book is divided into six sections. Section 1 acts as an introduction to VUCA and complexity. It reviews ways to manage complexity, while providing examples for tools and approaches that can be applied. The main focus of Section 2 is on leadership, strategy and planning. The chapters in this section create new approaches to handle VUCA environments pertaining to these areas including using the Tetralemma logics, tools from systemic structural constellation (SySt) approach of psychotherapy and organizational development, to provide new ideas for the management of large strategic programs in organizations. Section 3 considers how marketing and sales are affected by VUCA, from social media’s influence to customer value management. Operations and cost management are highlighted in Section 4. This section covers VUCA challenges within global supply chains and decision-oriented controlling. In Section 5 organizational structure and process management are showcased, while Section 6 is dedicated to addressing the effects of VUCA in IT, technology and data management. The VUCA forces present businesses with the need to move from linear modes of thought to problem solving with synthetic and simultaneous thinking. This book should help to provide some starting points and ideas to deal with the next era. It should not be understood as the end of the road, but as the beginning of a journey exploring and developing new concepts for a new way of management.

VUCA is not just another acronym. Originally coined by the American military to describe a situation fraught with a variety of challenges, it now has a permanent place in the realms of strategic leadership. Those who have made it into an enterprise management role are finding that their leadership skills are truly being tried and tested on account of the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment we are in. Agility is now the name of the game. Developing one's leadership skills to match this requirement, and to not only surmount the challenges posed by the VUCA world but do so in a mature and authentic way, is what this book is all about. It gently submerges the reader into an impressive tank of knowledge that the authors, experts in the field of personal development, have amassed during their careers. Psychology, mythology and examples of real-life enterprises are accompanied by the excellent analogy of one of our best-known heroes, Luke Skywalker of the Star Wars films, to illustrate that there is nothing to fear, that we all have the potential to act courageously. At regular intervals throughout the book, the reader is presented with thought-provoking questions and statements, the answers to which will help them eventually resurface with a clear picture of how to use their skills and talents to motivate themselves and others to proceed wisely in the corporate landscape. Contents: An expert guide from three vastly experienced and accomplished executive coaches Learn effectively at your own pace, any time and anywhere Convincing background knowledge and examples

COVID-19 ravaged the United States and the rest of the world in a similar manner as a Category V hurricane would, leaving no one safe in its wake. Unlike a hurricane though, where appropriate provisions and supports are possible and past experiences can help to prepare, how do you prepare for something Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous such as a worldwide pandemic? Imagine having your high school graduation and prom ripped away from you with little to no warning. Imagine being a 40+ year professor and being told that “you are now going to teach hybrid with some students in the class and some students online,” or imagine that you were accepted into the 2nd most prestigious Ph.D. program in the United States and dream of being a professor and look for those face-to-face mentoring opportunities on campus. This book addresses the lived experiences of many throughout the onset, duration, and the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and helps prepare readers for the never ending storm ahead. Our book offers guidance from leaders from different walks of life. We visit with a pastor who had to “get creative” to combat the pandemic, examine how school board members have interacted with parents and other community stakeholders, hear from a current superintendent in a large school district in Maine, and other stakeholders impacted by COVID-19. Our message is cautious, yet optimistic, to prepare the reader for life in a VUCA world.

Leadership Agility is the master competency needed for sustained success in today’s complex, fast-paced business environment. Richly illustrated with stories based on original research and decades of work with clients, this groundbreaking book identifies five levels that leaders move through in developing their agility. Significantly, only 10% have mastered the level of agility needed for consistent effectiveness in our turbulent era of global competition. Written in an engaging, down-to-earth style, this book not only provides a map that guides readers in identifying their current level of agility. It also provides practical advice and concrete examples that show managers and leadership development professionals how they can bring greater agility to the initiatives they take every day.

Visionary Leadership in a Turbulent World: Thriving in the New VUCA Context, is the thoughtful analysis of nine expert authors from around the globe who put VUCA under the microscope and take the reader on a journey that looks at VUCA from a number of different leadership perspectives.

Relentless change is a reality. VUCA, an acronym for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous, has created challenges for all of us. How do we rise to the challenge? VUCA Tools for a VUCA World off ers four powerful approaches--Values, Us, Curiosity, and Aspirations--that will empower leaders and followers alike. Th roughout this business fable, leaders access their values, strengthen their connections with others, lean into their curiosity, and realize their aspirations to be better. As the team members learn and relearn key teamwork skills, they grow their ability to communicate, coach, and hold one another accountable. Th eir goal, like the goal of leaders everywhere, is sustainable success. What will you do in the face of VUCA? VUCA Tools for a VUCA World off ers powerful possibilities and role models to ensure you aren't in it alone.

How to lead efficiently in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world? Leadership has never been as difficult as it is today. And it has never been as crucial. In this VUCA world people ask leaders to provide certainty. They cannot. In the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world certainty comes from character. Leaders can base their leadership on empathy, fairness, kindness and reciprocity. These basic human elements are under pressure. This book provides both emerging and established leaders with the ingredients they need to develop a sustainable leadership style. EXCERPT A newly appointed CEO wrote that she wants to find a balance between her own values and what is expected from her. I hope for her that both are not too far apart. The board of the company chose her to do the job because of who she is, not because of who she is not. And here is the main challenge for those who are in a leadership role. How can you be a leader and still remain yourself? Something in leadership or in its context seems to urge people to change and become someone else. But leaders are not actors. If I can give only one advice: do not change who you are. You can be (come more of) yourself and grow as a person. But the moment you try and change who you are, you lose the only thing that is sustainable and dear to you: your character. This book is about sustainable leadership based on character. ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Ducheyne wrote this book as a source of inspiration for leaders who are looking for ways to maintain their leadership in VUCA times. It’s also a documented intention to try and do better.