There's so much said and written about VUCA. Agility, Innovation, DIsruption, Flexibility, Adaptability et all...but very few people talk about the fundamentals of what it takes to create a VUCA-ready, Agile Organization. Check out this overview which was presented at a Webinar for University at Buffalo Alumni Association

1. Principles of Leadership
in a VUCA World
Find and Sustain Success
DEEPA NAGARAJAN
Founder – Managing Director
DEEPA NAGARAJAN LLP
OWNER OF SUCCESS HARVEST ®

2. Key Highlights of the Session
The history of
VUCA
How it applies to
the business
world.
Why is VUCA
relevant to
leadership
development
What is the right
mindset for the
VUCA World
What else can
VUCA Stand for
SCAN Traits for
VUCA Times
Key Skills for
today’s Dynamic
Environments
Success Practices

3. What is VUCA?
An Introduction

4. Origin of “VUCA”
• The notion of VUCA was
introduced by the U.S. Army
War College
• To describe the
multilateral world as a
result of the end of Cold
War
• The acronym came to wider
light after the terrorist attacks
of September 11, 2001

5. What creates “VUCA”
Environment in an
Organization
Common “challenges for future leaders”
identified by leaders across industries
• There’s an overload of information
• Interconnectedness of systems and
business
• Evolving Business Models
• Disruptive Technological Advancement
• Millennial and Gen-Z work force and
their expectations
• Globalization and Intercultural
Sensitivities
• Diversity as a Driver

6. Implication of “VUCA”
• VUCA has become the “new normal.”
• By all accounts, the chaotic “new normal” in
business is real.
• Shift from problem solving and planning
aimed at reducing uncertainty, to a world
where progress is made by actively engaging
with uncertainty

7. Why VUCA
must be
addressed by
leaders?
• Stability
• Certainty,
• Simplicity and
• Clarity.
Most humans are designed for the comfort of
• Cognitive dissonance
• Psychological entropy and
• Withdrawal from Business Priorities
Research has proven that VUCA can create
None of which are conducive to performance

8. What Happens to people in the VUCA
Environment?
The Problem with VUCA is that:
•People don't like VUCA
•People under-perform in VUCA
•People disengage from VUCA
•People make poor decisions in VUCA

9. Top 12 Concerns of CEOs
Global CEO Outlook, KPMG 2017

10. Top 12 Concerns of CEOs
Global CEO Outlook, KPMG 2018
U
U,A
V
C
V
U
C
A
C
U,C
A
V, C

12. Old School The Way Forward
The Hype of Disruption
• Moore’s Law
The Antidote
• Agility
• Innovation
Traditional Elements of
the Business World
Agile Organizational
Operating Systems
DISRUPTION

14. To Create Agile and Innovation-Driven Organizations,
there is a need for a supporting platform on which the
technology can operate and in turn, drive agility and
innovation
An Agile
Organizational
Operating System

15. • What do we mean by an Agile Organisational
Operating System?
Here are two somewhat intangible things that unfortunately you
can’t buy from the store and install immediately:
• Organisational Mindset, and
• Organisational Structure

16. What’s Organizational Mindset
• An organisation’s mindset is the collective of commonly held attitudes
and beliefs about change that all members of the organisation hold
• Typically an organization’s mission and vision statements comprise of
two elements
• The need to deliver shareholder value
• The desire to be the best in industry

17. Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset
A growth mindset must be adopted by all organisations that are looking to become agile and innovative.

18. What about Organizational Structure?
• Is it a Linear, Top-down, Hierarchical
Structure?
Vs
• Is it a Networked Structure?

19. How are Leaders addressing these challenges
Currently?
99 percent of CEOs report taking action to develop existing or future talent.
Most CEOs report some level of skills gap emerging
Over 50 percent report skills gaps in key business functions.
There’s a continuum of skills leaders can develop to help make sense of leading
in a VUCA world

20. SCAN Traits
Stability
(with Vision)
Confident
(with
Understandin
g)
Appreciative
(with
Clarity/Cultiv
ation)
Nurturing
(with
Agility/Admir
ation)
V
AC
U

22. TOP 10 ESSENTIAL BEHAVIORAL/SKILLS REQUIREMENTS
• Integrity
• Creative/Lateral Thinking
• Collaborative Environment
• Team Spirit
• Intrapreneurial Attitude
• Leadership by example
• Self-development
• Self-discipline
• Innovation
• Stakeholder Focus
Survey by Success Harvest, 2016-17

23. Strategic Skills Leaders need to build for VUCA
Times
• Emotional Intelligence for Sustainable Success
• Client-Centricity
• Solution-Focus
• Design Thinking and Creative Process
• Fostering Intrapreneurship
• Employee Engagement
• Diversity of Workforce
KPMG Global Leader Study, 2016-17

24. Key Components of Entrepreneurial Success
SKILLS TRAITS/ATTITUDES ACTIONS
Persuasion Commitment Initiative
Influencing Persistence Information Seeking
Efficient Quality Conscious Systematic Planning
Problem-Solving Self-Confidence Continuous Monitoring
Effective Collaboration Customer-Focus Continuous Learning
Networking Concern for Welfare of All Stakeholders
Entrepreneurial Framework, WorldBank, 2015-16

25. 3 PRIMARY FIELDS OF ACTION
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal or
Social
Entrepreneurial
Or Professional

26. Skillset and Mindset

27. In Summary
VUCA leadership begins with the acceptance of the two “R”s - Reality and
Responsibility
In VUCA times, employees do not want to be ignored and it is important for leaders to
be open, honest and deal with situations with highest levels of integrity and EI
VUCA Leadership is a “farming process”
Mindset is the Operating System on which Sustainable Organizations are built

28. Thank You!
Questions?
Deepa Nagarajan
No. 1 Bestselling Author,
Professor – Diversity
Management,
Entrepreneurial Coach,
Leadership Trainer,
Organizational Development
Consultant
www.deepanagarajan.com
www.deepanagarajanbooks.com
www.successharvest.in

29. Reading and References
• http://www.georgeambler.com/vuca-leading-in-turbulent-times/
• https://www.ere.net/vuca-the-new-normal-for-talent-management-and-
workforce-planning/
• http://www.whatisvuca.com/
• www.patrickhollingworth.com
• https://home.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/06/2016-global-
ceo-outlook.pdf