VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

In today’s world, it feels a particularly useful model for organisations to refer to with so many external events impacting our day-to-day.

VUCA is a framework originally developed in the military to describe the challenging and unpredictable nature of different situations. Now, it’s also commonly used in business and organisational contexts to describe the dynamic and often unstable conditions that leaders and teams are required to navigate. For example, disruptive new technologies, the COVID 19 pandemic, political volatility, shifting generational expectations, hybrid working to name a few…

What the VUCA acronym means:

Volatility: Refers to the rate and pace of change, and duration of instability. Here, there are rapid and unexpected challenges.
Uncertainty: Referring to the lack of predictability in events and outcomes. There’s change pending, and some known unknowns.
Complexity: Meaning the intricate and interconnected factors that make decision-making difficult. What may seem like a simple solution to a problem could itself throw up new problems.
Ambiguity: Referring to a lack of clarity, and potential for misinterpretation. Here, there are too many unknown unknowns.

The VUCA model is a useful lens to help leaders try to understand and respond more effectively to rapidly shifting environments, in an increasingly changing world.

Wondering where to start with VUCA? Already recognising this demands something different from yourself or your leaders? Let’s talk! Email hello@farleighperformance.com or click here to get in touch.