Defining the role of leadership in a VUCA environment

Back in the 20th century the US army were the first to describe that we were now living in a VUCA environment (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous). Today this concept is more relevant than ever before.?

The business world has changed dramatically in the past few decades, but the last two years in particular have seen a plethora of global phenomena affect our world in new ways.?

We live-in technology-enabled and connected society where the pace of change has accelerated exponentially. Two years into a global pandemic unpredictability and turbulence have become the norm.?

In response to this environment, we’ve adapted our ways of living and working, and leadership has become especially important. It’s also a topic I feel passionate about, and this is why I’m taking the chance to reflect on the role leaders play today.?

Importance of leadership

I truly believe that leadership is the foundation of any company. It’s the foundation on which we rely to make fast decisions in an uncertain environment, and one that drives growth in any organization. A good leader should therefore always look to motivate and engage their staff, but the job goes far beyond this.?

I’ve always shared a passion for developing future leaders, and it’s important to invest time in, and reflect on, the ways in which you can build your leadership skills and encourage growth in others.?

What is the role of a leader?

With different demands being made of leaders in this VUCA environment we consistently hear about the need for a diverse talent pool to rise to novel challenges. For me, cultural fit is just as important as technical skills or competencies; values must be aligned to a company and our workforces need to be diverse. Taken together, this allows individuals to pull together as a team in the same direction, improves trust and offers adaptability.?

Secondly, leaders must provide guidance and share a goal without directly telling people where to go and how to get there - explain the vision but motivate people to find their way. This is important because fully empowered employees not only make good decisions and resolve problems but have room to grow.

Another important role is what I often call ‘air cover’ – a military term for when a plane flies over the enemy while ground forces carry out a mission. In business terms, providing air cover for your team means removing barriers to ensure that they can achieve their maximum potential while allowing them to take calculated risks.?

Giving and receiving feedback is also an essential part of any leadership role. It requires honesty to tell someone where they may have obvious weakness or where they can improve, but also where their strengths lie.?

Finally, it’s important to return to one of the central roles I mentioned earlier – developing the leaders of the future. Everyone in a position of leadership owes it to the trust placed in them by someone else, to the challenge laid upon us and the opportunity offered. This trust is why we were able to succeed.

It is our role as leaders to do the same with others, nurturing them as they grow into the figures that will face the challenges in the VUCA environment of tomorrow.?