Future-Proofing the Workplace to Thrive Today, Tomorrow and for Years to Come

We’ve all heard how rapidly the world is changing; strategies and approaches that may have worked a few years ago quickly become irrelevant given changes in technology, our environment and demographic shifts and demands with the workforce. We need to rethink what it takes for organizations and people to thrive in this VUCA world.

Although the term VUCA originated in the 1990s in the military, it is becoming common vernacular amongst business and human resources professionals because it describes a new reality:

• Volatile
• Uncertain
• Complex
• Ambiguous

Essentially, we have entered a world where disruption is the norm; however, we’re not supporting people to deal with it or to be resilient. We’re not supporting people in being vulnerable (which, by definition is uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure) – even though it’s necessary for us to show up fully in our lives; and we’re not supporting people in effectively dealing with reality. Instead we have people showing up in unproductive ways not having the awareness, skills or support to be effective. For example:

• People waste considerable time each day arguing with reality. Cy Wakeman’s research has found that, on average, people waste 2.6 hours per day in drama (gossip, judgement, resistance and complaints). She suggests our mindsets (and stories) are the source of our stress and pain and the biggest barrier to peace and success. With that, the leader’s role is to call people to greatness to accept what is (uncertainty and ambiguity included), focus on the present and what is known, move from judgment to self-reflection and actively work to succeed in spite of reality (rather than fighting it). 
• People act out of self-protection rather than for the good of the whole. Neuroscientist and researcher, David Rock states that our brains are hard-wired to maximize reward and minimize threats. He developed the SCARF model to illustrate the triggers that send our brains into an automatic response (i.e., the amygdala hijack), resulting in us behaving in all kinds of unproductive ways out of an innate need for self-protection. Whenever we perceive a threat to our Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relationships or Fairness, we move from making thoughtful, intentional choices to this automated stress response. And the very nature of a VUCA world signals some level of threat to each one of these areas. However, if we can help create a sense of safety, people are better able to be vulnerable and take risks needed to grow and adapt.
• Workplaces are full of people operating with an inward mindset rather than an outward mindset. Research from The Arbinger Institute has found that when we become inward focused, we start to see people as objects – as vehicles to help us or as obstacles preventing us from accomplishing something. We become primarily concerned with others’ impact on us, resulting in lack of collaboration, turf protection and entire workplaces focused on ME rather than WE…entire workplaces where people don’t feel that they matter. And when people are feeling stressed or threatened in some way, this inward focus only increases.

In light of these examples of what keeps us from adapting and thriving well in a VUCA world, we need a better way to help people acknowledge that the world we live in is not certain, simple, static or easy. And we need to support them in moving from self-protection to self-reflection – so they can show up as their authentic selves while also being effective. Essentially, we need to create the conditions for people to bring their best selves to work – and home – each day.

VUCA 2.0

Future-proofing the workplace means starting with supporting people and the complexities of what it means to be human. It is nearly impossible to have thriving organizations if the people that comprise them are not able to thrive and be the best version of themselves. But this requires a radically different approach to leadership, people and wellbeing. Enter VUCA 2.0 – what former CEO of Medtronic and bestselling author, Bill George, suggests we need for this unsteady world:

• Vision – we need to be able to cut through the fog and clearly articulate a common vision for the organization and where it’s headed. When there is clarity of the vision and purpose (aka the WHY), it becomes much easier for people to see how they fit into the picture and find managing and fulfillment in their work; we can then support people in clarifying their individual purpose or WHY.
• Understanding – we need to broaden our horizons and learn to truly listen to multiple perspectives. Accepting opportunities to be challenged and influenced by diverse opinions increases our ability to see more, build relationships and adapt so we don’t become stuck.
• Courage – now more than ever it is critical that we have the courage to go against the grain and challenge the status quo. George argues that leaders can’t afford to keep their heads down, using traditional management techniques and avoiding criticism. And, as the amazing work of Brene Brown teaches us, it is impossible to have courage without being vulnerable. Being vulnerable and making bold moves is essential to thrive – and even survive.
• Adaptability – being flexible is critical; most long-range plans are obsolete by the time they are approved. We need to stay true to a clear WHY and be intentional about HOW we get there, but we need to be flexible and able to adapt to external circumstances; our WHATs need to have room to evolve and we need to have multiple contingency plans.

But don’t just take Bill George’s word for it. The 2017 Deloitte Human Capital Trends report concluded that

“Business and HR leaders can no longer continue to operate according to old paradigms. They must now embrace new ways of thinking about their companies, their talent and their role in global social issues”

Creating the Conditions for VUCA 2.0

I would take this a step further to suggest that the only way we create the conditions for VUCA 2.0 is to support people in embracing new ways of thinking. This means also rethinking how we view change. In order to effectively navigate the waters of the VUCA world, we need to equip ourselves to better step into adaptive change (i.e., where there is no known solution and our current thinking/approaches won’t help). It also means rethinking what it means to be a leader and recognizing that leadership is a BEHAVIOR, not a title or a role. In fact, one of my favorite definitions of leadership comes from Danielle Harlan:

“Leadership is about becoming the best version of yourself in order to maximize your positive impact on the world.”

By this definition, EVERYONE has the capacity to be a leader. And how we build our capacity to thrive in this VUCA world is by creating the conditions for people to be the best version of themselves – to have clarity of purpose and fulfilling work, to be supported in growing personally and professionally, to navigate adaptive challenges, to feel safe and supported in being vulnerable, to effectively integrate their personal and professional lives, and to be supported in tending to all aspects of their wellbeing. This is how we future-proof the workplace.

What's Next?

If you’d like to explore this further, we invite you to register watch our webinar recording from November 2017, Building Thriving Workplace That Are Ready for 2018 and Beyond.

We also invite you to register for the Fusion 2.0 Conference Nov.7-9, 2018 in Minneapolis where the focus is bringing together people across disciplines and industries to put people back at the forefront and build thriving workplaces.