VUCA (aka Tuesday)

Are you familiar with the acronym VUCA?

It stands for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. It was coined first by leadership experts Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus and then adopted by the U.S Army War College to describe organizational and world environments.

If you are a working parent, executive, team leader, entrepreneur, or solopreneur then "volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous" likely describes last Tuesday. Or next Wednesday. Or a random day in June.

I Used to Muscle My Way Through

I used to muscle my way through my VUCA days with last-man-standing-esque energy. "I can do it" was my motto - spoken through a grimace and clenched teeth with accompanying side-eyes to those I deemed to be not helping enough.

If this sounds familiar, take note of your shoulders right now. If you relax them, how much space did you just gain between them and your ears? How long do you suppose you’ve been walking around like that?

When we are tense, in defense mode, frustrated, or stressed, our cognitive ability is compromised. Meaning that we are not able to think, reason, problem solve, listen, or absorb information efficiently.

So, When Will You Realize?

As an overachieving, perfectionism-inclined peer leader of yours, I ask this with love: when do you think you will stop?

When will you realize that your goals at work and in life are bigger than the to do list you are trying to fit them on and deserving of more cognitive power than you are allowing them?

If you’ve realized it already, what are you going to do about and by when?

I Didn't Stop Until it Was Almost Too Late

I realized it for myself in the midst of MRIs and blood work - tests I had to get to determine why on earth I could suddenly not think, or drive, or type. I was terrified. What if I could never go back to work? How would I provide for my three kids as a single mom? What would happen to all the things I had in store for myself? It was terrifying.

It was burnout.

And it was a direct result of my not leading my work and my life strategically. It took near total catastrophe - a look into the incomprehensible jaws of "omg, what if…" to get me to realize I just had to apply the very thing I teach others, to myself.

At Least Know This

If any of this resonates. Take one step. The very first, most important step is to ask yourself seriously and honestly "What do I want? What, ideally, would I have more of? Less of?" At least know that.

Less volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity is absolutely possible. But only if we’ve decided that that’s what we want.

As always,

Be Uncommon.

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