It’s a common emotion now. People feel unsettled even when they are doing everything right. Hence, VUCA no longer remains a word entitled to the business world. It is ours as we are quietly living it.
In its depth, each alphabet of VUCA stands for four aspects – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. If we look at India, the nation has always been a land of contrasts. It is ancient yet modern, spiritual yet ambitious, rooted yet progressing fast to evolve. But even in a place like India, VUCA is experienced by people from all corners.
If we analyse the role of Volatility, it highlights sudden career shifts, market fluctuations, relationship shifts and plans. What was held closer yesterday is no longer in trend today. Stability loses its grip, and adaptability becomes the central theme of survival.
Have we lost our ability to predict the outcomes? Yes. The culprit is uncertainty. We have learnt to make decisions without wholesome information. We still plan, but we are not sure about it. The result is anxiety and panic because, as humans, we are wired for clarity and control. But let’s face it, this is the trend today, and it’s called Uncertainty.
Imagine our parents and grandparents juggling multiple tasks at home and outside. Still, they managed to work out things with a goal and vision. Today, when multiple factors arise at the same time, it results in a term called complexity, which we are not able to disintegrate. Problems no longer have simple causes or linear solutions. A single decision can impact systems and people in different ways. Expertise doesn’t work here. Understanding these connections becomes crucial.
Ambiguity. The same situations are understood in many ways, rather misunderstood. There is no single right answer, but perspectives. It demands the ability to think with discomfort.
How can we respond to this VUCA?
Building inner clarity is a good place to start with this change, which is taking over the world. While the external world remains unpredictable, we must be ready for it. And the best way forward is being prepared. The powerful tool in such situations is emotional intelligence. People who are successful in this environment are not those who know everything. But those who can listen deeply, think flexibly and act consciously will help themselves and not cause harm to others.
Purpose matters more than plans. And mindset matters more than patterned thinking. In order to resist the ambiguity around, what we can do is prepare ourselves to stay balanced.
