Wake up! The siren is blowing! The hurricane is around the corner. The tsunami warning light is on. Wake up! Wake up!
Welcome to the world where the tsunamis of change are wiping old beliefs, the hurricanes of change are throwing conventions into air, the tremors (earthquakes) are breaking the barriers and the eruptions (volcanic that is) are burying the proven practices. Yes, it a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. The word VUCA was coined by the US Army War College. In this world, Volatility leads to Apprehension, Uncertainty causes Confusion, Complexity rings in Unpredictability and Ambiguity produces Vexation (that is, the result of VUCA is ACUV, which is VUCA spelt in the reverse order).
Consider one afflicted with diabetes, hypertension, ulcers and having a cardiac problem. The list of prescribed medications is as long as the list of proscribed items. No sugar, No salt, No spices and No fat. Then what does one eat? Is there anything left to eat?
Likewise, today, businesses are faced with the questions of What to do? When to do? How to do? and Why to do? Very simple questions, yet they do not have definite answers.
In the Zulu language, the word VUCA means, “to wake up”. Yes, wake up - that is what we need in these critical and crucial times.
Businesses need the foresight to envisage the future, the insight to create it and the courage to do it.
We need a different kind of VUCA - may be one that is similar to Archimedes’ Eureka.
We need a VUCA that is Vision, Understanding, Clarity and Agility.
Vision that spells intent to create a future.
Understanding that makes one stop, look and listen and perceive the trends and timelines.
Clarity that helps make sense of the chaos.
Agility that helps adapt, adopt and overcome the rigidity and brittleness of yesterday’s hierarchies.
Recall Alvin Toffler (author of Future Shock): “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”.
LIBA’s Insight 2013 intends to serve as a forum for the captains of the industry to share their perceptions and prescriptions, experiences and expertise, strategies and styles, tactics and tricks that helped and is helping them wade through these tumultuous and turbulent times. We invite you to be part of that forum.
