V U C A

Here is something about this acronym, which you have probably heard of, .. and I know the acronym and its general meaning but don’t always remember what the letters stand for…

So here it is again:

Volatile Uncertain Chaotic Anxiety provoking

No … Ha ha! ..That is me remembering it wrong.. (though the last 2 resonate well with me too).

It stands for: 

Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous

and was written about in 1987 in the work on leadership by Bennis and Nanus.

It referred then to the world we were living and working in in 1987… All those descriptors are even more present with the COVID pandemic and post Brexit Europe I am living in. Is it the same where you are?

The rules have just changed again for travelling between countries because of new variants of COVID being identified. Local rules in Germany have become stricter to manage public spaces more carefully.

People are home working again where they can, to protect each other. There is a feeling of déja vu.

So, are we good now at dealing with this sort of world? How do you find it? Are you able to take decisions for your teams and workflow without being able to see certainty of working patterns over the next months?

Have your teams completely adapted to working with a flexibility, built in, to allow for the shifting sands of these times?

Have you noticed people in there who are strong at doing this?

Who in your team struggles with the unpredictability of the last year and a half? 

How are you planning? What can you agree firmly and what needs to have elasticity built into the plan?

As a leader how open are you to the new ideas your team brings for handling the uncertainty in different ways for the future months?

How do you enable them as much freedom as possible to work as they wish to give them a sense of satisfaction from their job and time to manage their home lives?

What are you doing each day to take care of yourself?

What are you saying to your people so they do the same?

The British Society of Lifestyle Medicine recommend that people pay attention to the following 6 pillars of well-being to stay healthy and well.

• Sleep 
• Healthy eating
• Exercise
• Positive relationships
• Avoid harmful substances
• Mental well being

This takes some effort every day, especially if we are trying to change habits that are not good for us. Take a look at their website for more information at bslm.org.uk. Share this with your staff and allow time for them to reflect on one small thing they can change to improve their well-being. What are you going to do for yourself to increase your well-being?

There are figures appearing to show the negative impact of the pandemic on women and girls has been greater.. girls have left their schooling across the world, mothers have taken the load of home schooling in many families, children required to quarantine from school are cared for more often by their mothers, many women work in front line jobs – hospitality, healthcare, working in supermarkets, women are voting with their feet and walking out of jobs where they don’t feel supported or understood.

How has it been in your organisation

How has it been for you and the women close to you?

What are you not seeing because of your privilege (and I include women leaders in this)?

If you would like to create a space for yourself to reflect on these questions and more with the support and challenge of a coach get in contact. I coach in person in the Dusseldorf area and online for everywhere else.

Si vous avez envie de travailler avec un coach pour approfondir vos réflexions sur ces questions posées n’hésitez pas à me contacter. Je travaille en virtuel et dans mon cabinet à Düsseldorf en français ou en anglais.

#coachfrancais #leadership #VUCA #leadershipcoaching #wellbeing #womenCOVID