LeadingNGOsintheVUCAworld

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LeadingNGOsintheVUCAworldProfessorSharonTurnbull_____________________________________________________________________________Theworldischangingforgooditseems,andNGOleaderswillneedtobereadytoadapttothisnewworldin

ordertosurviveandthrive.ThetermVUCAdescribesaworldthatappearsincreasinglyverydifferentfrom

thepastthatwehaveknown.VUCAstandsforVolatility,Uncertainty,ComplexityandAmbiguity.Ofcourse,

intheNGOworldwehavealwaysfacedchangeandvolatility.NGOsthriveondealingwiththis.However,in

thisarticleIwanttohighlightwhytoday’sworldischangingfasterthanever,andwhythechallengesweface

arebecomingevenmorecomplexthanthosewehavefacedinthepast.

ByVolatility,wemeanthatchangeishappeningrapidlyandonalargescale.Suchchangeisdrivenbymany

simultaneousfactors,includingturbulenceinworldeconomies,globalpoliticalandsociallandscapes,and

evenweatherpatterns.

Volatility

Uncertainty

Complexity

Ambiguity

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ThisvolatilityleadstoUncertainty,whichmeansthatleadersarefindingthatpredictingthefuturebasedon

thepastisnolongerreliable.Forecastinganddecision-makingforNGOleadersis,therefore,becoming

increasinglydifficult.TothisweaddtheComplexityoftoday’sgloballandscape.Somanyfactorsnowshape

ourworld,andwerarelyseesinglecasesofcauseandeffectinourorganisationsandcontexts,leadingagain

toalackofpredictabilityoftheoutcomesofouractions.Finally,weseelittleclaritytodayaboutwhatevents

mean,andwhateffectstheymayhaveonourworld.Theinformationwereceiveisconsequentlyoften

Ambiguousandincomplete,makingdecisionsagainstthisbackdropanincreasinglydifficultleadership

challenge.

Today’sVUCAworldplacesmanyadditionaldemandsonNGOleadersacrosstheglobe.Theworldseemsto

bespeedingup.Demographicsareshifting,climateischanging,migrationandhealtharebiggerchallenges

thanever,andpoliticalstrugglesinmanycornersoftheglobeaddcomplexitytoourwork.Talentisalwaysin

shortsupply.Digitalnativesarenowenteringtheworkforceandexpectingtoworkinadifferentwayfrom

theirpredecessors.Technologyisbecomingmorepervasiveinallaspectsofourworkingandpersonallives.

Knowledgeismoreavailable,butisalsomorequicklyobsolete.Connectivitythroughthedigitalworldenables

instantaneouscommunication,butthisalsoenablesterroristandmaliciousnetworkstoflourish.

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So,whatkindofleadershipcapabilitiesdoNGOsneedinordertoleadsuccessfullyintoday’sVUCAworld?

BobJohansen’sexcellentbook,LeadersMaketheFuture,publishedin2009,helpsustounderstandsomeof

thewaysthatleaderswillneedtoadapt.Westronglybelievethatthecoretoleadershipwillnotchange,but

itisthewaythatweapplyourleadershipthatwillbedifferent.Insummary,Johansenarguesthatsuccessful

leadersinaVUCAworldwill:

i. develop the keen ability to grow and build new things.

ii. develop clarity to be able to see through the messes and contradictions that make up our

world.

iii. be able to turn dilemmas and threats into advantages and opportunities.

iv. develop the ability to immerse themselves in unfamiliar environments and to learn from

these.

v. be able to see things from nature’s perspective in a world where our resources and

biodiversity are becoming depleted and weather patterns unpredictable.

vi. develop the ability to bring divergent cultures together towards positive engagement.

vii. be open and authentic.

viii. have the ability to innovate quickly and tolerate failure.

ix. create and nurture purposeful business and social change networks.

x. build and nurture shared assets and resources that benefit multiple players.

Thoseorganisationsabletodevelopthesekeyleadershipskillsandthesupportingbehavioursaremorelikely

toachievesustainableleadershipsuccess.

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SenseMaking

Rela\onal

Stewardship

Adap\ve

Johansen’sbookarguesthattheantidotestocombatingVUCAareVision,Understanding,Clarity,andAgility:

VisiontoaddressVolatility;UnderstandingtoaddressUncertainty;ClaritytoaddressComplexity;andAgility

toaddressAmbiguity.

AtCaplorHorizonswehavedistilledourunderstandingofVUCAchallengesinourworldintotheleadership

modelshownhere:

WebelievethatJohansen’sprescriptionofvision,understanding,clarityandagilityisanexcellentstarting

pointforleadingintheVUCAworld,butwealsobelievethatintoday’sVUCAworldweneedafundamental

rethinkaboutleadershipandhowitisenacted.

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Oldmodelsofheroicorcharismaticleadershiparelimitingourthinking.Theyarenotenough,andindeedin

manynotablecasestheyhavebeenshowntobedangerousandtipintonarcissisticandtoxicleadership.Itis

timetodemocratiseleadershipandbuildorganisationswhereleadershipcanflourishatalllevels.Thecircles

abovenecessarilyoverlapand,webelieve,worktogethertoenablemoreeffectiveandsustainable

organisationalleadershipintheNGOworld.

Sense-makingleadershipmeansanopennesstoalternativeinterpretationsofreality,criticalreflection,

challengingourassumptions,horizon-scanning,continuouslearningandhelpingotherstolearn,andseeking

tounderstandtheshiftingconnectivitiesandcomplexitiesinourworld.

RelationalLeadershipisaboutbuildingcreativeconnections,collaborations,andpartnershipsbothinsideand

outsideourorganisations.Itisalsoaboutenablingdistributedleadershipcapacity.

AdaptiveLeadershipbuildsahightoleranceforuncertaintyandchange.JosephBowersuggeststhatweneed

tobuild‘velcroorganisations’thatcanbereconfiguredatspeed.Adaptiveleadershipisdynamic,responsive,

andholistic–requiringasystemsapproachtoleadershipthinkingandpractice.

Stewardshipconnectsthepast,presentandfuture.AtCaplorHorizonswefirmlybelievethatleadersareand

shouldbetrusteesfortheirorganisations,forsociety,andforourplanet.Throughstewardshipwe

acknowledgewhatearlierleadershavebuilt,andkeepacloseeyeontheneedsoffuturegenerationswhilst

attendingtotheneedsofthepresent.Withoutasenseofstewardshiporganisationsarepronetorepeating

themistakesofthepastandfallingintothetrapofshort-termfixesinsteadofsustainablesolutions.

Stewardshipalsoprovidesleaderswithamoralcompass.Weseetheleadershiproleofbuildingconsensus

aroundvaluesandorganisationalpurposeasbeingmorecriticalthaneverforNGOsintoday’sVUCAworld.

ProfessorSharonTurnbullMarch2017