{"id":1452,"date":"2020-04-08T17:35:39","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T15:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xpand.eu\/sa\/?p=1452"},"modified":"2020-04-08T17:35:39","modified_gmt":"2020-04-08T15:35:39","slug":"vuca-understanding-uncertainty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xpand.one\/sa\/vuca-understanding-uncertainty\/","title":{"rendered":"VUCA! Understanding Uncertainty – Is that even possible?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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VUCA: Understanding Uncertainty \u2013 Is this even possible?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The term VUCA have been heard in many places. There are numerous books on the topic. The question is; how does this acronym affect my life? Better yet, what does this mean to me in my daily life? These are good questions to ask. With the current reality of COVID-19 the world has recognized once more that VUCA is a true reality for us all.<\/p>\n

VUCA is an acronym, each letter explaining one element of the world we live in.<\/p>\n

V – Volatility signifies the high levels of fragility in some elements of life.<\/p>\n

U – Uncertainty conveys the unpredictable elements of life.<\/p>\n

C – Complexity explains the entanglement of different elements. Many of these elements are often unknown to each other and yet it influences each other.<\/p>\n

A – Ambiguity is often referred to the fake news around us. It is often protected by vagueness and obscurity.<\/p>\n

The dialogue around VUCA should not make us fearful, it should awaken us to the reality of life and inspire us to cross over to live resiliently within it. The combination of meaning of VUKA in Zulu and Swahili explains this brilliantly. When a Zulu would use this word, the meaning that they convey is one of intense awakening. They are figuratively telling the listener to wake up from their sleep and see what is actually going on. It also means to rise to the occasion. One thing we are definitely forced to do in the COVID-19 scenario. When a Swahili person says VUKA he\/she is encouraging the listener to cross-over. It invites us not to stay where we are but to move on to the new.<\/p>\n

VUCA is an acronym which should not only be studied in its separate parts. The connection between the different elements needs careful consideration. For example, the Volatile scenario of COVID-19 influences and increases the elements of uncertainty and complexity. It even has an element of ambiguity within it.<\/p>\n

During this blog series we take an in-depth look at each element of the VUCA acronym. This week we look at Uncertainty.<\/p>\n

Uncertainty<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>The second element of VUCA, namely Uncertainty, is a surprising element. An element that includes more contradictions than clarity. World events are increasingly difficult to predict. Promises are fickle and contributes more to uncertainty than what is intended. Let\u2019s look at some elements that contribute to uncertainty.<\/p>\n

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  1. The 100-year life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott did a longitudinal study on the life expectancy growth in the world. Their conclusion, more than 50% of the world\u2019s population will live until 100 years old by 2100. We know that retirement annuities last 12-17 years after retirement. This implies that the working person will work until they are 80 years old and no longer until 60 or 65. Already governments are increasing the retirement age, as a result of this progress.<\/p>\n

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    1. Artificial Intelligence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Yorick Wilks sums it up in his book Artificial Intelligence;<\/p>\n

      \u201cIt is important to come to grips with this issue because it is becoming harder to separate what AI has actually done from what is promises, and also from what media think it promises.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

      AI creates a persistent problem, it keeps over-promising. AI combined with media and researchers, has the ability to keep humanity glued in uncertainty.<\/p>\n

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      1. The ever changing professional.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Work as we know it is changing. AI and other factors, such as COVID-19, are influencing the way we work. Some professional skills will not be required in the near future. How long is the near future? The reality is we don\u2019t know. It can be a week, a month or 10 years. What we do know is that volatility and an uncertain future does influence life as we know it.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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        How do I thrive within the current and future uncertainties?<\/em> There are various elements that helps us to stay grounded within uncertain times. Let me share 2 elements with you.<\/p>\n

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        1. Healthy Self-Awareness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          The more we understand ourselves, the better we are able to adapt to the ocean of uncertainty. Here are some questions to answer:<\/p>\n