Emotional Intelligence could well be the ticket to improving the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world we live in today.
The world is rapidly changing, with technological innovations, globalisation, social and economic disruptions, and political unrest. In such a situation, uncertainty and volatility are the norm. It can be difficult to know how to lead effectively when the landscape is constantly shifting, and the future seems unclear. Yet, because the business world is transforming rapidly, leaders need to be ready to take on the challenges of this VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world.
In this blog, we’ll cover some of the biggest challenges leaders face and how to overcome them.
Acceptance: Embracing Change and Uncertainty
The heart of the issue is that humans don’t like the unknown and change. It requires effort and energy, and the unknown invites fearful thinking full of bias, prejudice, and doom. This is why we have ‘beliefs’ to feel safe. The truth is that change is inevitable and resistance to it will make you and your team less productive. Accepting that no one really knows and cannot be fully predicted by anyone will help in developing an agile and flexible approach when dealing with business challenges. Leaders need to have a clear vision to lead their team towards success.
You can influence change by staying focused on your strategy, communicating with the team, staying on top of market trends, and utilizing all available resources to achieve greater outcomes.
Managing Fear in Leadership
I believe the biggest challenge of leadership in a VUCA world is managing your fear. Managing fear is not an easy task but vital for successful leadership because it’s easy to become anxious and make decisions based on emotions rather than rational thought. Fear causes all people to react irrationally which lowers productivity and engagement. Leaders who can manage their fear and lead with confidence will help ease the fear within their team.
Leaders should embrace volatility with vision and direction and seek clarity through simplification. Stay positive, and open, listen to your team, and provide the support your team needs.
Dealing with Complexity in a VUCA Environment
Another challenge facing leaders today is complexity. There are so many moving parts that it can be difficult to understand how they all interact, particularly if they are volatile, uncertain, or ambiguous. In such situations, simplification through analogy, problem statement, and cause-and-effect analysis can be helpful in gaining clarity.
The Power of Hypothesizing
As a leader, you need to be comfortable with the unknown and willing to take calculated risks. In an uncertain world, a hypothesis is a powerful tool for a leader to understand before making any major decisions, which requires the ability to embrace ambiguity. Leaders can ask for clarity in the midst of confusion, and it is important to focus on the gap in understanding and what steps would help resolve such gaps. Once the gaps are addressed, you can create a powerful action plan based on the relevant insights you gleaned.
Trusting Your Intuition and Making Decisions
Lastly, sometimes we just don’t know what to do. Sometimes we have to admit that with humility, ask for help, or dare I say it, trust your gut. When there is no clear indicator of the right or wrong move, sometimes you will have to rely on intuition or gut feeling to make a decision. The reality is that It’s not always possible to have all the information and data at your disposal. The key is to make a decision confidently and decisively, being ready to adjust course should you discover that you made the wrong choice. Being clear on your assumptions will help with course corrections and testing your hypothesis.
In Summary
The challenges faced in the VUCA world are significant, but facing them head-on can lead to tremendous opportunities. High Emotional Intelligence in leaders who are agile and proactive can provide themselves with the skills necessary to weather the storms brought on by VUCA and grow as a result (anyone can hold the helm while the sea is calm).
My encouragement is to focus on accepting the changing world, managing your own fears, and working with your team to simplify complexity and embrace uncertainty (it’s all part of the adventure). Trust your intuition and continue to learn, grow, and adapt. Remember the flip side of adversity is opportunity.
Emotional Intelligence for Leaders
If you’d like to learn more about developing your emotional intelligence as a leader you can find out more here.
Level Seven’s Emotional Intelligence Program can give you the skills and techniques to understand yourself better, improve your relationships with others, manage stress more effectively and truly become the leader you’re meant to be.
With our program, you can learn how to:
– Increase self-awareness
– Develop empathy for others
– Enhance communication skills
Feel free to book a free hour for a deeper conversation to connect and explore what we might create together. Here’s the link
