disruption in a vuca world
DESCRIPTION
In a VUCA World – one characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity – the traditional approach of applying well-practised set of processes, methods and tools to a well understood and clearly defined problem simply doesn’t work. Adaptive challenges are the ‘wicked problems’ that organizations face. They are messy, boundaries aren’t clear and they tend to be systemic in nature. They require resources to be mobilized (whether you control the resources or not) in areas where there is limited experience in how to think through to the answer. So how then can organizations disrupt themselves? What's needed and what's required?TRANSCRIPT
Disruption in a VUCA World written, illustrated & performed by Gar Mac Críosta - CITAP
Inspired Stumbling Forward
“didn’’t they used to play music”
@aspiringarc
on yet another Monday morning with 10,000 things ToDo…I have
Meetings (20)_
we’re all set when it comes to “technical challenges”…. HAMMER meet NAIL
Hiking Artist Drawing by Frits Ahlefeldt
But somewhere in all of this hides a VUCA challenge
But first some background
5 ALIGNMENT CHALLENGES #1 Getting agreement on the operating model #2 Real functional alignment around the strategy #3 Rallying around the growth strategy #4 Addressing adaptive challenges #5 Mobilising talent in new ways
Richard Lynch Amber Román Me
I hear you say “Addressing 5 challenges in 20 minutes is impossible”
Let’s focus on Challenge #4
#4 “Addressing Adaptive Challenges”
“The mark of leadership in the competitive world is leading others in adaptive work.”
Ron A. Heifetz
http://hbr.org/2001/12/the-work-of-leadership/ar/1
Don Laurie
So what are Adaptive Challenges
they are VUCA problems
Nathan Bennett & G. James Lemoine Georgia Institute of Technology VUCA – the hard to read version
V for Volatile V - Volatility - volatile adjective
2. liable to change rapidly and unpredictably,
especially for the worse
The nature and dynamics of change, and the nature and speed of change forces and change catalysts.
U for Uncertain
where’s my cat?
dead or alive?
RIP
Heisenberg & Schrödinger as kids….
Meow!!
U - Uncertain - uncertain | adjective 1. not able to be relied on; not known or definite:
an uncertain future.
The lack of predictability, the
prospects for surprise, and the
sense of awareness and understanding
of issues and events.
C for Complex
Complex - Complex | adjective
1. consisting of many different and connected parts
The multiplex of forces, the confounding of issues and the
chaos and confusion that surround an organization.
A for Ambiguous
SMALL
FARAWAY
Ambiguous - ambiguous | adjective open to more than one interpretation; not having
one obvious meaning: ambiguous phrases.
these are
Now concentrate this time, Dougal…
but the ones out there, those are
The haziness of reality, the potential for misreads, and the mixed meanings of
conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.
This sounds like another good reason to avoid strategic planning!!!
? ?
Oscar Wilde
“I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do - the day after.”
That’s the problem with VUCA problems they stop us in our tracks
What the …?
the real problem is that our standard tools just don’t cut it in the face of a adaptive challenges….but yet we persist
have a look here http://goo.gl/qTT9FJ for more tools
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
3 Tips for VUCA Problems
1 – We need to recognise Adaptive Challenges & à “Design Strategic Conversations”
2 – We need to move from Route 1Planning à “Living In The Future” (use scenarios)
3 – We need ditch the deck & unleash our imagination à “Give me back my crayons” (think visually)
Many possible future outcomes
1 possible outcome
How do we recognise VUCA & design a strategic conversations?
as Lisa says “Conversation is the technology of management”
Lisa Kay Solomon
TIP 1: Meet the Adaptive Challenge GPS
1. The problem is clearly defined 2. A leader or expert provides a solution 3. Easy (enough) to resolve
TECHNICAL
1. Problem definition, solution & implementation require new learning
2. Responsibility lives with the troups 3. (Most) difficult to resolve
ADAPTIVE
But we have Strategic Conversations all the time
Do you…?
Remember the last meeting you were at where you found you faced an adaptive challenge….did you have a clear PURPOSE; what was it?
TO DISCOVER TO DESIGN TO DECIDE
3 TY
PES
OF
STRA
TEGI
C CO
NVER
SATI
ON
http://www.momentsofimpactbook.com/
Compare Regular Meeting V Strategic Conversation REGULAR MEETING
STRATEGIC CONVERSATION http://www.momentsofimpactbook.com/
NO
ON THE SAME PAGE
“clear understanding of the issue”
YES
NO
YES
CLEAR STRATEGIC OPTION “clear fully developed options”
NO
YES
DECISION CLARITY “clarity to m
ake decisions”
DISCOVER Design a BUILDING UNDERSTANDING Conversation
DESIGN Design a SHAPING CHOICES Conversation
DECIDE Design a MAKING DECISIONS Conversation
Adapted from http://www.momentsofimpactbook.com/
TIP 2: Start “living in the future” THE PROBLEM Dealing with UNCERTAINTY THE SOLUTION Who are the strategic horses in the uncertainty race? What forces are driving future change? Which uncertainties have a wide range of future outcomes? Map the options? Find the characters & stories? THE OUTCOME Open Minds/Uncertainty Embraced
Many possible future outcomes
“Deep in our hearts, we would all choose a scenario with no surprises”
Pierre Wack
FINDING THE FUTURE WITH SCENARIOS
1. FIND THE STRATEGIC HORSES
2. FIND THE FORCES
3. FIND THE OUTCOME RANGE
4. MAP THE OUTCOMES
5. FIND THE CHARACTERS & STORIES
THE FUTURE!
E.G. SCENARIO PLANNING FOR ADAPTIVE CHALLENGES
Figure 3: Adaptive Challenges. Source: Donald L. Laurie, Oyster International, LLC
WE DON’T GET CERTAINTY
WE GET GOOD AT LIVING WITH UNCERTAINTY
REMEMBER
TIP 3 – Give me back my crayons
SCRIBBLE | DOODLE | PLAY
“The single greatest challenge to leaders today is this: We have to make more increasingly complex ideas more clear, more quickly and more persuasively than ever, to more audiences who are more informed and have more access to more information than ever.” ― Dan Roam, Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don't Work
Dan Roam
SO DON’T FORGET ‘VUCA’ IN YOUR PLANNING
VUCA WORLD
1– Design strategic conversations
2–Find the future with scenarios
3–Break out the crayons
DO YOU HAVE A MESSY, OPEN-ENDED, ILL-DEFINED STRATEGIC CHALLENGE WITH POTENTIALLY BIG CONSEQUENCES?
Soon to publish a new book….
STRATEGY MADE SIMPLE
inspired stumbling forward
Richard Lynch Amber Román Gar Mac Críosta Derval Kennedy
“If you want to teach people a new way of thinking, don't bother trying to teach them. Instead, give them a tool, the use of which will lead to new ways of thinking.”
― Richard Buckminster Fuller
rewiring the way organizations do
STRATEGY | INNOVATION | TRANSFORMATION in fun, practical & imaginative ways
WWW.ARCHTEXX.COM
e: [email protected] t: @aspiringarc l: http://ie.linkedin.com/in/garmaccriosta w: www.archtexx.com w: www.iasaglobal.org
TRADITIONAL
OLD TOOLS
BIG TEAMS
MAGICIANS
FATIGUE
DONE TO YOU
NO BELIEF
SLOW & LONG
dense forests of slides,
documents, data
infestation of consultants
descends
magic consulting
dust is Sprinkled
“SECRET SAUCE”
magic takes along time
people stop believing
consultants & change agents CHANGE YOU!!
0-200mph leads to organizational fatigue
NO FUN fun is forbidden
ARCHTEXX
NEW TOOLS
SMALL TEAMS
COACHES
PACED
DONE WITH YOU
VISIBLE & SHAREABLE
SHORT & SHARP
we use small crack teams of certified
architects p
we use short focused Interventions with clear
outcomes
we make everything big visible & shareable
it’s your business you know it best
we find a rhythm that works for you
we make everything useful - tools, stories,
infographics & models
we apply open tool with brain-friendly
coaching & change methods
MAKE IT FUN we use games & tools to make it fun