Volatility

We live in a world that is constantly changing, becoming more unstable and in which small or serious changes are becoming more unpredictable – ever more drastic and ever faster. Events happen completely unexpectedly. Understanding cause and effect sometimes becomes impossible.

Uncertainty

Predictability and calculability of events are rapidly decreasing, forecasts and experiences from the past as a basis for shaping the future are losing their validity and relevance. Planning investments, developments and growth is becoming almost impossible. It is less and less clear where the journey is heading.

Complexity

Our world is more complex than ever. What is the cause? What is the effect? – Problems and their effects are becoming more complex and more difficult to understand. The different levels are intermingling and making connections more confusing. Decisions are becoming an uncontrollable web of reaction and counter-reaction. It is almost impossible to decide on the right path.

Ambiguity

One fits all and best practice are a thing of the past – something is rarely completely unambiguous or precisely definable. Not only black and white, but also colorful is an option. Today’s demands on organizations and leadership are more contradictory and paradoxical than ever and put personal value systems to the test. The “what” is taking a back seat to the “why” and the “how”.

VUCA, as a system of thought, revolves around the idea : “Failure in itself may not be a catastrophe. Still, failure to learn from failure is.” This perspective underlines the significance of resilience and adaptability in leadership. It suggests that beyond mere competencies, it is behavioural nuances, like the ability to learn from failures and adapt, that distinguish exceptional leaders from average ones. Leaders using VUCA as a guide often see change not just as inevitable but as something to anticipate. (from Wikipedia)

Luckily it’s only VUCA

VUCA positive

Viewed positively, VUCA offers the opportunity to develop new ways of thinking and to act in a more conscious and future-oriented manner. For managers, this means responding flexibly to change, dealing constructively with uncertainty, better understanding complex interrelationships, and using ambiguities as impetus for creative solutions.

VUCA therefore calls for agile, open-minded, and networked leadership behavior that strengthens innovation and resilience in organizations.

Painting a picture of a desirable future. Together. As a compass and for orientation. To create meaning and trigger motivation. And to gain identification and impact both internally and externally.

Understand connections and make them comprehensible. Take context into account. Think and plan meta-strategically. Derive from the result and look backwards. Align competencies. Accepting and using behavior and reactions. Transforming fear and resistance into productive energy.

Clarity. Simplicity. Focus on what counts and what really matters. Trust, transparent relationships and processes. Using power and energy exactly where their effect unfolds best.

Adaptability. Agility. Liveliness. Questioning hierarchical management methods. Promote a consistent decision-making and error culture. Dealing transparently with contradictions. Enabling innovation and strengthening resilience.

Navigating Complexity: Understanding VUCA, BANI and RUPT

In today’s era of overlapping crises and accelerating change, leaders and organisations urgently need frameworks that provide clarity, orientation, and actionable insight. This is where models like VUCA, BANI, and RUPT come in—not as competing theories, but as complementary lenses that help us make sense of an increasingly unpredictable world.

VUCA

Volatility, Uncertainty
Complexity, Ambiguity

BANI

Brittle, Anxious
Nonlinear, Incomprehensible

RUPT

Rapid, Unpredictable
Paradoxical, Tangled

Rather than treating these models as rival explanations, it is far more productive to see them as a collective toolkit—each offering a unique perspective that enhances our understanding and decision-making capacity.

Organisations that engage with these concepts openly and seriously are far better equipped to adapt, respond, and thrive. They accept that we are not in a temporary state of exception, but in a new normal where complexity and uncertainty are the rule, not the exception. Denial or nostalgia for simpler times is no longer a viable strategy—it is wishful thinking.

In this context, traditional management approaches are no longer enough. What is needed now is a mindset shift: one that embraces flexibility, fosters resilience, and prioritises agility over rigid planning. Leaders who can integrate these models into their thinking will be far better positioned to guide their teams and organisations through the turbulence ahead.

Success Requires Deciding and Connecting!

People are motivated to go the extra mile—especially when the purpose is clear and the benefits are visible. But this only works with the right conditions: trust, psychological safety, and practical ways to turn skills into results.

In a world shaped by constant crises and digital change, human-centred approaches matter more than ever. When employees can actively shape their work and future, performance follows.
As a manager, you shape the environment your team operates in. With rising uncertainty and complexity, success now demands new leadership behaviors.

People drive success—but only if we give them the right environment to do so.