The term VUCA has jumped out of the world of the army, into the everyday lexicon of business. I recently went back to some writing I was doing in 2017, and there it was in the first page of the manuscript!

What is VUCA and why is it important? VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.

Let’s break these terms down a bit:

Volatility – In volatility, things are changing, and usually changing rapidly. This might mean that market conditions are changing, regulations are changing, or dollar values are changing. What do you notice about volatility in your context?

Uncertainty takes many forms. From not knowing what’s around the corner, to not knowing what’s needed, uncertainty can paralyze teams. Becoming comfortable in operating without a lot of certainty is often takes a different mindset. It may also mean that we become “comfortable with the uncomfortable” and learn to make decisions based on the information which is available (and may not be comprehensive or may change).

Complexity is one of the biggest challenges to leaders and teams today. This may mean we need a variety of skills from across disciplines and/or a wider understanding of more things. Helping to simplify what we can, can offer an antidote to complexity.

Ambiguity occurs when things are not clear. This may be due to things changing regularly OR due to the complexity. What can you do to become more discerning, see the patterns which exist, or break things down into more discrete pieces?

In supporting teams and leaders in organizations today, four things we can do in support of operating at our peak in a VUCA environment:

#1 – Create consistency around process. With so much change around a team, consistency is key to success. Consistency can take several forms on teams including consistent meetings, consistent check-ins, regular one-on-one coaching sessions, regular reporting. Revisit these on a regular basis as contexts may change – what frequency is needed?

As a team discuss what does consistency mean? What’s important to you?

#2 – Connect people with the bigger picture. While the details may change (and do!) the bigger picture – where we are going, what’s important to us, what we are aiming for – is likely to stay more stable. Vision and mission create an anchor. They also provide an important marker when things do change.

#3 – Keep it simple. A VUCA context can paralyse and overwhelm. Keeping things simple does not mean simplifying. It means emphasizing what is core. Consider questions like “What’s essential? vs. What’s a nice to have?” OR “What are the three bullet points to emphasize?”. Help team members discern any patterns within what might appear chaotic.

#4 – Connect people with others. Part of ongoing change means that we often don’t know what or who we need down the road. Connecting members of the team with others supports them in knowing who they can reach out to, or where they can go for support. Connections may include both internal and external stakeholders.
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For more on the topic of VUCA, check out these other Teams365 posts:

• Teams365 1770: VIDEO – Six Ingredients for Teams in Today’s VUCA World (2 min)
• Teams365 #1611: Teamwork in Complexity – Focus and Renewal 

Enjoy!
​Jennifer

This week’s Flashback Friday takes us into some of the past posts I’ve included around working remote. As someone who supported teams more than 25 years ago in pretty extreme remote environments, helping teams thrive in the remote space has been a key passion and focus for me. This week’s post takes us back to some of the stats around remote work we started seeing back in 2015. Remote work is not new, rather, it is becoming more common place for employees of all types.

I like to look at the landscape of remote work and some of my current writing is expanding on this. Let’s take a look at where we were in 2015, only 4 years ago, around the landscape of remote work. Here’s what I shared back in Teams365 post #994:

Recently I’ve done a series of posts on virtual and remote team leadership. Learning how to be an effective virtual leader is one part of the equation of moving to a more mobile and engaged workforce. Another key part is creating an enabling environment for virtual and remote work, which may include ensuring there are adequate resources, policies and expectations around virtual work.

Here’s some research around the drivers for developing a more remote workforce. Softchoice’s study the “Death of the Desk Job” found through their survey that:

• 62% of employees believe they are more productive working outside the office
• 61% of employees prefer working the equivalent of an eight hour workday broken up over a longer day, rather than in a single 9-5 block
• 57% of employees work on personal and/or sick days, and 44%  of employees worked on their last vacation
• 24% or organizations have set clear policies and expectations around appropriate work activities after business hours
• 74% of North American employees would quit their job for one that allow them to work remotely more often
• 70% would quite in favour of a position that offers increased flexibility

​Reference: http://www.softchoice.com/about/press/2015/177 as quoted in HRD Issue 4.3, pp 48 in the article "Is your organization ready to be flexible?"

What you do know and notice about the appetite for remote work at your organization?
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(You will find the original post here)

As you think about your world of work, industry and geography – what has changed? How have things shifted in the last 4-5 years? What trends are you seeing – let us know by commenting below.

Best,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Leadership | Teamwork | Business Success
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack (2019) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Join the conversation at the Conversation Sparker Zone - our online community where you can explore virtual and team issues, coaching, productivity and business development.
Pick up a copy of Volume 1 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts in a digital format. Print it out and take it with you for some inspiration and writing on the go! Available at the Potentials Realized Store.
For those looking for tips, tools and ideas about remote work and support for your remote teams, be sure to check out these tags and resources. ​

Some readers will find themselves mid-way through summer, with another month until the fall routine kicks in with Labor Day.

As I have written this month, simplification, renewal and digital detox are all topics which rise to the surface at this time of year when we move to a summertime routine.

Whether it’s due to the weather, summer time travel, or different working routines, changing our schedules and ways of working can lead to new lengths.
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It may be useful to pause and take stock of the last month and notice:

• Where has your focus been? How has this helped? Hindered?
• What’s worked for you with your routine?
• What do you want to make sure you continue doing, even as things speed up?
• What have you “let go of….” (this may be part of your work routine, tasks or regular schedule”?
• What space has this created?
• What do you further want to simplify as you move into a fall routine?
• What focus do you want to have going forward into August? Into the rest of the year?

Revisit your annual vision and make adjustments as you would like.
 
Warm regards,
Jennifer

Disruption is part of the landscape of many industries and workplaces today. Whether things are changing dramatically due to technology or  geopolitical impacts, change is pervasive for many.

While we can’t change the pace of change, we can adjust our approaches to it.

What do we do to continue to be effective and positive in times of change?

Three practical things we can do are:

Cultivate curiosity – While many leaders would assert “easier said than done”, cultivating curiosity is important for today’s business landscape. Cultivating curiosity can be an important skill to develop in team members AND embed in the culture of an organization.

For more on cultivating curiosity, check out this earlier Teams365 blog post I wrote on Cultivating Curiosity Teams365 #1955 and what the research says Teams365 1961 – Encouraging Curiosity.

Be clear on the big picture goals – Adopting a 30,000 foot view on work, life and context can also be a valuable strategy for buffeting against the shocks of change. While the meta-view (big picture view) is not one that everyone adopts easily, seeing the big picture helps with the micro-shocks we can feel on a regular basis when things change. This is why it’s really important to continue communicating and meeting during times of change. Helping share the big picture so people don’t find themselves in the “Weeds”, cut off from what’s happening in the bigger picture is critical.

Become comfortable with knowing when things are “good enough” to let go, and that learning may always be needed. The embracement of “growth mindset” on the part of organizations in support of their staff, it encouraging. When we come from what Carol Dweck has coined “growth mindset” it gives permission for experimentation, learning, and not quite being ready “yet”.

Disruption may mean that reverse mentoring (junior to more senior professionals) is just as important as traditional mentoring (senior to more junior professionals). It also provides us with an opportunity to pause and see how we are adjusting to change. Are we as “good at change” as we thought we were?

A reminder that last month I focused on Teamwork in Uncertainty (link to tag of Teamwork in Uncertainty). 

Teams365 #1955- Teamwork in Uncertainty: Cultivating Curiosity. View it here.

 Teams365 #1954 – Managing Uncertainty – Building Trust and Connection on Your Team Virtually. All workplaces can benefit from this topic – it is one of the #1 questions we receive here at Potentials Realized. Check out the post here.
 
Teams365 #1962:  Teamwork in Uncertainty: Empowering your Team with the Space to Experiment. Link to: (not a live link yet)
 
Teams365 #1968: Teamwork in Uncertainty: Pivot 
 
Teams365 #1969: Teamwork in Uncertainty: Comfort with the Unknown: link here

Enjoy the conversation,
Jennifer

You may also want to check out the following blog posts as well:

This week’s Team Building Tip gets your team to consider the question – “What is taboo?”.
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Once teams feel safe to put issues on the table, and that they will not face any retribution for speaking their mind, getting the team to identify what is TABOO or off-limits can be key to moving a team forward. It is important to look into the dusty corners, and shine the light on the things that don’t want to be seen or discussed. This is particularly important when the pace of business speeds up, and things become more urgent. It’s the things that are taboo that can grow in size or come out of nowhere, taking a team down.

What are the things that are TABOO for you and your team to:

• Discuss
• Do
• Put into Practice

 
Is it time for a change?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Leadership | Teamwork | Business Success
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack (2019) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Join the conversation at the Conversation Sparker Zone - our online community where you can explore virtual and team issues, coaching, productivity and business development.
Pick up a copy of Volume 1 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts in a digital format. Print it out and take it with you for some inspiration and writing on the go! Available at the Potentials Realized Store.

Welcome to June! What’s exciting about this month for you? What are your new goals?

As we step into a new month, I’m excited to be focusing on undertaking a mid-year review with you this month. We’ll be reconnecting with some of the core activities that help teams and organizations excel:

• Team Tune Up
• Systems Check
• Feedback and Performance Check
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Streamlining Meetings
• Presentations
• Knowledge Management – Capturing Successes and Strategic Issues

It’s also an opportunity to take stock of the past month and look ahead to what you want to create in June. Before we go further, I hope that you will take a few minutes to explore these questions. Grab a pen and journal and let’s go. Given that we are stepping into the middle part of the year, what do you want to note about what you want to create by the end of the month? By the end of Q2?

Here are some questions to consider:

1. As you reflect on May, what have been your successes and accomplishments?
2. What are you most proud of?
3. What successes this month do you want to duplicate? What has been some of your key learning?
4. What key relationships have helped you so far this year? Which ones need more attention?
5. What has helped your successes? What has hindered?
6. What does your team need to be acknowledged for?

As you look to June, consider these questions:

1. What are your key priorities for June?
2. What are the key goals?
3. What are the major priorities?
4. What will you need to place attention on?
5. What changes do you want to make in June?
6. What resources do you want to tap into?
7. By the end of the month, which will be the middle of the year, what do you want to make sure you have completed?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer