A phrase coined in the late 80’s by the US Army, VUCA has become a trendy managerial acronym, being short for, Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.
In some quarters VUCA has just become a catchall description for a world that is in constant change, but that’s misleading. It isn’t just a way of saying there’s nothing we can do or plan for because VUCA really captures 4 distinct and different challenges business leaders face which require 4 types of response.
So how can you plan and prepare for a world which is so topsy-turvy?
This diagram from the Harvard Business Review (Feb 2014) gives an example of how to approach the 4 VUCA elements:
If we focus on the HR aspects of a VUCA world and specifically employees being relocated, a VUCA environment can:
- de-stabilise people and make them anxious
- sap their motivation
- paralyse the decision-making process
- increase the chances of people making poor decisions
- jeopardise long-terms projects
- impact the internal culture
- lead to procrastination and ambiguity
- magnify cultural differences
- create family frustrations and fears impacting the assignee
Recognising that these issues are becoming ever more prevalent in a world with rapid change, political uncertainty and changing cultural norms, HCR has teamed up with TAIN Consulting to offer a strategically designed tool that helps people adapt to working in a global environment.
The International Profiler (TIP) process is based on 10 competencies and 22 behavioural dimensions. It consists of a questionnaire that takes 20 minutes to complete, followed up by an individual 60-minute feedback session. The user then presents a Cultural Competency Action Planner (CCAP) and there is yet another 60-minute debrief which is focussed on making sure they are ready and prepared to implement the necessary approaches to managing in a VUCA world.
The cost for the basic TIP service is £995 + VAT. This can be enhanced with a 6-month follow up session or prior to repatriation.
If you would like more information, please email Adrian.Leach@hcr.co.uk