VUCA – Another Acronym

There is a new acronym gaining traction – VUCA. Parts of our world are now permanently Volatile – change is rapid and unpredictable; Uncertain – the present is unclear, and the future is uncertain; Complex – many different, interconnected factors come into play and can cause chaos and confusion; and Ambiguous – there is a lack of clarity or awareness about situations.

It rings true, doesn’t it? Think of global security and defence (should we build submarines), the energy sector (electricity prices), finance (as banks go under again), or climate change.

Making decisions in a VUCA world is complicated. Will the price of cars, houses, holidays, etc., keep rising? When is the best time to buy? When you don’t have all the information, cannot predict patterns, you are unsure when and how to act.

We can become paralysed, anxious, overwhelmed and stuck. Sleepless nights do not help well-being. At times, we must act. We have to update the car sometime? There are consequences if we do and if we don’t.

VUCA can also infect personal well-being. How do you raise children with behavioural, psychological, or medical challenges? What is the best next thing for my aging parents?

Here are a few tips for inhabiting a VUCA world. Accept that uncertainty and change are part of the landscape. Your task is not to stop change but to maximise the good transformation that can be realised through a transition. Be clear about your core values and beliefs before you enter complexity. Be patient. Not everything will be solved at once, and there will be future moments to intervene again.

Mostly, pray and trust God. Perhaps we have lived through a season of rare stability, progress, and prosperity since WWII. Whatever – God has long used messy brokenness to bring about sanctification and growth. The people most susceptible to VUCA are those who trust in themselves.

By Rev. David Rietveld