Executive Intelligence for winning in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous markets

There is no doubt that business leaders across the Nigerian economic landscape are feeling the pressure of the fiscal and monetary crisis. The sheer scale of the crisis and its corresponding impact will test the most well-thought through strategy, leadership, organisational resolve and resilience.

When all is said and done, all the daily, weekly and hourly economic outlook data bombarding us as business executives point to a year marked by Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) Disruptive Change and it is therefore no wonder the anxiety in boardrooms and management meetings across the country is rising.

Look to the Future

The late Peter Drucker warned Managers that “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”The key questions that business leaders must answer today are: Can we win in the VUCA Change Scenario? If so, how?

I believe, based on objectively verifiable evidence that businesses and organisations can thrive, excel, win and succeed during these volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous, disruptive market and industry changes. To do so, Business Leaders will need to develop and deploy their most aggressive and innovative strategies for driving revenues, reducing cost, eliminating waste, aligning people, accelerating workforce performance and delivering exponentially more results with the same or lesser financial and non-financial assets. Looking to the future with confidence is crucial to our strategic response to the crisis. John F. Kennedy once noted that “change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Like never before, the practice of strategy is all important; the ability to formulate multiple strategic scenarios and options, the capabilities to execute quickly, adjust rapidly and navigate fast changing business and industry landscapes is a must to survive. Furthermore, the Organisational HR Leadership required to realign managers and employees to new strategies in shorter decision-making and planning cycles, has created a new sea change in management requirements for 2016 going forward. This requires that Business Leaders demonstrate and model positive Executive Instinct, Emotions and Reason during this Crisis.

Bolaji Olagunju