Organisations have to continually identify change initiatives in constantly changing business environments. Prof. Barbara Stottinger refers to the use of the newer term BANI to more accurately describe the modern world instead of the older Volatile Uncertain Complex and Ambigous (VUCA) term. The BANI model goes further than VUCA to highlight chaotic and unpredictable impacts that can have a major impact on busincess activity.
- Brittle. The world is not just volatile. It is also brittle in terms of it’s potential to experience abrupt and unanticipated shocks or even the removal of a previously stable system This may then lead on to global effects such as the 2008 financial crisis or the Covid-19 outbreak.
- Anxious. With increasing brittleness comes greater fear and anxiety leading to feelings of vulnerability and helplessness. Such anxiety can immobilise organisational intitiatives and responses.
- Non-linear. In a non-linear world, cause and effect can become disconnected or disproportionate. Even the most simplistic of issues can have complex and incomprehensive consequences that are difficult to detect.
- In-comprehensible. The complexity of modern business environments (see Sense Making tools) makes it difficult to understand all the implications and conseqences of events in their entirety as all elements are ultimately inter-related.
See: BANI vs. VUCA: How Leadership Works in the World of Tomorrow by Prof. B. Stottinger
Establishing a rationale and a vision for a change initiative as well as a sense of urgency is a key role for senior management and significantly influences the likely success of the change. Not content with identifying a need for change, leading change involves effective preparations for change and coping with the twists and turns of the change process.
This will require a transformational leadership process that involves engendering a commonality of purpose amongst the stakeholders.
BrightEdge consultants have extensive experience in providing assistance with this transitional process through various mentoring and coaching aspects as well different approaches to facilitation.