Envision: Preparing for 2030 and a Time of Coming Disruption

Envision: Preparing for 2030 and a Time of Coming Disruption

Rodney Woods | 2021

Abstract

It is one thing to start and lead a company, but it is another thing to find and maintain “True North” during times of disruptive change. Today’s leaders, no matter the industry, confront a VUCA situation; in other words, unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity. Lost in the tumultuous winds of disruption, their companies, to paraphrase T.S. Elliott, tend not to compete with a bang but a whimper.

The Envision dissertation uncovered the reality that leaders tend to fall into the trap of conforming to the latest “rules and tools” packaged neatly at a conference or peddled in the marketplace by consultants. These leaders, according to Grant (2016), “conform to the codified rules of established games, rather than inventing their own rules or their own games” (p. 9). Envision explores how today’s leaders can learn to become forward-looking and grapple systematically and effectively with an environment that is becoming increasingly turbulent.

This ‘Envision’ approach requires an adaptive strategy and culture skillfully led by an adaptive leader to compete confidently in a future of VUCA-driven challenges. Organizations must expect change as the business world grows in complexity and the impact of disruption increases. Academia is replete with information on various world trends. However, there is a dearth of academic literature on unpredictable disrupters poised to wreak havoc on predictable megatrends in the global marketplace. As yet, there is no foundational primer on how to deal with these megatrends and disrupters.

Change is a harbinger of both risk and opportunity. The opportunities lie in adapting to disruption, and the risks lie in fearful resistance due to a lack of preparation. This analysis is the premise of the Envision dissertation. It suggests that the best way to adapt to VUCA is by revisioning the turbulence as an exciting Age of Adaptability. Leaders are unable to stop the acceleration of globalization and the emerging economic and demographic trends. They must be able to adjust to the changing market in order to thrive. A mere acknowledgment of trends is insufficient because their speed and scale will leave leaders and organizations scrambling to catch up. There is little hope of trying to get ahead. The only solution is to adapt by learning new ways of being and failing fast whenever necessary. This approach is where Envision’s framework guides adaptive leaders to lead an adaptive culture to execute an adaptive strategy. This approach ultimately becomes the trifecta of success for leaders seeking to thrive in a VUCA-driven business environment.