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26 August 2020 | Story Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

A VUCA environment reflects a state of the external world, or external to the leader, community, or nation, as much as it seems to reflect an internal frame of mind. The constant pressure to lead, while being uncertain about the outcomes of your decisions and even fearful of not being in control all the time, are some of the hallmarks of a VUCA world. A good way of thinking about this concept is to view it as the ‘new narrative’ – the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity inherent in today’s world.

Leaders in the 21st century need to steer a country securely through unparalleled, challenging, and stormy circumstances such as food insecurity, political unrest, migration and refugee issues, unemployment, divided societies and prejudice, global warming, and others. Against this introduction, it unfortunately appears as if there is an increase in VUCA problems in the 21st century, and leaders often fail in their attempts to provide solutions to these demanding circumstances. Indeed, it appears as if leaders in the 21st century are actually contributing to VUCA environments. So-called ‘state capture’ and the ‘gangster state’ in South Africa, ‘make America great again’ and ‘America first’ , the Brexit no-deal option, ‘trade wars’, and ‘the deadly coronavirus’ are examples of when leaders did not appear to solve challenges, but rather to intensify them. 

This is the backdrop against which the book, Chaos is a Gift? Leading Oneself in Uncertain and Complex Environments, has been conceptualised – indeed to debate the opportunities that exist amid this chaos. 

Three UFS women academics contributed to this book.

Dr Martha Harunavamwe (Department of Industrial Psychology) has written a chapter on resilience and agility in Zimbabwean higher education.Dr Mareve Biljohn (Department of Public Administration and Management) has written a chapter on leading the self in South Africa’s VUCA local government environments. Prof Liezel Lues (Department of Public Administration and Management) has written a chapter on South Africa’s surviving VUCA environment. She is also one of the editors of the book.

The endorsement written by Prof Petersen, reads: There are various books on leadership, but this book, in navigating today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, presents chaos as both an opportunity and possibility in developing ‘selfcare practices’ in leading oneself. Leaders must have the cognitive flexibility to adapt to the unknown in the midst of chaos (and a crisis). Through making sense of leadership approaches in different environments, including the business, private, academic and public sectors, as well as in conflict/post-conflict situations, the book provides a deep insight into leading oneself effectively with innovation and empathy in a VUCA environment – an excellent contribution to self-leadership. (Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor: Top Management, University of the Free State)

The book, published by KR Publishers, will be launched on 27 August 2020. Prof Ebben van Zyl, together with Prof Lues, are the editors of this book: Van Zyl, E, Campbell, A and Lues, L. ed. Chaos is a Gift? Leading Oneself in Uncertain and Complex Environments. Randburg: KR Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-86922-860-6

News Archive

UFS to host one the most prestigious seminars in leadership
2004-09-28

The Business School of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be hosting the Central Region’s screening of the largest global satellite broadcast of the 2004 Living Leadership: Delivering Results the Right Way event.

The event, which will take place on 21 October 2004 from 09:00-16:30 at the Albert Wessels Auditorium on campus, will be up linked from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and will be broadcasted via satellite to 95 cities in two countries.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for leaders in the Central Region to gain exposure to the pioneers in the international leadership field,” said Prof Helena van Zyl, Director of the UFS’s School of Management.

The global satellite simulcast will bring together a powerful diverse group of the world’s leading business authorities. This includes Mr Donald Trump, chairman of The Trump Organisation; Mr Mikhail Gorbachev, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and former president of the Soviet Union; Mr Jim Collins, speaking on his recent best-seller, Good To Great; Mr Peter Drucker, father of management and author of The Effective Executive; Ms Rosabeth Moss Kanter, professor at Harvard Business School; Mr Ken Blanchard, best-selling author of The One Minute Manager; Mr John C Maxwell, best-selling author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and acclaimed speaker; Mr Russell Simmons, entrepreneur and co-founder of Def Jam Records and Mr Larry Bossidy, co-author of the best-seller, Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done.

According to Prof Van Zyl the Living Leadership global satellite broadcast will give attendants exclusive access to the Financial Mail’s Executive Panel. It will also give local executives and renowned leaders the opportunity to share their interpretation of leadership in practical, relevant terms.

Mr Jack Welch’s executive assistant and author of Managing Up, Ms Rosanne Badowski and Ms Caroline Kepcher, an executive vice president to Mr Donald Trump and a lead role on NBC’s hit show, The Apprentice, will join the panel with a special session.

Each of the cutting-edge insights shared by this gathering of world-class leadership authorities will deliver effective benchmarks which teams will use to shape their business outcomes.

The cost is R950,00 per person (group discount is also available) – this includes the receipt of two free issues of the Financial Mail. Tickets are available at Computicket.

For more information on this seminar visit www.livingleadership.co.za or contact Ms Isa Boshoff at 051-4012874 / boshofia.ekw@mail.uovs.ac.za .

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
28 September 2004
 

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