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Never have I known that VUCA was an acronym used by the US Military until listening to the webinar from our online platform yesterday (11 November 2019).

VolatileUncertainComplexAmbigious is what VUCA stands for and the term was coined after the Cold War in the 1990s!

Although the contents of VUCA may sound difficult and a bit pessimistic, there are ways to deal with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the new world! Mindtools.com gives us some ideas on how to do so:

1- If you have a vision and values, you will be able to deal with the instabilities of the global world!

2- A good vision will also help you deal with the unpredictability, as you will devote more time to understanding the innovations in your field. What you see as a threat can suddenly become new opportunities if you try to understand your competitors!

Even though things can be complex, you need more openness and clarity! This is where collaboration comes in!

When collaborating, try to achieve/do/use:

  • Good
    communication
  • Good
    software and tools
  • Clear
    process
  • Motivation
  • Trust
  • Openness

And try to
avoid:

  • Lack
    of trust
  • Lack
    of team bond
  • Free
    riding/Unclear division of rules
  • Lack
    of tools and software
  • Conflicts
    and fear

Finally, you can deal with ambiguities with swiftness! Human beings are amazing in adapting to new conditions, be aware of your adaptational skills and embrace change!

Afterall, several decades have passed since the end of the Cold War, and as 21st century learners we should engage with 4Cs:

Among these
four, which are interrelated, collaboration is so important that it is referred
to in the OECG Education 2030 agenda.

In fact, if
you go on to OECD.org you will find really good posters and a short video about
what they call OECD Learning Compass 2030. See the link here!

Topic 3: Learning in communities – networked collaborative learning