Bridging Between Paradigms

Although VUCA and BANI both tackle the difficulties of operating in intricate and unpredictable settings, they have distinct focuses. The VUCA framework emphasizes the ever-changing and uncertain nature of change, underscoring the importance of being flexible and forward-thinking (Ungureanu et al., 2023). On the other hand, BANI highlights the delicate nature and emotional dimensions of navigating complexity, emphasizing the importance of empathy, awareness of mental health, and resilient systems capable of withstanding unexpected disruptions (Astapov, 2023).

Certain expectations come with humans utilizing VUCA and BANI in their work environments. For VUCA, this means being reliable, trustworthy, direct, and understandable when dealing with volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous circumstances. Reliability pertains to putting systems in place and developing the habit of being dependable among the people surrounding us. Moreover, trustworthiness can also be fostered to deal with uncertain situations. During these times, it’s essential to let go of pride; letting go of pride builds trust among colleagues when one can admit when they are wrong. It also exhibits humility within one’s self. Meanwhile, being direct would mean being honest in dealing with information communicated and received. Last but not least, providing clear frameworks, processes, and instructions tremendously helps with directing our stakeholders to what should be accomplished. Having clear-cut responsibilities serves as a guiding light during ambiguous times.

While reflecting on this, I realize that I have had personal experiences utilizing VUCA in my student organization endeavors. I had to be reliable, trustworthy, direct, and understanding as the Vice President for Logistics and Documentations of the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants-De La Salle University Chapter. The entire organization looked to me to steer the operations and I have to deliver. Exemplifying this, I have to be organized, systematic, and streamlined to be viewed as reliable by my colleagues. I consider this to be one of my strongest suits, as I never worked on this committee before being assigned to the position. Given that, I also had multiple situations during this stint where I obviously did not have prior experience in handling the position. It was during these times that I heavily relied on my Assistant Vice Presidents to also guide me, as they are the ones with 2-3 years of experience in the organization already. On top of that, this position allowed me to practice transparency among my co-executive board members, as my input is valuable to their decision-making endeavors. Among my experiences, however, I find that dealing with my Associates has enabled me the need to be clear with my instructions. All of them allow me to guide them in their work; hence, it is highly significant that my instructions and orders are clear and understandable.

On the other hand, BANI breaks four illusions: brittle is to the illusion of strength, anxious is to the illusion of control, non-linear is to the illusion of predictability, and incomprehensible is to the illusion of knowledge. The first concept states that not everything is foolproof and plans do not always go the way they are initially ideated. Effectively, what we think is a working system may actually be flawed. Meanwhile, being anxious deals with losing a sense of control, especially with situations that are out of our hands. Consequently, nonlinear pertains to correlation not being equal to causation, as there is no discernable relationship between cause and effect. Lastly, incomprehensible means having a lot of noise with little to no meaning.

I feel that BANI is more human than a rigid paradigm in comparison to VUCA. Acknowledging that humans are emotional is something that has been more discussed in recent years. I believe that it is very helpful for more people to acknowledge that humans are bound to be imperfect. It is acknowledging this that helps us understand further why we cannot exactly be fitted into rigid paradigms.

Viewing this from a business lens, the ever-changing and complex world poses considerable obstacles for businesses. It requires fresh perspectives on leadership, strategy, and decision-making. As such, organizations must enhance their agility, adaptability, and resilience to not only survive but also flourish. The ever-evolving world we live in is shaped by the fast-paced advancements in technology, unpredictable geopolitical situations, the pressing issue of climate change, and the dynamic shifts in society. Several factors have a significant impact on the current landscape, such as the increasing interconnectedness of the world, rapid technological advancements, economic fluctuations, evolving power dynamics, and shifting consumer preferences.

To wrap this all up, I believe that both paradigms should not be strictly followed. I find it impressive that both actually help make sense of the world, but more so, it is not the be-all and end-all. There are complex layers that make up our circumstances, so it is unfair to fit them all into these two paradigms, or in any other at all. Nonetheless, I can acknowledge that they do try to be all-encompassing. In addition, I think that bridging the concepts of both paradigms can also be more helpful and complete in analyzing complex issues–be it organizational or personal.

#InquiryAnalysisReflection #COBIBMO

Sophia Isabel S. Cauilan

Topic: VUCA vs. BANI