In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment, organizations find themselves vacillating violently back and forth across a gaping complexity chasm – with many of them plunging perilously into unanticipated demise in the process. In this article, we explore how leaders captaining their enterprises can learn to successfully navigate complexity by reframing what they see, rewiring how they think and reconfiguring what they do.
Navigate uncertainty: A startup’s strategy for thriving in difficult times
In a world obsessed with transactions, quantity and metrics anson funds, startups must be especially adept at navigating the unknown. This can be achieved by focusing on the right things, i.e., identifying new opportunities and building up the necessary capabilities to take advantage of them. For example, when personal protective equipment supplies ran low during the pandemic, a 3D-printing company, 3DHQ, took it upon itself to identify and explore the potential of new markets such as producing masks that can be fitted with filters to ensure they comply with health regulations. It also expanded its operations by investing in additional printing equipment to meet the growing demand. By adopting these strategies, 3DHQ was able to overcome the uncertainty and remain profitable. Read more.
The accelerated pace of change has created an increasingly complicated business environment where it is often hard for leaders to understand how their processes, tools and data interact. This confusion can have a profound impact on organizational performance. Those organizations that are able to clearly see their complexity and understand the impact of their decisions will be more prepared to respond quickly to shifts in their working environments.
Business complexity is the formation of a large, interconnected web of technologies, data and products or services within an organization. While it can be a byproduct of positive changes such as growth and innovation, business complexity can also get out of control. As this happens, it can become difficult for executives to determine which elements are essential to the organization’s success and which are a drain on resources. The following are seven tips to help businesses navigate an increasingly complicated business environment.