KnowledgeCity

How to Be a Leader Through Uncertainty

Learn to lead during uncertain times
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Course: On-Demand
Advanced  Provider Erin Shankie  5 Lessons ·  14m  in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese Simplified 

Course Description

It’s possible that you’ll find yourself leading a team through a rapid and challenging organizational change. This type of organizational environment is referred to as VUCA. VUCA means volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous.

Leaders who encounter VUCA environments need to make decisions and changes quickly. It may be necessary to respond without complete information while also being careful to keep employees engaged and committed. 

Representing yourself as a transparent and accountable leader builds an engaged, trusting relationship with employees. Transparency and accountability also foster teams that solve problems faster, build more authentic relationships, and have higher levels of performance than other teams. 

Another way leaders can keep employees committed is by being adaptable. Adaptable leaders think about and anticipate change in everything they do. They look for opportunities and ways in which they can be innovative. 

In these lessons on How to Be a Leader Through Uncertainty, you’ll learn about VUCA environments. This includes what leadership skills aid in decision-making during organizational change. You’ll also discover what it means to be transparent and accountable and how those characteristics are beneficial to your team. You’ll be able to recognize the benefits of being an adaptable leader in times of change.

What You'll Learn

  • Define VUCA environments (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) and what they mean for leaders
  • Identify the leadership skills that aid decision-making during rapid organizational change
  • Describe what it means to be a transparent and accountable leader
  • Explain how transparency and accountability benefit your team
  • Demonstrate adaptability by anticipating change and looking for opportunities to be innovative
  • Recognize the benefits of being an adaptable leader in times of change

Key Takeaways

  • VUCA describes an organizational environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, where leaders must make decisions and changes quickly.
  • In VUCA environments it may be necessary to respond without complete information while keeping employees engaged and committed.
  • Representing yourself as a transparent and accountable leader builds an engaged, trusting relationship with employees.
  • Transparency and accountability foster teams that solve problems faster, build more authentic relationships, and reach higher levels of performance.
  • Adaptable leaders anticipate change in everything they do and look for opportunities to be innovative, helping keep employees committed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about?

It teaches how to lead a team through rapid, challenging organizational change, known as a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment, covering decision-making, transparency and accountability, and adaptability.

What does VUCA mean?

VUCA means volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, describing an organizational environment in which leaders need to make decisions and changes quickly.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in adaptive leadership, agile leadership, change leadership, leadership psychology, organizational leadership, and situational leadership theory.

What topics do the lessons cover?

Lessons include an Introduction, Your Decision-Making Mindset, Transparency and Accountability, Strength in Adaptability, and a Test Your Knowledge assessment.

What are the learning objectives?

By the end of the course you will be able to define VUCA, describe transparency and accountability, and demonstrate adaptability.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Project Management Institute (PMI®)

Professional Development Units (PDUs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:
Ways of WorkingPower SkillsBusiness Acumen

KnowledgeCity has been reviewed and approved by the PMI® Authorized Training Partner Program. Users can maintain your PMI credentials by earning PDUs from KnowledgeCity qualified courses in Project Management, Business Management, Leadership and many others.