Leading in VUCA: Principals for Emerging Leaders` Eva McLellan B.Sc (Hon), M.Biotech

Let’s imagine for a minute…

What is VUCA?

-

• Volatility

• Uncertainty

• Complexity

• Ambiguity

Principles for Career Ascent

Principles for Leading Teams

Principles for Personal

Development

Based on my experience … 3 sets of personal principles in VUCA

Personal Development

Personal Development It all starts with YOU

Self Awareness: Need to dig deep to What do you stand

for? Your moral

compass.

Aspirational Career Vision:

What do you want to

achieve and why? What

are you willing to trade-off? Sacrifice?

Regular Reflection:

Step back regularly to reflect about

what is working? what isn’t?

and what I do about it?

Personal Development Four clusters of tools I have found valuable

Self Awareness Tools : • MBTI: Better understand

yourself • Insights discovery:

Understand how to best engage with others

• SDI personality test: Understand how your behavior changes during stress

• Strength finder 2.0: Build on your strengths

• 360 evolution – understand impressions you make on others. Formal and/or informal, sample forms available online

Systems Thinking Tools:

• Decision Criteria

• Mind maps

Inner Game Tools: Head Space App • Courage• Head

Space App

Reading Tools: • Discover your True

North, Bill George • Never Eat Alone,

Keith Ferrazzi • Understanding

Yourself, and Others, Linda Berens

Leading Teams

Leading teams in VUCA Four bedrock principles 1. Focus on core communication is power

– Clear Vision – Clear Aim – Team Charter

2. Facilitate anticipation in your team by: – Harness diversity of each individual – Boundary spanning - authentic collaboration across boundaries

3. Coach individuals to embrace the challenge inherit in VUCA – Some of the best leaders coach individuals to become

comfortable to live within the question – If I fail, I will come back with learnings for you = you win– If I success = you win

4. Learn from GEESE

Leading teams in VUCA Learn from GEESE

• Guide • Encourage• Empathize • Synergize• Empower

Career Ascent

“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has

been.”- Wayne Gretzky

Where does my thinking on careers comes from?

My experience(local and global)

Top leaders in the

industry

Careers of my

strongest peers

Personal (and in progress) principles for careers in VUCA1. Be clear and steadfast about your true north.2. Follow the blue ocean strategy; there is less

competition and more opportunity.

3. Develop a personal objectives cascade and review it quarterly.

4. Take calculated risks. Develop your decision criteria for career moves and then stick to them.

5. Find a mentor and a sponsor.

6. Ask for feedback, regularly.

7. Be a sponge; be genuinely curious, listen deeply, and apply learnings consistently.

Things I’ve absorbed and have stuck with me…

Humility

FISO

Trends watch

Unique value

SCARF Model

ConfidenceCourage Anticipate

Prove yourself

Credibility

Internal Consultant

Curiosity

Intellectual capital

The future is bright… enjoy the ride!

Contact:

mclellaneva.k@gmail.com

Questions?