There are no warnings; there are no signs; past experiences cannot help; things happen.
To quote Mary Kay [of cosmetic fame]: There are those of us who make things happen [proactive]; those of us who watch things happen [observers]; and those of us who wonder what happened [reactive].
On the “happening spectrum”, most of us are stunned [dazed, numbed, surprised, thunderstruck, and even shocked, but not stupid or unaware] most of the time:
- In the face of events, we react: what just happened?
- We look for patterns and trends in anticipation of “what’s next”, but daily upheaval does not provide much time for trending, and even less for predicting. What can we trust?
- Whatever the limitations, we can design, that is, look for the underlying structures: what is influencing patterns and driving events? Why all this noise about 51st State, or buying Greenland? What’s behind the posturing? Is it just an act? Gamesmanship? Or are there not-so-well-hidden intentions and designs?
- In the end we are thrown back on our own individual and collective mental models: what assumptions, beliefs, and values do we hold about the world, society, individuals and ourselves? What keeps us going? What’s important, not just relevant?
Hyperconnectivity [a term coined by Canadians] describes the state of the highly networked world of the “new new-normal”, in which people, organizations, systems and devices are intensely connected to one another. In such a hyperconnected reality, the world is increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous [VUCA].
Anyone who has ever been subjected to automatic overnight software updates and upgrades on any of their devices fully understands who is and who is not in control of our individual lives and collective experiences. Installing newer, improved versions of software to add features, fix bugs, and patch security holes, meant to keep our device secure and running smoothly, is orchestrated from outside our personal permission and control zone.
With “improved security” as the stated goal, we accept the changes made by invisible external authorities who have automatic access to us without question. That’s hyperconnectivity at work; that’s VUCA at the heart of the new new-normal.
More significantly, however, hyperconnectivity is pivotal –
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either enabling us to embrace VUCA opportunistically as a force for change and the agility needed to be resilient
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or forcing us down a rabbit hole of entrenched resistance.
That rabbit hole is often self-constructed: built around long-held beliefs, strong traditions, established [and sometimes unseen] power structures, and ingrained habits. It is not “dislike” but committed opposition. That is the root of upheaval in the new new-normal.
To expand the metaphor, we do not meet cute white bunnies down the rabbit hole. Rather, we face Monty Python’s Rabbit of Caerbannog, aka, the Killer Rabbit in the 1975 movie The Holy Grail. Falling down the rabbit hole is a journey into a bizarre, complex, or surreal world, often starting from a simple curiosity but leading to unexpected and lengthy explorations. It starts by getting lost in internet research, morphs to embracing conspiracy theories to justify personal behavior, and emerges as engaging in intricate topics to demonstrate superior intelligence.
In a hyperconnected world driven by ubiquitous access to information, we fall, not just deliberately engage: implying a non-linear, chaotic, and often involuntary descent into information that can lead to confusion, unlike a planned investigation. It signifies getting deeply engrossed, losing track of time, and following a path with a chaotic, unplanned, and often time-consuming outcome, contrasting a simple search with an immersive dive.
It can lead to a BANI mindset, where:
- we believe everything is Brittle; strength is an illusion; the world is fragile and nothing we say or do can change that.
- we are Anxious; control is an illusion; not knowing what will come makes it hard to make any decisions, and so there are no right decisions; inertia takes over.
- there is No clarity, no linear cause-effect line of engagement; there is no simple straight route; there are only detours, dead ends, unexpected outcomes; predictability is an illusion and the Butterfly Effect dominates.
- everything is Incomprehensible; we do not and cannot know what is going on in the world; knowledge is an illusion; we cannot find any of the answers we are looking for, and we cannot make sense of the answer we get.
Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible: the new new-normal. And on this “plot of land”, resistance grows.
The “New New-Normal”, however, also challenges us to develop a disrupter mindset, not just a BANI mindset, that will enable us to step forward into growth, becoming opportunistic, not resistant:
Facing
- Volatility, we need to develop Vision and explore opportunities
- Uncertainty, we need to pursue Understanding and remain curious
- Complexity, we need to be Creative and focused
- Ambiguity, we need to become Agile and be innovative
Feeling
- Brittle, we need to build the capacity to handle risk, become resilient
- Anxious, we need to be empathetic, become compassionate
- Non-linear [lack of clarity], we need to be contextually intelligent
- Incomprehensible [detached, overwhelmed], we need to be intuitive
The purpose is to enable us ordinary human beings to do extraordinary things. [Drucker]
Victor Deyglio, Founding President
The Logistics Institute