The phrase “we are living in uncertain times” is used everywhere at the moment. To sell toothpaste, frozen chips, home insurance, cars and many other crazy things. Uncertain times trips out of the mouths of attention-hungry personalities,” wannabees” and so-called experts. But what we have to realise that we always have (and always will) lived in uncertain times. Uncertainty is a fact of life, but still, we get surprised by it.
VUCA
Some may say we live in a VUCA world – Standing for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. And there are many summaries of VUCA including the Nathan Bennett Harvard Business Review article. Some try and ignore problems, hoping it will just go away. Ignoring any sign of trouble or worse not looking for it at all. Fewer people are even looking for the problems, and less are analysing how it could damage them or create opportunities amongst the potential rubble.
The roles of intelligence is predominately about answering great questions to solve problems and allow countries, companies and industry to move forward with greater certainty. Now is not the time to hide in your shelter and hope For the best. If you do, the last thing you will hear is proverbial rival tanks smashing through your walls.
Other risks will replace this uncertainty, and you don’t want to be in a position where you can’t do anything about it. I will leave you with the best line these TV experts are sprouting unchallenged out of their mouths.
The world will never be the so again
“The world will never be the same again” – It’s the most pointless statement they can make as they are right. Always have been and always will be.
