Volatility in the workplace is something to be expected, especially in the federal realm, but it doesn’t always need to result in panic. In fact, embracing VUCA can lead to opportunities for innovation and creativity, and an increased relevance for government agencies.

If we plan for the future with the mindset that we will always exist in the same operational environment, we are kidding ourselves. Strategic plans are necessary, but they should always allow for flexibility and the possibility of a new normal.

After the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act was made into law, many agencies were thrown into a state of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, or VUCA. It was up to us at the Performance Improvement Council, in partnership with the Office of Management Budget (OMB), to establish clear channels of communication in regard to this new legislation. 

To do this, the Performance Improvement Council positioned itself as trusted advisors to answer questions and provide guidance, as well as cultivate connectedness between stakeholders by establishing working groups centered on various aspects of the law. This made a complex and unknown new initiative less intimidating to the agencies impacted by it.

Open the Door to Conversation—and Innovation

Volatility and uncertainty can create valuable conversations across an organization, providing opportunities to listen across hierarchies as employees band together. Completely new ways of working can be introduced as the opportunity to take smart risks becomes available. The practice of raising issues should be rewarded rather than punished, as they frequently are, so they can be addressed.

During times of volatility, it is important to ask the right questions—even if we are afraid of the answers. Uncertain times allow for ingenuity and the chance to make data-informed decisions. One important question to ask is how to stay relevant. 

The public sector would do well to learn from private industry by treating their government customers as if they have a choice of services. How would such a concept impact operations if business could be lost and taken elsewhere? That pressure would push agencies to put their best foot forward at all times—and possibly cut down on their own levels of VUCA in the process. In government, we might not go out of business due to VUCA, but we do run the risk of becoming ineffective or obsolete if we don’t change with the times.

Bottom Line

Federal agencies are especially susceptible to VUCA due to constant budget uncertainty, frequent leadership turnover, multiple customers with competing interests, and operational complexity that bogs down action. Organizations that thrive despite it all, however, embrace VUCA and see it as an avenue for positive change.

For more insight, join me for my session, “The View on VUCA: Managing Volatility in the Government,” at Government Workforce: Learning Innovations. I will discuss how VUCA plays out in government, and how you can productively address it when it occurs within your own agency.