Today, we live in a world often described as “VUCA” or Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. We seek to innovate, grow, find stability, and be fulfilled within this environment. Often times the expectations are to “go fast” and respond to change quickly.

So, basically, be accurate, go fast, and change directions as you go.

Often times when I think of this, I picture high school science labs where an unbalanced centrifuge would literally spin out of control. Unstable, inconsistent and unable to handle the high spin speed.

It starts with the acknowledgment that in a VUCA world, we need glue and we also need grease.

“Both, and.”

Glue? Yes, glue because as we take this VUCA journey, we need to stick together, and therefore, we need to know and develop those skill sets and mindsets that bind and unite us. “Glue” can be as simple as Our Why; we all truly believe in why we are here, our Purpose. Glue can be investing the extra effort to ensure that our goals are clear and we stay aligned. The simple notion of “better together” can be challenging. Collaboration is identified as one of the 4C’s of 21st Century Learning along with Creativity, Communication and Critical Thinking.

Glue can also be our company Culture, living those values and exhibiting the behaviors we commit to.

And “grease”? How do we move fast even if we are uncertain about the outcome? A fundamental principle of moving swiftly is our philosophy regarding failure. We will only move as quickly and creatively as we feel that failures, mistakes, and errors are steps toward our ultimate fulfillment and success. Design Thinking principles lead us to “fail fast” and a “clear bias to action”.

If you believe that creativity has anything to do with progress and innovation —- and it does — then eradicate fear and intimidation and watch the creativity flow, problems get solved, and new ideas emerge.

It’s a VUCA world, which means it’s “both, and”. So let’s make sure our personal and professional toolbox has the glue and grease we need to be fulfilled and succeed.