An acronym that crystallizes our fraught times and ought to lead us to focused action is VUCA, meaning Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. VUCA describes the challenging conditions and environments that organizations, leaders, and individuals face, particularly when those conditions make analysis, response, and planning difficult. In short, today we are most certainly living in a VUCA world.

Lest we kid ourselves, let’s recognize that the world has always been more VUCA than not, despite our being lulled at times, whether it be by the post World War II economic boom, the long run of low interest rates through the early 2020s, the U.S.’s 80-year hegemony as the world’s leading military and economic power, or the availability of low-priced Chinese goods. More often, our business and personal lives are upended, be it by hurricane or COVID Pandemic or personal tragedy or windfall, or any of a thousand other status-quo warping events.

So what do we know about succeeding in a VUCA world? From theory, evidence, and practice, we can distill four key principles that will foster success.