If you’re anything like me, developments of the last few years have been mind- boggling and often difficult to understand. From growing cultural and political polarization to the pandemic, it can feel as though logic is no longer at play. What’s underneath all of this and what’s the best way to stay the course to effectively grow the organizations, businesses, and teams we serve?

In our coaching practice we refer to “mindset” as the compass driving perceptions, vision, and self-talk, helping us make sense of, and lean into, the world around us.

It is with this in mind that I wanted to dig into the topic of decoding the current realities we face to explore how we might label, understand, and navigate productively. Let’s start by looking back for a moment…

In 1985 professors and economists Warren Bennis and Burton Nanus published a book, Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge, in which they coined the term “VUCA” (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) describing the state-of-the-world coming into being at that time, and moving into the future, where digitization was creating greater inter-connectedness while also disrupting the status quo and accelerating rates of change and complexity. This new world presented an opportunity for teams, individuals, and organizations to accept and embrace agility paired with self-determination, discernment, and data-driven insights. This compass made sense and helped us make sense of the unchartered territory we were traveling for more than 30 years.

In 2016 author and futurist Jamais Cascio introduced the concept BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) at an IFTF (Institute of the Future) event. According to Cascio, the BANI framework describes a reality where “situations aren’t simply unstable, they’re chaotic…outcomes aren’t simply hard to foresee, they’re completely unpredictable…what happens isn’t simply ambiguous, it’s incomprehensible.” (“BANI: A new framework to make sense of a chaotic world?”)

How, specifically, does this manifest? Key components of BANI include:

*brittle people, systems and organizations that appear to function reasonably well on the surface while being on the verge of breakdown, without notice and without backup systems in place

*anxious persons and teams who are frozen, helpless, and fearful; afraid of making a wrong move and unable to consider or test productive ways to move forward

*non-linear circumstances and developments where cause-and-effect are unknown and unknowable in advance, and seemingly or relatively minor decisions can have staggering long-term impact (i.e., supply chain delays)

*incomprehensible events and decisions where available data and information does not allow us to make sense of, or understand, what we see and may in fact exacerbate a sense of overwhelm or hopelessness.

So, what opportunities are available to those of us in business as we navigate through this unprecedented time? Beyond definition and labeling, the BANI network codifies four practical action steps to help build a productive path forward:

1.     Routinely and intentionally take stock of existing and future capacity options at each level of the organization, along with offering resilience tools, training, and resources for all team members

2.     Consider adaptation of an empathetic, vulnerable and mindful culture as antidote to anxiety culture

3.     Seek contextual perspective, clarification, adaptability, and flexibility in the face of non-linear developments and events. Consider and pursue tests and options for business development. Be willing to accept failed tests as opportunities for growth.

4.     Tap into intuition, transparency, authenticity as operational antidote to incomprehensible situations, needs, demands.

Despite the challenge, these developments provide each of us with an opportunity to step up, transform and BE the change we’re seeking. For a complimentary discovery coaching/training session, or for more information on how this might work for you, please email laura@bydesigncoachingcenter.com.