Author: Raymond de Villiers
Digital Natives have grown up in a world that has been called the VUCA world. This is an acronym that covers four areas outlined below. V equals volatile U equals uncertain C equals complex A equals ambiguous There is a corresponding VUCA response that we can take advantage of as we walk with Digital Natives […]
Digital Natives have grown up in a world that has been called the VUCA world. This is an acronym that covers four areas outlined below.
V equals volatile
U equals uncertain
C equals complex
A equals ambiguous
There is a corresponding VUCA response that we can take advantage of as we walk with Digital Natives into the future world of work that takes VUCA dynamics as a given.
TomorrowToday has a general leadership response to the VUCA world. For leadership development:
V equals Vision
U equals Understanding
C equals Connection
A equals Agility
When considering the type of organization that will get the most out of Digital Natives (Generation Y & Z) it is also a useful framework as it describes the world they grew up in and frames their views and expectations of the world of work.
V equals Voice
In a volatile world Digital Natives need to be given the opportunity to exercise their voice. Older generations at the same work stage were expected to sit in the corner, observe, and be quiet. Digital Natives have grown up in a world that has never been stable, and from early childhood they have also never been expected to be disengaged from this reality that surrounds them.
Adults and people in leadership have always involved Digital Natives in the conversations and decisions that affect their lives. To get the most out of Digital Natives in a workplace becoming increasingly more volatile, you need to give them an opportunity to exercise their voice, and voice their wisdom, gained from growing up in a world different to anything when you experienced at the same age.
U equals Understanding
In a world of increasing uncertainty Digital Natives grew up by finding their way through trial-and-error and engaging the counsel of parents, peers, and others within their social network. Understanding is not only about engaging in dialogue as oppose to traditional managerial monologue, it is also about having the courage to have conversation with those historically expected to just listen and act.
Digital Natives have an understanding of this uncertain world that is significantly more intuitive than older management may have. Leveraging the understanding of Digital Natives will enable the creation of a team and organizational culture that is able to take uncertainty in its stride.
C equals Commitment
Generation Y have grown up in the world in constant flux and have consequently known very little real commitment. From an organizational perspective we need commitment and dedication in order to achieve real benefits from those who work with, and for, us. To get commitment from Digital Natives it be important to show your commitment to them first.
There are many ways to show commitment to Digital Natives e.g. opportunities for job rotation to get border experience, sending them on training that they request, supporting them with life skills development to navigate the quarter-life crisis, not only having an open door policy but rather no-door flat structured work environments.
The commitment that can be expected from Digital Natives is not lifelong dedication to the organization, but rather access to their extended social network for further recruitment, energized creative and new world of work relevant delivery for the time that they will be with you. Commitment my also mean that they stay with you longer than that initially anticipated when they joined the organisation.
A equals Attitude
In short, we all need to adjust our attitudes. VUCA Digital Natives need to understand that they have lessons to learn and wisdom to be developed. This comes from time. Time spent earning the rights to higher positions of influence and authority within the organizational structure. For older leaders, however, our attitude needs to be adjusted to understand that just because Digital Natives are young that does not mean that their contribution has less value.
In a VUCA world we need to understand and embrace the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of working with a demographic and generation who’ve grown up with this world and consequently see it as “normal”.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Facebook
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Build your leadership confidence with these 7 Ways to Be a More Confident Leader instantly-actionable tips from leadership keynote speaker and relatability expert Rachel DeAlto. In leadership, healthy confidence is key. Your team is looking to you for guidance, security, and support. But what if self-doubt is crowding out that inner boldness? First of […]
To unlock employee motivation, you may need to change how you communicate special requests. These are things like important changes to operating processes or customer service procedures. You need people to embrace a different way of doing things. It has to be done right and it needs to be executed right away. But you notice […]
No doubting Lock-down has been a challenging time for almost all South Africans as We can travel again… Perhaps less so for government officials, seen attending funerals puffing cigarettes, and others who have been on full salary, but for most of us a very difficult time. The President’s announcement of easing restrictions to Level 2 from […]
Defining great brand values: Five practical pointers A surprising number of brands have values that are about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Seriously. They do. Unfortunately, this only becomes apparent when brands try to bring their values to life via the experiences they want to build. Things grind to a halt because their brand […]
Yet Mr Gates’ programme itself is not inherently evil and why you can do better without slides. Ouch!’Death by PowerPoint.’ That’s the commonly used term. Jim Nelson, a man who served as a translator between the American and Russian troops in Bosnia, tells a story about the Russians watching with bemused fascination as their unlikely […]
Social media abounds with the hype and extraordinary news of Shackleton’s ship Endurance is patience concentrated being found in 3008 meters of water in the Weddell Sea, 107 years after it was smashed by ice in 1915. This discovery has deservedly grabbed global attention. “Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months […]
How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD […]
Here are 3 things I have now that a 6-figure salary couldn’t give me after I left my $500,000 a year job to start my own company, and I couldn’t be happier. On paper, everything about my career was amazing. I’d become the CEO of a large company at the age of 42. In less […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
