Guest Blog: Customer Service Leadership – Using VUCA Leadership Principles

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post my colleague, John Smart, explains the leadership term VUCA and how it can relate to customer service. – Shep Hyken

Recently I described the difference between customer management and customer leadership. In this article, I will explainthe application of customer leadership and how we can utilize current leadership thinking to take us to the next stage.

Today the impact of excellent customer service has never been more important. With a global market, the internet of things and virtua l purchasing, the world is a very different place.

Today a term that’s showing up  to highlight the fast-paced, changing environment that we now live in is – VUCA.

The term VUCA began in the 1990s. It is derived from an acronym used in the strategic American military academies following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of the Cold War. It has been subsequently used in emerging ideas in strategic business leadership that apply to a wide range of organizations. As the predictability of the Cold War (known enemy, strength, tactics, etc.) gave way to an unsure and unstable world, this is also reflected in the business world where market fluctuations, economic drivers, and global issues started to emerge. So, business leaders soon caught on to the concept to describe the new emerging world – and the ‘solution strategy’ that accompanies it.

Understanding VUCA Leadership and applying this to your Customer Service Leadership ‘tool-kit’ will help you lead your team in this ever-changing world.

The general descriptors for each letter of the acronym are:

• V = Volatility. This highlights the nature and dynamics of change, and the nature and speed of change, the change forces as well as change catalysts.

• U = Uncertainty. Describes the lack of predictability, the prospects for surprise, the sense of awareness and understanding of issues and events.

• C = Complexity. Amplifies the increased diversity, range of choices and options now open to us, the rapid multiplex of technological advances, confounding of issues, the chaos and confusion that surround us.

• A = Ambiguity. Is used to describe the haziness of reality, the potential for misreads and misinformation, and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.

In today’s world, these aspects of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are sometimes now seen as the ‘norm’ in the business environment.

To address VUCA, the ‘solution strategy’ is to change the words and address the problem.

Example

Volatility – to – Vision: to do this you need to –

• Be able to communicate effectively, which involves targeted communication, communicating a sense of purpose and lead people towards the vision.
• Be focused, ensure you and your team’s efforts are aligned and focused on the right goal.
• Provide the direction, articulate the end game, so it’s clear to all.

Uncertainty – to – Understanding: to do this you need to –

• Not be afraid to ask questions (clarify), both of your team and your customers.
• Understand your team/your customers’ motives, their hopes fears and desires.
• Develop an open mind to explore new ideas, always seek feedback to review and reflect on actions.

Complexity – to – Clarity: to do this you need to –

• Keep it simple (KISS), cut through the complexity and deal with the core issues.
• Rely more on intuition, to trust gut instinct and experience to cancel out the unnecessary.
• Communicate succinctly, with structure and with reason.

Ambiguity to Agility: to do this you need to –

• Be decisive, adapt quickly to changing circumstances and make decisions with confidence.
• Adapt, innovate or die, learn from mistakes, continuously seek new ways to get better at what you and your team do.
• Empower your people, cut out unnecessary bureaucratic processes that are blockers, develop clear communication channels, utilise collaboration over control – and set people free to do great work.

Applying the ‘solutions strategy’ to VUCA will help you lead your Customer Service team through times of rapid change – which is becoming the norm in everyday business life. By adopting this methodology to enhance your leadership skills you will ensure that you, and your team, will be better equipped to face the challenges of the modern world.

John Smart is a development consultant, running his own consultancy. He has held senior management positions gained in Consultancy, SMEs and FTSE 100 companies, within a diverse array of industries. He is the author of PROUD – Achieving Customer Service Excellence.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes Article: Bad Customer Service Costs Businesses Billions Of Dollars