The Growth Challenge in a Context of Uncertainty

Creating value in today’s volatile context is a significant challenge for all leaders, regardless of the industry. We are currently witnessing a perfect storm of multi-level uncertainties that are putting organizational management at risk. Technological uncertainty driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, economic uncertainty caused by interest rate hikes and inflation, environmental uncertainty leading to supply chain challenges, and social and political uncertainty fueling a polarization of viewpoints. On top of that come regulatory decisions that force organizations to continually adapt. These external pressures affect the ability to generate revenue, increase profitability, and hinder both execution and the capacity to innovate. This context also creates pressure on the human element, generating stress and limiting organizational performance. 

The Role of Leadership in Creating Value

Today’s context requires organizations to rethink their ways of operating—not only to adapt, but to manage themselves in a way that ensures a sustainable competitive advantage. The goal isn’t new, but achieving it will require questioning and reshaping existing approaches and mindsets. This means that corporate cultures, ways of working, and behaviors must evolve.

Our experience shows that organizational evolution is made possible through leadership. Human-centered leaders who care deeply about the success of both the organization and its people can rally stakeholders around a common goal that inspires individuals to give their best and challenge the status quo for the good of the organization. This power of influence is granted by others and is independent of the authority tied to titles or organizational structures. Therefore, anyone within an organization can exercise leadership if they choose to and consciously decide to embark on their own leadership development journey.

To create value, organizations benefit from investing in training and development programs that foster skill building. However, there is no need to wait for discretionary budgets, to be selected for a program, or to have abundant availability in order to develop one’s skills. Our development belongs to us, and this journey is personalized to our uniqueness, our deep motivations, and our experiences.

Leadership Development Through Action

The 70/20/10 model widely known in organizations shows that 70% of skill development comes from lived experiences. The challenge is that we often struggle to create concrete development plans that support growth, which undermines our sense of progress and, consequently, our motivation. The uncertain context makes this even more difficult due to the lack of predictability over the coming months or year.

To address this, we encourage people to create their own context by exploring opportunities that arise in the present moment. Curiosity—toward oneself and one’s environment—creates the path that allows us to thrive and have an impact on our surroundings, regardless of the uncertainties that surround us. It is an everyday adventure that enables us to draw the best from our experiences, both in our successes and our challenges.