Hello Hola Namaste! This is Creativity here. This is Creativity talking to you. And in a moment, you are going to become Creativity! We are going to play a game to do that. And the game as you might have guessed is called – Aiyo VUCA! Hell Yeah, VUCA!
This is a group activity. So to play, you will need –
- A partner
- Two sheets of paper
- A pen or pencil
- A timer or stopwatch
- An open mind and energy to have fun
Before we jump into the game, what is VUCA? It is an abbreviation for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity (or Chaos, Competition) and Ambiguity. It is something our brain hates. It is something businesses and politicians hate too.
Let’s start the game. Start the stopwatch or set the timer to a minute. And think about any ‘pain-in-the-ass’ or ‘hair-on-fire problem’ at your job or in your professional life. Try first. In case if nothing comes to your mind, think ‘What makes you Angry / Anxious, Bored, Confused, Depressed or Frustrated at work’. Write whatever comes to your mind.
1:00
Times up! Once done, take another sheet of paper. Again set the timer to a minute. And this time imagine that you can have ‘any job in the world’, ‘any profession you can dream of’. In that job, what is your monthly in hand earnings? Write that down. Next write what designation or title you imagined. Finally write down where or in which country / company did you envision yourself working.
2:00
Times up pens down! Now take both the sheets of paper and exchange it with your partner (or the person in your front / to your adjacent left if you are playing as a group). Set a minute in the timer. Now read the problem your partner has written and try to come up with as many ideas as possible. NO JUDGING! No need to think if it is logical or how will it feel. Just write down whatever comes to your mind.
3:00
Times up! Next take the second sheet. Here think about the problems, hurdles or obstacles your partner may face while aiming for their dream profession. No judgement, just be the devil’s advocate and write down whatever comes to your mind.
4:00
Times up! Exchange the papers. Before having a look at what your partner has written, recollect how you felt all along the way while doing this exercise. Coming up with solutions and criticism for the other’s problem or goal is easy. So why not do it constructively? Constructive and symbiotic networking helps ideas to mingle and grow.
No, it is not yet time to look at your partner’s ideas. First set the timer again for a minute this time (since you have warmed up, we are reducing a minute here). Write down everything that comes to your mind – both ideas for the problem at work and hinderances you can spot on the way to your dream profession. I am asking you not to read your partner’s points, because it can influence what you think for yourself.
5:00
Times up pack up! We are done 🙂 Try replicating this in your real life next time. Whenever you spot a VUCA, don’t go Aiyo! Shout “Hell Yeah!”. Network and ask for help if needed. But always stay curious, so you can spot more VUCA’s and convert it into fun opportunities to flex your skills.