Using VUCA Framework And Critical Thinking For Business Essay.

Describe a business situation, apply a critical thinking framework to the situation, and recommend evidence-based solutions to the situation. Explain how the concepts of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) could affect both the situation and the solution.

Analyze your leadership strengths and develop a statement of who you are as a leader. Explain how coaching can be used to maximize your leadership strengths and achieve your professional goals.

Analyzes the tools leaders can use to build trust and relationships, explains how leaders use storytelling to build trust and relationships, and showcases your ability to tell a story.

Describes a needed change or innovation, explains the value of the change or innovation for the organization, proposes methods for leading and managing the innovation and change process, and proposes strategies for engaging employees in the innovation and change process. Explain how the concept of whole person leadership and personal leadership strengths can help with this effort.

Analyzing leadership strengths and coaching for maximizing leadership potential

The report provides the comprehensive discussion of how the Panera bread company faced the mosh pit problem and will give the detail discussion of how the concept of VUCA and critical thinking is applied to provide solution to the problem faced by the company. It also describes the problem faced by the company Starbucks and the use of critical thinking to solve the problem. The report provides the evidence based solution to the problem faced by the company and recommendation to solve the problem (Jargon, 2017).

The Panera Bread Company is considered as the most renowned sandwich and soup chain and covers more than 2000 restaurants around the world. The company was growing at a high pace but the problem that hampers the sales of the company was realised by the CEO of the company. He believed that instead of waiting in the long queue for the order it is better to eat the left out. He expressed and realised that the customers also think in the same way.

He scrutinised the current situation and realised the foremost reason for the decrease in the sales. The key reason for the decrease in the sales was the longer waiting time in ordering the food and then the time required for the delivery of the food.  This current situation leads to decrease in the sales because the interest of the customers was losing and waiting for the long time was killing their desire to eat. The CEO also realised that after the long wait the customers were receiving wrong orders due to inefficiency of the management and creates the havoc in the minds of the customers (Jargon, 2017).  

It was analysed that the consumers was losing interest because they had to wait too long for ordering and then they are waiting for receiving the order and then too sometimes order placed was different and the delivery is different. This confusion created dissatisfaction among the customers and thus reducing the sales of the organization (Jargon, 2017).

The company has made the possible efforts to critically scrutinise the current situation of the company and has analysed the technology required, the patience level of the managers of the stores and the interest of the stakeholders to manage the issue. After six years of struggle, the company developed the prototype to test the reactions of the customers in the Braintree cafe. It makes the critical analysis of the delivery method, ordering digitally and implementing new practices to deliver the food on the table.

Building trust and relationships using storytelling

The company took six years to develop the prototype after analysis of the reactions of the store manager, the technology required for implementing the change, development of self-order kiosks was a very complex job because the customers will customise their orders according to their choice and can increase the chance of errors because of complexities in orders. The company analysed all the aspects that can hamper the success of the prototype and develop the strategy accordingly (Jargon, 2017).

 Development of such prototype helped the company in reducing the waiting time from eight minutes to one minute and quarter of the total sales were done online to reduce the havoc created at the counters and maintain the interest of the existing customers while focussing on creating potential customers for the company  (Jargon, 2017).

The company put all the deliberate efforts to implement the change in service delivery in the environment that is full of complexity, volatility, and uncertainty and ambiguous. Implementation of the change is a very complex process and requires the analysis of every small step. The company has applied its efforts to scrutinize the unforeseen events, has made the application of the latest technology to develop self-kiosks ordering app, and was successful in reducing the time of ordering from 8 minutes to 1 minute.

For analysis of the current situation the company has spent 100 hours per week to judge the reaction of the customers and the ability of the kitchen counter to handle the customise order made by the customers.

The company uses the VUCO framework to analyse the complexities in the business. Volatility refers to the speed with which the changes occur and the environment in which the business operates in full of uncertainty (Jargon, 2017).

The company requires analysing the complexities of the business, which can create roadblocks in the success of the enterprise. It is analysed that in adopting the changes in the process of delivery the company needs to scrutinize each small step that can be a threat for the company and has to take the actions accordingly. The VUCO framework has helped the company to consider each single aspect of the business and take the actions accordingly (Jargon, 2017).

The company Starbucks is also struggling due to decrease in the sales of the company. The company realised the problem for the decrease in the sales was the outlets of the company are being congested and the presence of conflicts among the customers who have ordered online and the customers who walk in to receive higher experience. The customers who walk in to the outlets expect that they will receive the order first. Such difference is perceptions created dispute among the customers and leads to decrease in the sales of the company (Mourdoukoutas, 2018).

Innovative strategies for leading and managing change

 The customers do not wait and are getting offensive at the outlets. Such attitudes of the consumers are creating a great havoc for the company to develop the environment where the customers can achieve greater experience. Such difference in perception develops the emerging need for the company to implement change in the service delivery and creates the environment, which deliver higher valuable experience to its customers. Adoption of strategic change will help the company to regain the trust of the customers and to attract more potential customers for the brand (Mourdoukoutas, 2018).

It is analysed that the increase in the competition will shift the customers demand to its competitors and the company struggles with the situation of being perceived same as the Mc Donalds. It was analysed that adding more of technology will not lead to increase in the capability of the employees (Mourdoukoutas, 2018).

Adoption of the new technologies will not increase the capability of the employees and the major threat for the company was that the customers were not able to create difference between Mc Donalds and Starbucks and thus affecting the sales of the company. The demand of the services was decreasing because of increase in the close competitors (Mourdoukoutas, 2018).

The application of the critical framework will help the company to solve the problem and will further provide the mechanism to upsurge the sales of the company.

• Precision of Goals- The Company must describe the goals to be fulfilled so that it does not leads to formation of complex situations and the employees must have the clear blueprint of the goals to be achieve.

Clarity of the goals to be achieved will not create ambiguous picture and will help the organization in achieving the objectives efficiently and effectively.

• Outcomes-the Company must prepare the list of the activities that are to be performed to achieve the objectives stated in the blueprint.

The list of the activities will cover the actions that the firm will take in order to accomplish the goals that are stated and reduce the complexities that comes in the way of achieving the goals of the organization.

• Judgements – This stage is the last part of the framework that covers the actions and the decisions taken to implement the list of activities mentioned above and achieve the goals of the company.

 This stage is the actual implementation stage where the list of activities is implemented and the critical decisions are made at this stage (Kallet, 2014).

For resolving the struggles faced by the company, it must focus on analysing the reactions of the customers and the managers of the store by developing the prototype for the company. It must also scrutinize the cost in implementation of the new technology and must focus on maintain the interest of the stakeholders.

The company must increase the labour facilities to meet the increasing demands of the customers and must put all the possible efforts to reduce the conflict among the offline and the online customers (Turban, Strauss & Lai, 2016).

Case Studies: Panera bread and Starbucks

 

(Source: Reinecke, G., 2016)

The application of the VUCA framework will affect the solution and the problem of the company because the business operates in the environment, which is highly volatile, uncertain and ambiguous. The application of the framework will help the company in analysing the barriers that can be bottleneck in the success of the company (Nandram & Bindlish, 2017).

Conclusion

From the critical discussion, it is concluded that the Starbucks must focus on analysing the reactions of the employees. It must develop the prototype, which will help in recording the reactions of the customers and must focus on enhancing the capabilities of the employees. It must scrutinize the cost involved in implementation of the change. 

From the self-assessment test, I have realised that I have the ability to motivate and lead the directions of the team. I possess the quality of effectively communicating with the employees and persuade their actions towards the goals of the organization. I have the capability to develop the creative solutions for the company, which will help the company in effective implementation of the goals and solving of the problems faced by the organization. I believe to perform the entire task with all honesty and integrity.

 I have the ability to influence people and change their beliefs to make the actions favorable for the company. I believe in teamwork and integrating the actions of all the employees, which will help the company to achieve its goals efficiently and effectively.

From the better up self-assessment I was able to analyse the strengths, which I possess. I have the ability to develop strong interpersonal relationship between the employees and the employers of the organization by ensuring transparency in my operations and developing the strong connection. I also possess the quality of persuading the actions and beliefs of the employees and building trust among the employees.

I have the believe and always makes the possible effort to effectively contribute towards a particular situation and has the power to solve the complexities in an effective manner. I have the ability to apply my cognitive and emotional intelligence to a particular situation and develop creative solution to a problem.

In accordance to the survey conducted, my colleagues believe that I have that type of personality who handles all the complexities of the life in a better way. They commented that I have the positivity to solve all the negativity with the relax mood and tries to develop strong connection with all the other employees. I respect and actively follow the suggestions given by the colleagues.

The role of VUCA framework in business solutions

From my friends and family point of view, I have the strengths to provide new ideas for a particular prevailing problem. They believe that I apply all my hard work to a particular situation and efficiently handle the current situations of life. I have the qualities of a good leader and know how to integrate the actions of all the employees towards the goal of the organization.

From the better, up self-assessment, I am able to analyze my core strengths, had helped me in enhancing my confidence, and making me aware about the competencies, which I possess and can apply at my workplace. This assessment helps the individual in self-realization of the capabilities and helps in creating a satisfying work-life balance to improve the quality of life and further boost the confidence of the individual.

“Real leadership is when everyone feels in charge”. A leader is the one who is passionate and dedicated towards the activities and applies the different style of leadership to motivate and command the people. I as a leader have the combination of the transformational and democratic style of leadership. I have that ability to inspire the staff and create an environment of intellectual stimulation. I am the one who applies the democratic style of leadership because I equally prefer that the employees must be participative and then take the actions accordingly. I have the quality of respecting others and handle all the situations of life with full honesty and integrity.

For effective management of the complexities of the business, the leader must have the strength of being the active listener because it will help to engage the employees more and provide constructive solutions to overcome the complexities of the business. I believe that I have the quality to actively listen to the constructive suggestions given by the employees and to implement those suggestions in solving the complexities of the business.

I have the quality to deal with the continuous changes that occur in the complex environment and help the organization in sustaining its competitive advantage.

The purpose of my life is to inspire others and set as a good example in the eyes of others. My idol is Mr. Dalai Lama who is the perfect example of a good leader because he possesses the qualities of inspiring others and has contributed a lot towards the society.

The vision my life is to become a leader, who inspires others by the deeds the person practices. I want to become a successful leader. The goals of mine are different from others because in my eyes a leader is one who will bring a good change in the life of others.

Conclusion

He is my idol because he has set a good example for the others and patiently solves all the complexities of the people. I have the vision to develop strong interpersonal relationship with the employees and motivate the employees to achieve the goals in an efficient manner.

I have the vision to effectively contribute towards the organization and the society in which we are living so that my actions can bring the positive change in the community. I want to be the responsible citizen of the country and ensure that my actions do not harm the employees as well as the society.

The life coaching experience has helped me in navigating change and has developed the abilities to persuade the employees in adapting the change. The coaching has provided the confidential support and space to test and make the decisions.

The coaching has helped me in developing the competencies such as emotional intelligence, openness and trustworthy that will help me in the effective delivery of the leadership qualities and influence the employees towards the goals of the organization.

The live coaching has majorly helped me in creating a work-life balance and improves the quality of life. It has boosted my capability to think from the other perspectives and helps me in developing the quality of better decision making.

 This live coaching experience has helped me in realizing my abilities and further develops the qualities that will help me in becoming a successful leader. Life coaching helps in developing the qualities that are essential for effective contribution towards the society and can bring the difference in the organization. It helps the individual to create a strong interpersonal relationship by effectively interacting with the other individuals and integrates the actions of all the employees in the organization.

It is analyzed that to build the trust within the employees the leader must be transparent and truthful to its employees. It should maintain its authenticity while delivering information and must encourage the employees to develop the participative communication rather than commanding those (Guinaliu & Jordan, 2016).

The leader must be flexible and must show openness to the idea delivered by the employees. It will help in gaining the trust of the employees and will lead to the accomplishment of the organization’s objectives in an effective way (Mirkamali, Thani & Alami, 2011).

Storytelling is the tool that helps in developing more connectivity with the employees. It delivers the experience of the leader and provides the vision of how the leader handles the positive and negative aspect of the situation (Mirkamali, Thani & Alami, 2011).

It helps in developing more connectivity with the employees as the story of a leader may inspire them and develop the urge to conduct their behavior in the same manner. It helps in delivering a personalized experience to the employees and developing their trust towards the actions of the leader (Guinaliu & Jordan, 2016).

The leader must develop trust by leading the team through an example and not implementing authority over them. It should provide sufficient time for the employees to gain their confidence and must be open to the employee feedback and criticism. The leader must be open to the feedback so that is can alter the problems that come in between and enhance the interpersonal relationship (Guinaliu & Jordan, 2016).

Application of such tools will help the leader to solve the complexities in a better way and develop a strong interpersonal relationship with its employees. It helps the leader in gaining the trust of the employees and integrates all the actions towards the achievement of the common goal (Guinaliu & Jordan, 2016).

Storytelling will be most effective at the time when the employees are trained regarding the complex situations. The sharing of experience will help them to see the complex situations from the different perspectives and deliver a positive approach towards the complexities (Gill, 2011).

It is analyzed that storytelling tool is the best for gaining attention of the audience. It continuously draws and releases the attention of the audience and helps the leader to influence the employees in a better way. Storytelling is the best tool to leave the long-lasting impact on the audience and make the emotional connect with the employees (Gill, 2011).

 Storytelling will help the leader to actively involve employees and gain the trust of the employees by providing them with the real picture and developing more understanding through storytelling (Gill, 2011).

The best example of storytelling is in the advertisement conducted by the company Google. Google’s reunion ad provides the story in which the company escapes all the preconceived notions and delivers the message that hit the audience. The leader of the company tries to convince audience in which the grandfather delivers his story of not meeting to his childhood friend because of partition of India and Pakistan. The granddaughter uses Google to track down the friend and unites his grandfather through reunion (Gill, 2011).

This example depicts that using storytelling the leader can grab the attention of the employees and will help in achieving the objective efficiently (Gill, 2011).

On April 20, 2010, the case of the oil spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico, which was commenced by BP. The problem that occurs in the situation was that the company was not communicating with the public to depict the real picture and it used the false method, which was against its integrity to provide the false information to the public to protect the image of the company. Providing false information break the trust of the customers and the image of the company were not protected (Reuters, 2011). 

The main reason for the oil spill was the

• Defective cement on the borehole.
• Misinterpretation of the pressure test.
• Insufficient management and industry oversight.

The main problem for the company was the insufficient management and the misinterpretation of the information. The company also uses the false method by using manipulative publicity to protect the image of the company. This lead to breakdown of the trust of the customers and lack of management created a problem for the company (Reuters, 2011). 

The case of the oil spill leads to job loss of various employees and leads to an increase in the price of oil as the demand for the oil increases but the supply was decreasing. It is analyzed that the company was not able to integrate the efforts of all the employees and was not able to make effective communication with the customers, which hinders the image of the company and leads to a reduction in the productivity of the company (Reuters, 2011). 

The learning’s from the past situation was that the company must not deliver the false information to the public and must have maintained its integrity by not using the false method to intentionally alter the exact situation.

The learning, which I received, was that the company was not able to effectively manage the complex situation because they were slow in communicating with the public and was not able to gain the trust of the public. It depicts that there was the absence of mutual trust among the members of the organization and was not able to solve the complexities efficiently.

The company was not able to efficiently manage the activities of the organization because of lack of management and the misinterpretation of the information done at the organization. Such activities create complexities in achieving the target and the leader of the company was not able to regain its image.

As a leader, I have learned to maintain the integrity in all my operations and effective management of the activities so that I can integrate the efforts of all the employees towards the achievement of the common goal.

 The learning’s which we have gained from the situation is that the company was not able to effectively communicate with the public and was not able to develop trust within the employees. It is analyzed that there was insufficient management of the resources and the leader was not able to solve the complexities of the business.

The company provides false information and did not perform the activities with all the integrity and honesty. It intentionally presents the false information to protect the image in the eyes of the public but was not able to retain it. However, the learning’s from the past situation is that the company must disclose all the information and should not use the false information to retain its image.

The leader should ensure that all the actions of the employees are in line to pre-determined goals and the complexities are effectively managed.

According to my opinion, I will develop trust among the employees by applying the democratic style of leadership. I will focus on engaging the employees more and will actively listen and implement the solutions provided by the employees of the organization.

To build the trust among the employees I will use the tool of storytelling to share my personal experience and will develop the zeal to actively solve the complexities of the business. Sharing of experience will help the employees to gain personalized experience and see the situations from different perspectives. I will ensure transparency, authenticity in my actions and will develop the skill to effectively communicate with all the employees and able to build their trust.

 I will implement the transactional type of leadership, which will help me in creating an environment that focuses on emotional intelligence. I will also be open to the feedback and the criticism given by employees to solve the complexities and implement the change required.

I will focus on engaging the employees to increase their motivation level and encouraging them to effectively contribute towards the goal of the organization. I will provide the flexibility to the employees to select the work of their choice and flexibility in the delivery of the task. This will help the employees to be more committed towards the goals of the organization and manage the complexities effectively.

Using the different styles of leadership, I will manage the complexities and will ensure that the goals are achieved within the time span.

It is analyzed that the company Walmart is no longer the leading company in the market because of the growing online stores that provide the customer will lower prices and customized choices within less time. However, it develops the need for the company Walmart to make the changes in the delivery of its services and expanding the investments by adopting the innovative technology (Favaro, 2015).

The company is no longer able to sustain its competitive advantage because of replication of its strategy by its closest competitors and creating a wide range of choices for the customers. It also occurs due to the low switching cost of the customers. Customers are easily shifted to the other brands they provide more benefit (Favaro, 2015).

The concept of whole person leadership will help the Walmart leader in implementing change and innovation in the organization. It will help the leader in self-actualisation and understand the individual behaviours and further motivates them to retain and adopt the changing culture in the organization. Adoption of this concept will help the Walmart leader to develop the competency and train the employees in the organization. This holistic approach provides the individualised coaching to the employees and helps in development of the skills, which will focus on effective implementation of the change.

The innovation or the change in the delivery of services is necessary because it will help the company to regain its customers and expands its market share by delivering its service to the wide reach. The change is the process is necessary because Walmart was losing its competitive advantage because of increase in its competitors and the development of online sales through innovation in the technology (Teece & Leih, 2016).

Implementation of the innovative methods will help the company to increase its sales by attracting potential customers and efficiently manage the complexities of the business environment (Teece & Leih, 2016). Adoption of change in the organization increases the employment opportunities for the employee and helps the company in maximizing its shareholder's value and increment in the profits of the company (Teece & Leih, 2016).

The company must adopt the SWOT analysis to examine the current performance of the company and analyze the threats and the opportunities that lie in the external environment.

A SWOT analysis will help the company to deviate its action according to the analyzed threats and the opportunities that lie in the business environment. Adopting this method will help the company to implement change in the organization and improve the overall efficiency of the organization. The company can fix the threats by taking the corrective actions and grab the opportunities, which will help in advancement of the business (Burke & Noumair, 2015). 

The company must adopt the Kotter’s change model to transform and execute the strategies that will help in implementing change in the organization and will increase the sales of the organization. The following numbered steps have to be taken:

The Company has to analyze a sense of urgency by analyzing the immediate need to innovate change in the organization. In this step, the company will analyze the need to implement the change in the organization.

It requires developing a coalition of the team that helps in guiding the actions and managing the complexities together. At this step, the company will form a team that will help in guiding and management of the activities that will promote change in the organization.

The leader must develop the vision, which is attainable and realistic. The vision must be such that it can be implemented by all the employees and contributes towards the change in the organization.

The leader must communicate this vision to all the employees and must empower the others to give suggestions to implement change in the organization. It must ensure that all the employees volunteer towards implementation of the change in the organization.

The leader must develop the short-term goals that are attainable and requires less investment and the leader must not declare the winner of the goal because changes can fail the goal. The leader must analyze and stick to the change. It must reward the employees who have provided a constructive suggestion so that the employees feel motivated are more engaged in the activities of the organization (Burke & Noumair, 2015). 

The leader can effectively implement the change in the organization by developing open communication among all the members and providing a clear sense of direction to its employees. It must focus on reducing the bureaucracy so that the company can reduce the issues that act as barriers to developing a change in the organization (Van, Kuipers & Groeneveld, 2016).  

The leader must develop the roadmap so that does not lead to duplication of the activities and wastage of the resources. The leader must evaluate all the potential barriers that can restrict the implementation of change in the organization and must disclose all the information to the employees to gain their confidence and involving them more in the business operations (Van, Kuipers & Groeneveld, 2016).  

There are many strategies, which can be adopted by a company, for the purpose of engaging its employees. Some of these have been stated below.

The organization can engage employees in the process of change by keeping the communication open and honest. The company must ensure that the information disclosed to the employees is honest and complete. The performance with integrity will help in developing efficiency in the operations and implementing change in the organization. 

 

(Smart business funding, 2018).

The company must also focus on providing feedback on the questions of the customers so that the employees feel that their thoughts are respected and the company listens to them. The leader must ensure that the flow of communication is limited because the overflow of communication will lead to the loss of the interest of the employees.

The company must focus on developing a sense of ownership among the employees because the employees will consider the organizational goals as their main priority. It will help the company to have more dedicated employees for the company (McManus & Mosca, 2015).

The concept of whole person leadership and better up self-assessment has helped me in implementing change in the organization because these concepts have provided me the training to effectively communicate with the employees and persuade them to implement change in the organization.

The coaching session has led to the development of skills .i.e. emotional intelligence and cognitive skills so that the complexities in the process of change can be reduced and application of practical solutions to implement change in the organization.

Better Up self-assessment has helped in realizing my capabilities and the ability to influence the employees and integrate their actions towards the achievement of the goals of the organization.   

References

Jargon, J. (2017). How Panera solved its “mosh pit problem”. Retrieved from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-panera-solved-its-mosh-pit-problem-1496395801  

Kallet, M. (2014). Think smarter: Critical thinking to improve problem-solving and decision-making skills. Canada: Wiley

Mourdoukoutas, P. (2018). Starbucks problem at home and abroad. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2018/06/27/starbucks-problems-at-home-and-abroad/#6242606364b5

Nandram, S.S, & Bindlish, K.P. (2017). Managing VUCA through integrative self-management. Switzerland: Springer nature

Reinecke, G. (2016). Coaching VUCA [Online]. Retrieved from: https://www.infocusnet.org/coaching-vuca

Turban, E., Strauss, J., & Lai, L. (2016). The Social Enterprise: From Recruiting to Problem Solving and Collaboration. In Social Commerce, 181-203.

Gill, R. (2011). Using storytelling to maintain employee loyalty during the change. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(15), 23-32.

Guinaliu, M., & Jssordan, P. (2016). Building trust in the leader of virtual work teams. Spanish Journal of Marketing-ESIC, 20(1), 58-70.

Mirkamali, S. M., Thani, F. N., & Alami, F. (2011). Examining the role of transformational leadership and job satisfaction in the organizational learning of an automotive manufacturing company. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 139-148.

Reuters. (2011). Gulf oil spill could have been prevented by BP workers who weren’t consulted. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/oil-spill-could-have-been_n_824647.html

Burke, W. W., & Noumair, D. A. (2015). Organization Development (Paperback): A Process of Learning and Changing. United States of America: Pearson Education

Favaro, K. (2015). Why Walmart needs strategic innovation to become a great investment again. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenfavaro/2015/11/29/why-wal-mart-needs-strategic-innovation-to-become-a-great-investment-again/#7088b3a94211    

McManus, J., & Mosca, J. (2015). Strategies to build trust and improve employee engagement. International Journal of Management & Information Systems, 19(1), 37.

Smart business funding. (2018). Are your communication strategies really engaging employees . Retrieved from: https://www.smartbusinessfunder.com/communication-strategies-really-engaging-employees-marcia-xenitelis/

Teece, D., & Leih, S. (2016). Uncertainty, innovation, and dynamic capabilities: An introduction. California Management Review, 58(4), 5-12.

Van, D. V.J., Kuipers, B. S., & Groeneveld, S. (2016). Implementing change in public organizations: The relationship between leadership and affective commitment to change in a public sector context. Public Management Review, 18(6), 842-865.