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[VUCA world] Wake Up to the Multipolar World – Thrive in VUCA Times

Feeling like the world’s throwing curveballs faster than you can catch? You’re not alone.

I was in my car the other day, searching for a podcast that sounded interesting enough, but not too challenging (as I still needed to drive carefully), and stumbled upon Ted Daily, and stumbled on this one: "5 ways leaders can adapt to shifting geopolitics", Nikolaus S. Lang

What will the world look like in 2030? International business consultant Nikolaus S. Lang predicts the evolution of a multipolar world, with multiple emerging coalitions of countries acting in new ways to achieve their economic, technological and military goals. He dives into what this will mean for the global economy, offering five tips for business leaders to prepare for the coming geopolitical landscape.

I had a laugh and a shiver in the same time, when listening to it. We need to wake up from the geopolitical nap, and flex this muscle.


In short: At the 2022 Munich Security Conference, former Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki called out our 30-year geopolitical nap, just days before Russia’s Ukraine invasion. Nikolaus S. Lang from BCG’s Center for Geopolitics doubled down, urging businesses to flex their “geopolitical muscle” to navigate the volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) landscape of the 2030s. His insights, shared with 500 CEOs worldwide, hit home for anyone trying to get unstuck in today’s chaos.

Nikolaus predicts a multipolar world—think a Western bloc (US, Europe, allies), a new Eastern bloc (China, Russia), and non-aligned players like India. Forget the 1990s’ free-trade glory or fears of global conflict; this fragmented reality demands agility. For companies, he suggests five moves:
  • resilient supply chains,
  • inflation prep,
  • regionalized organizations,
  • cybersecurity, and
  • geopolitically savvy talent.
Sound familiar? And also already a bit obsolete with the latest changes in politics? Only one year later from when the session was done, the multipolarity has increased even more.

Lang’s scenarios remind us: VUCA’s here to stay, but preparation is power. As a leader, we need to prepare ourselves and our employees to tackle these challenges.

For those interested, I have built a short guide to help get unstuck - link in comments.

  • Employees need to build networks to weather volatility.
  • Managers should listen to ground teams in uncertainty.
  • Leaders have to craft visions to cut through ambiguity.

Take one step today: use the Guide’s 3x3 Focus Grid to prioritize a geopolitical action, like researching a new market.

The multipolar world waits for no one.

Wake up, adapt, and thrive.
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Grab the Free Guide and Toolkit for more tips: toolkit
How are you navigating VUCA’s chaos? Share below!
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