complexity is the next aspect of our VUCA world we can consider. we have always had a great number of factors to take into account. the global pandemic has increased that number manyfold. the interrelationship of those factors has become even harder to discern, and the variety of factors has also increased. all this leads to a complexity none of us had imagined. we now live in dynamic networks of confusing, and at times, conflicting relationships.
the information we receive from new sources, government, experts and friends contribute to this complexity in the covid-19 world.elders have the potential to tease out some of that complexity. with our years of experience, our ability to see the larger picture and our willingness to listen, we may be able to follow some of the threads to their source.
we can respond to complexity with clarity. not only might we be able to see a complex tapestry more clearly, we may be able to communicate about it with greater insight. clear expression of our fears, our desires, our hopes enables open communication with our network of friends, family, and those who care for us in so many ways.simple, authentic and transparent communication makes it possible to collaborate in the creation of our present and our future…whatever that might be.this is the moment for ‘soft skills’, those that enable and support contact and conversation. they will empower us to see distinctly and surely the complex world we are navigating. elders may have an edge here too, having honed those soft skills over decades of home and work lifestorytelling may be one of those soft skills. tales and myths carry deep messages about who we are. elders are the repository of stories…the telling of our heritage, our travels, our history can help us become clearer about today.
holding a positive outlook, even in the face of adversity, is another soft skill, along with integrity, a willingness to learn, creativity and open-mindedness. this may not be an easy outlook to hold and embrace, though our past experience of adversity may stand us in good stead now.these are qualities of many elders, who, after a lifetime of experience, have developed the clarity that moves through complexity with greater ease.