Fostering empathy and psychological safety in chaos

For a generation, the business world operated in a VUCA environment: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. It was a turbulent reality, but one we could, in theory, manage through vision, understanding, clarity, and agility. Yet, as the last few years have shown, the turbulence has intensified into something more disruptive.

We are no longer just uncertain; we are anxious. Our systems are not only complex, but they are also often incomprehensible. There is a new era of BANI: Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible - a framework that is becoming the approach for 21st-century leadership.

This model, created by futurist Jamais Cascio, doesn’t just describe a world of more chaos. It describes a world of different chaos, one where the old VUCA strategies no longer suffice. Research increasingly validates this. The inability to adapt quickly is a primary reason why organisational change initiatives often fail, as McKinsey research suggests nearly 70 percent of them collapse, not from the wrong strategy, but from a failure of organisational resilience.

Brittleness

The ‘B’ in BANI stands for Brittle. Unlike volatility, which implies fast change, brittleness means systems that appear strong on the surface but are susceptible to sudden, catastrophic failure. Our global supply chains, optimised for single-point efficiency, are a perfect case study: a minor disruption in one region can suddenly seize global industries because there is no built-in slack. In this environment, the relentless pursuit of maximum efficiency must be tempered by a commitment to resilience, cultivating organisational adaptability to prevent a single point of failure from causing total collapse.

Anxiety

Uncertainty is intellectual. Anxiety is emotional and systemic. In a BANI environment, the constant flow of misinformation, the threat of cyberattacks, and the speed of disruption leave employees in a state of perpetual fear and heightened stress. Research highlights that this environment necessitates human-centered organisations, where empathy is a key capacity. When fear is pervasive, it fuels risk aversion and can lead to dangerous inaction. The antidote is cultivating transparency and psychological safety, creating a stable anchor of purpose and core values in the midst of the storm. This focus on well-being and human connection is a vital strategy for maintaining clear thinking and decision-making under chronic pressure.

Non-linearity

The ‘N’ refers to the Non-linear nature of outcomes, where small causes create disproportionately large, unpredictable effects. Traditional, linear planning where a specific investment guarantees a scaled result is obsolete. A new technology, a single social media post, or a minor policy change can unexpectedly spiral out of control, disrupting entire markets. Research, particularly in high-change sectors, has highlighted agility as the most fundamental trait for success in the BANI world. The path to success is no longer a straight line -  it is an iterative journey of continuous sensing, rapid prototyping, and adapting to multiple possible futures.

Incomprehensibility

This is more than ambiguity - it is the sheer overwhelming complexity where data generated by global systems and algorithms is simply beyond human comprehension. We are drowning in data, yet we struggle to make sense of the macro-level connections. In this context, organisations and leaders must provide coherence. This involves translating complex realities into simple, actionable narratives and fostering a culture of collective sense-making. Courage wins over false confidence, and it requires the humility to admit what is not known and the bravery to act decisively, anchored by a clear, shared purpose.

The BANI framework is a call for an internal shift. It demands organisations move past the quest for control and instead commit to resilience, empathy, and continuous adaptability. At Acumen, we’re dedicated to equipping leaders with the practical tools to tackle real-life challenges. Our comprehensive range of training and development programs, including customised interventions and off-the-shelf courses, helps organisations foster a culture of respect and empower their employees. To learn more about our programmes and how they can benefit your organisation, please contact Simon at simon@askacumen.com