The Silent Killers of Strategic Change in a VUCA World

Previous research shows that the capability to execute strategy and change the way a business is organized, managed, and led is blocked by a syndrome of six silent (not openly discussable) barriers. This syndrome of interrelated “silent killers” was discovered 30 years ago through an intervention method that enabled truth to speak to power. The relevance of the silent killers in a contemporary volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) context is investigated in this study. We employ the same standardized action research method as in the research 30 years ago, and the six silent killers are confirmed. Moreover, a seventh killer, inadequate delegation of authority and decision rights, not found 30 years ago, is discovered to stand in the way of agility and rapid responses. These findings have important implications for corporate policy with regard to institutionalization of an internal governance and learning process.