How to recruit and prepare leaders for the VUCA world

Suppose a multinational company needs an executive to lead its entry into a country that could experience spectacularly strong economic growth, but could also falter. The market has rough-and-tumble social, economic, political and business environments. The target market could be described as a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment.

Two equally competent candidates of the same gender and age, with comparable experience and ethical standards are brought in for the opportunity. They differ in only one way. Executive A comes from the multinational's home base, a largely mono-ethnic country where one religion dominates. Key national laws are benchmarks for other countries. People follow clear-cut political rules and civic values. At work, behavioral rules are unambiguous, as are business processes. Executive A has also successfully managed in countries that aspire to, but fall short of, such orderliness.

Executive B comes from a country where multiple ethnic, linguistic and religious traditions co-exist, sometimes uneasily. Red traffic lights merely suggest stopping. The judiciary usually, but not always, administers laws in accordance with accepted norms; the laws themselves are a mix of internationally accepted and outdated. At work, behavioral rules are ambiguous, though are getting better, and business processes range from world class to nonexistent. Executive B has also successfully managed in countries with greater orderliness.