Brittle Systems and Bendability

Mastering Chaos: Navigating the BANI Future with Bob Johansen & Jamais Cascio

🎙️ Episode Title: Mastering Chaos: Navigating the BANI Future

👥 Guests: Bob Johansen & Jamais Cascio

💡 Sponsored by: Kyndryl | Reimagining the tech systems powering global enterprise innovation.

In this episode, Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio return to explore their book Navigating the Age of Chaos: A Sensemaking Guide to a BANI World.

They dive into the evolution from VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) to BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) and its impact on leadership, strategy, and personal resilience.

🔍 Topics Include:

The origins and future of VUCA and BANI

VUCA+ and BANI+ frameworks

Real-world examples: LEGO, Netflix, Special Olympics, Airbnb

Leadership agility & "Flexive Command"

Future-back thinking and anticipatory history

AI, ethics, empathy & strategic foresight

Purpose, interconnectedness & sensemaking

This episode is essential for leaders, innovators, and future-thinkers navigating today's complex and chaotic world.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:24 Opening Quote and Guest Introduction

00:59 Understanding VUCA and VUCA Plus

04:36 Exploring BANI and BANI Plus

06:37 Future Back Thinking and Historical Patterns

09:33 The Concept of Flexive Command

11:01 Resilience and Bendability in Organizations

25:59 Empathy and Anxiety in Leadership

39:52 Debating AI and Guardrails

40:47 Ethics and Metaphors in AI

41:57 Kate Darling's Perspective on AI

43:31 The Language of AI

43:59 Robotics and Empathy

45:51 Mindfulness and Anxiety

47:18 Nonlinearity in BANI

48:04 Neuro Flexibility and Improv

50:40 Orthogonal Thinking and T-shaped People

53:17 Distant Early Warnings

59:50 Gaming and Nonlinear Thinking

01:09:30 Incomprehensibility and Interconnectedness

01:16:45 Faith and Purpose in a BANI World

01:20:45 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

🔗 Useful links:

• Navigating the Age of Chaos – ageofbani.com

• Bob Johansen – IFTF.org

• Jamais Cascio – openthefuture.com

• Kyndryl Institute – kyndryl.com/institute

• Aidan McCullen – aidanmccullen.com

#TheInnovationShow #BANI #VUCA #Leadership #FutureThinking #Chaos #Resilience #Innovation #Kyndryl #Thinkers50