Lucy Adams, the BBC’s former HR director, introduced GCA delegates to the so-called “VUCA World”

VUCA is used an acronym, coined by the US military during the Vietnam conflict, for a world order that is : Volatile, Uncertain Complex and Ambiguous

 “Think about your role as leaders of people,” she said. “It is really tough now and getting tougher.”

The way to manage a VUCA world more effectively involved resilience, insight, curiosity and humility.

“See employees as adults, not children,” she urged. “Modern business are moving to strong adult-to-adult relationships. When people are trusted, their creativity increases.”

Progressive businesses were more likely to know their employees, tailoring their businesses according to their needs. “Get rid of annual appraisals,” she advised. “They do not work and can even make things go backwards.”

Employers who listened and showed interest were the best leaders, she added. “If we remember to keep it human, we can’t go far wrong.”