Most leaders are well aware of the increasing rate of change in today's workplace. VUCA—volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—is a well-known concept. We've mentioned it often in this magazine; various articles have described ways for talent development functions, leaders, and individual contributors to adjust to the constant change, be ready for what may come, and react appropriately. There isn't a single solution, and the different strategies are always worth sharing.

This month, Bonnie Hagemann and Sae Schatz discuss in their cover story the need for leaders to master a new, advanced skill: cognitive readiness. They describe it as the upper echelon of critical thinking and detail its various components, including sense-making, metacognition, and problem solving. "Business trends indicate that the higher-level critical thinking skills of cognitive readiness are now on the forefront of necessary competencies for collaboration, safety, and winning in today's marketplace," the authors write.

How are your decision-making skills? Are you often analyzing situations and brainstorming new solutions? Are you asking the same of your employees?