After almost two years of uncertainty coupled with the “great resignation” of 2021, many leaders are exhausted from all of the constant change and chaos. Regardless of the type of business or industry you are in, everything is different. However, one thing is certain: our world continues to get more complex and chaotic, not less. Yet, in the midst of all of this uncertainty and change, new opportunities emerge, and if we are wise, we can figure out how to rethink and perhaps even reinvent our organizations.

“We CAN conquer chaos!” should be our mantra for 2022 and beyond!

How do we conquer chaos and use it to our benefit? There are some simple strategies that can help us create order out of chaos and capitalize on the opportunities:

1. Stay calm and be present. It is SO easy to get caught up in frenetic activity, especially when we have a lot to do and are feeling pulled in a hundred directions. The best thing we can do for

ourselves sometimes is to take a few deep breaths, stay calm and be present to the thing we are

doing right now.

2. Think strategically. Robert Amara was an economist who said, “We tend to overestimate the

impact of phenomena in the short run and underestimate it in the long run.” We get caught up

in the chaos of the moment and allow it to define us. Within the chaos, however, there are

“signals” and information about new and emerging trends as well as opportunities that are not

being addressed that will shape the future. As difficult as it is, we benefit from scheduling time

to take a step back, think about your environment, look for patterns and use them to identify

new ways of thinking moving forward.

3. Identify functional gaps. One of the main contributors to organizational chaos is the lack of

expertise in key functional areas such as project management, planning, human resources,

product development, marketing, or fundraising. Think about your “stuck places” and figure out

the skill sets that are missing. Identify the expertise that you need to fill the gap(s), recognizing

that the best resource to facilitate change may be a subject matter expert consultant, not

necessarily a new employee.

4. Focus your team around one or two key goals. Even previously high-performing organizations

are “starting over” from a teambuilding perspective in today’s environment. Recognizing that

part of the chaos may be a symptom of the “storming” phase of the teambuilding process is

helpful. Identify one or two key goals and focus everyone’s energy on accomplishing them.

Encourage your team to create new ways of working together as they implement action plans.

Now is the time to be rethinking, planning, and creating alignment with your team, especially if you are feeling caught up in chaos. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you are struggling or feeling stuck.

Our diverse team of subject matter experts can fill functional gaps and help transform your

organization to the next level.