CFC Blog #222: The Weird Paradox of Chaos
There are so many golden threads in Rob’s piece today, writing this lead-in isn’t easy! His writing brings up for me a question that I think Corey’s “Living in the Bardo” piece also raised - how do we plan for an uncertain and chaotic future? Especially plan something that is meaningful to us?
The answer? We take things one step at a time. My favorite line in Rob’s piece is at the very end: "I feel confident I can create a future I want to be part of.” I had to stop myself and think for a minute when I read this. How absolutely true…just because the future is uncertain does not mean we can't each still play a part in building it.
This is all very much just a sub-header or the entire piece though - I hope you get as many nuggets of knowledge reading this as I did!
-Lauren
The Weird Paradox of Chaos
What is the new normal? What’s the next normal? What even is normal?
In my work these days, almost every business I speak to is doing one of three things. They’re preparing for a reorganization, they’re in the midst of a reorganization, or they’re emerging from a reorganization.
I have no idea if that’s factually true, but it feels true.
In all three instances, I’m personally finding this weird paradox. Everyone wants to do meaningful things, but no one wants to start anything meaningful – including, ironically, me. And I think: How do you even begin to plan for the now when you don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring? Maybe I’ll write a book about it. But, oh god, why would anyone read that when, you know, <broadly gestures at the world>.
I’ve been working with this technology company CMO for the last six months. The company has done well despite the dumpster fire that is 2020. Still, the CEO and the board didn’t think the company was moving quite “fast enough”. They suggested a complete reorganization of the product, marketing, and sales teams.
My client successfully explained to her leadership colleagues why this was a bad idea. Unfortunately, during the weeks she was making her case, rumors began to fly. Even she didn’t know how it would all turn out.
Eventually, the reorganization was put on hold. But, in the meantime, the marketing and sales teams and even vendors (including yours truly) panicked or acted irrationally. And it cost the teams months of progress.
I find that I and others may typically respond to chaos in one of three ways: freeze, get chaotic ourselves, or continue to work down the paths I’ve laid.
When I freeze, I seek safety in inactivity. I find myself thinking, “I’m not taking a risk on that cool, interesting new initiative. I’ll keep my head down, wait for chaos to strike, and then figure out how to deal with it.” When I get chaotic, I seek some distraction in hyperactivity. I try all kinds of new things in anticipation of the chaos as if to say, “What do I have to lose?” I flail around, moving in every direction at once and making a lot of noise, hoping I’ll be seen (by myself and others) as productive.
But I’m finding there is no new, momentous “normal” that chaos portends. I’ve started to learn that, for me anyway, when I sense chaos is coming – big changes I’ll have little control over – I find little comfort in hiding in inactivity. And I absolutely get no satisfaction from the distracted hyperactivity of overwork (though my office has never been cleaner). But I do find peace in taking a moment to hug the chaos; and restore the faith in myself that no matter what comes, I feel confident I can create a future I want to be part of. And then move on. What’s next? Because tomorrow is always the next normal, the new normal. And there is always a tomorrow.
And here’s the weird part to me. I think the more chaos we experience, the more faith we need. And 2020 has served us a heaping, steaming platter of the need for faith in ourselves.
It’s funny. Rational thinking, which seems at its surface to be in conflict with our faith, now depends on faith in order to survive.
Now, to that book…..