Are you creating Chaos or Order?

There are two dominant forces in nature~ Chaos and Order and their balance is what creates growth, tension and stability. Too much of one can tip the scales to anarchy and disintegration, too much of the other and there is no room for change, growth or newness. A forest fire or a stagnant pond are the two extremes.

Right now our country’s political scene is leaning heavily towards chaos. This isn’t bad or good, it just is. However, nature will want to find balance by bringing order. As a leader, I believe it is your job to see the bigger picture, that’s why they pay you the big bucks, right?

Individuals seem to tend towards one or the other, for example, some people feel more comfortable with known values, with repeated habits, no surprises, while others thrive on change, shaking up the status quo and leaning into the new. You can imagine that when the Zeitgeist (the overall feeling or flavor of a nation or the world) is creating chaos, those people who feel more comfortable with order are not going to feel they are in an atmosphere of thriving. Or are their skills being needed more than ever?

How can you support balance at a time when things feel lopsided? How can you support both kinds of individuals~ those who love the chaos energy and those who prefer order, without making anyone wrong?

Remember that your job as a leader is to take the higher vantage point, see any situation from a wider perspective. For example, if someone is already feeling edgy because of the increased chaos energy and then their dog dies and they have a little fender bender, they may feel their life is spinning out of control. You see, the chaos energy will exacerbate their already alert feelings of uncertainty. You may see greater signs of paranoia or even illness.

Creating balance in any situation will bring greater confidence, trust and feelings of calm. Helping those who need order (keeping a calm voice, helping create systems, understandable expectations, very clear ideas of success and so on) while also keeping the chaos lovers from spinning out of control (reigning in manic moments, calming group consciousness highs, channeling creative energy in productive ways) will be your challenge.

Also being aware of your own tendencies helps tremendously. The key is to create balance, where all individuals can thrive, no one feels stuck and boxed in and no one feels sucked into a whirlwind. These times are opportunities for leaders to let their skills shine!