Taming the Chaos

Why do I thrive on chaos?  I even like to read about chaos - case in point, I just finished reading a dystopian novel by the science fiction writer, Kim Stanley Robinson that is set in New York City about a hundred years from now, called simply, New York 2140.  Basically, everything that climate change scientists are now predicting has come true.  The oceans have risen and New York City has become like the city of Venice, Italy.  The book was just over 600 pages, and probably just a little too long, but I found it fascinating nonetheless (check out some of the reviews of all Robinson’s work here and here and here).  In fact, I found myself enjoying the story so much that I began to think about all of the other dystopian novels that I have read and liked.  Here are just a few recent examples, The Postman by David Brin (a post-apocalyptic story which was made into a movie starring Kevin Costner), Pavane by Keith Roberts (a story in which the Roman Catholic church reigns supreme and basically runs the world, basically because the Protestant Reformation never happens), and The Road by Cormac McCarthy (another post-apocalyptic story that received the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction). 

So the question I have to ask myself again is this - do I thrive on chaos?  One could certainly argue that my choice of medical specialty, pediatric intensive care medicine, could suggest that assertion.  Moreover, as I think about all the times that I felt like I have really excelled (which happened to be the times that I also most enjoyed, believe it or not) as an administrator, it's been when the proverbial shit has hit the fan!  The important point to realize, however, is that chaos doesn't have to equal anarchy.

What do I mean?  There are a couple of definitions of the word chaos in the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

1. A state of utter confusion

2. A state of things in which chance is supreme; the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system

I like the second definition much better than the first, as I think it more accurately describes what I believe to be the true nature of chaos versus anarchy (which I think is best defined by the first definition above).  The difference is very subtle, but very important.  Consider, for a moment, that the term chaos itself comes from ancient Greek mythology.  Chaos was the void that existed before the beginning of creation.  As the ancient philosopher-poet, Ovid (who was actually Roman), defined it, Chaos was the original state of things, a disordered and shapeless mass from which the maker created and shaped the Cosmos.  In other words, out of disorder came order. 

Perhaps those of us who seem to thrive on chaos do so because we like to create order out of disorder.  There is a method to the madness, discipline in the confusion, organization in all the mess - the trick is to find it.  I came across a great blog post from Matt Bodnar that offers a few tips on how to effectively manage chaos, or creating order out of disorder.  He bases his recommendations on the life of one of America's most legendary Air Force fighter pilots and military strategists, John Boyd (you probably have heard of his OODA loop).  And speaking of movies, if you've ever watched the 1986 movie Top Gun, the U.S. Navy's Fighter Weapons School, which is the setting of the film, was based upon the Air Force school that John Boyd started).  Bodnar boils down his recommendations to three elements:

1. "Fight the enemy, not the terrain" - in other words, confront your cognitive biases, ego, and your own limited perception of reality to focus on the goal ahead.  Don't be distracted by all that other stuff - don't be afraid of past failures, because they will paralyze you from completing the task at hand.  Learn from past mistakes - for sure, but don't dwell on them.

2. "Agile does not mean speed, but rather speed of decision-making" - in particular, be very wary of trying to make perfect decisions.  No decision is perfect - and if you wait for all of the information necessary to make a perfect decision, you've probably waited far too long.

3. "Schwerpunkt" - I've talked about this before in a related context (see, for example, "HRO: Deference to Expertise" or "...plans are useless, but planning is indispensable"), but "schwerpunkt" roughly translates from German to "center of gravity" or "focus" and refers to the high-reliability concept of "deference to expertise" or the similar concept of "commander's intent" (see also, "Sua Sponte").  In other words, leave the critical decisions to the leaders on the front-line, who will have the most accurate and up-to-date information (decentralized decision-making). 

Bodnar provides less of a recipe to follow to manage chaos, but his main points are well-taken and will probably help anyone successfully manage a chaotic situation.  And if that doesn't work, try reading some of the dystopian novels I mentioned above to see how the characters in the novels created order out of disorder!