Managing Chaos
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity” -Sun Tzu
During my first tour during Operation Iraqi Freedom (Mosul, Iraq), I was a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) team leader. Throughout our operations, the QRF team was thrown into chaotic, stressful, uncertain, rapidly evolving situations. Nevertheless, as the QRF team leader, I had to empower everyone on the team in order to survive these chaotic situations.
Sometimes we conducted four to eight missions per day, in which every day came with new challenges, anticipation, and excitement. That’s right, excitement, I was born to do that work!
Our missions entailed escorting Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to defuse IED’s, inserting and extracting Long Range Surveillance (LRS) teams, working with Special Operations Forces (Green Berets) in direct action missions, providing security for VIPs, assisting troops in contact who were critical wounded – all while patrolling the main supply routes, towns, and villages in Iraq.
As the leader, I had to depend on every individual on the team to know their duties and responsibilities to save the lives of others in those chaotic situations.
For example, I did not have to tell the medic to treat the wounded and decide where and when to set up an LZ (Landing Zone) to evacuate the critically wounded. Further, I did not have to tell the RTO (Radio Telephone Operator) to give our position and status to the Battle Captain in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC). Even the machine gunners (18-year-old young men) understood the rules of engagement and when to neutralize threats.
Nonetheless, chaotic situations are nothing to fear when everyone understands their roles and responsibilities, and as the leader, I’ve empowered everyone around me to take charge. In other words, team members will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders.
Essentially, everyone on the team understood that we (as a team) were going into danger (that is, there were no safe spaces).
General James Mattis said leadership means “reaching the souls of your troops, instilling a sense of commitment and purpose in the face of challenges so severe that they cannot be put into words.” The leader’s competence, confidence, agility, courage, and resilience enable the team to persevere and find a workable solution to chaotic situations and tough problems.
Again, I believe chaotic situations are nothing to fear.
If you have trained your team properly (it doesn’t matter what job, industry, or line of work), the team that trusts each other, believes in themselves — can and will conquer any task and accomplish any mission.
By putting systems and processes in place the team will be able to handle the chaotic situation.
I’m a big believer in systems and processes because, as a leader, you have to control the uncontrollable. You might say, how do I control something uncontrollable; for example, the weather, teammate getting hurt, change, the future, and so on.
Basically, you focus on the things you can control and make sure that contingencies are put in place.
- Do not get stuck in a situation…
- Understand what is within and outside of your control…
- Be Adaptable…
- Resilience…
- Take action in the absence of orders…
Training, maintenance, proper rest plans, checklist, I could go on; however, the more you can clean up and mitigate, the more you can control those uncontrollable chaotic situations.
Everyone is tired, wet, cold, and hungry.
Yet, I love the quote that says, “learn to suffer without complaining.” There will be many times in your life where things are going to suck, and things seem unfair. You may ask yourself, why me, why now!
However, I’ve learned to turn it around and ask why not me and why not now!
It’s those moments where everything is going wrong, and things are chaotic; still, the leader is willing to find a way out of the situation. Do NOT feel as if you are a lone in the situation, essentially, there are people on your team willing to help (that is, they’ve got your back).
You might say, the chaotic situation builds character. I believe they do!
I would love to hear your thoughts on how you handle stress, uncertainty, and chaos.