109: How to Stay Centered when Chaos Takes Over Operations

Find the full transcript, and more resources for operations executives, at yourfuturerealized.com/109.

Back when I ran a PMO, our team basically tripled fast just to keep up with work pouring in.

New faces arrived every month, new technology rolled out constantly. Sometimes the folks selling projects weren’t synced with those delivering—like two bands on opposite sides of the street. 

It was a rush to watch the pace ramp up, but the chaos left us reeling, unsure which fire to fight next, or if we’d get through it. 

If this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. In fast-changing companies, chaos isn’t optional, it’s reality. You can’t steer it all. But you can choose your focus and how you talk to yourself in the storm. 

Your brain filters what you feed it. Tweak those beliefs even a little, and the situation looks different. In this episode, we’re talking surfing chaos—not sinking. 

Transcript

Back when I ran a PMO, our team basically tripled fast just to keep up with work pouring in.

New faces arrived every month, new technology rolled out constantly. Sometimes the folks selling projects weren’t synced with those delivering—like two bands on opposite sides of the street.

It was a rush to watch the pace ramp up, but the chaos left us reeling, unsure which fire to fight next, or if we’d get through it.

If this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. In fast-changing companies, chaos isn’t optional, it’s reality. You can’t steer it all. But you can choose your focus and how you talk to yourself in the storm.

Your brain filters what you feed it. Tweak those beliefs even a little, and the situation looks different. In this episode, we’re talking surfing chaos—not sinking. Find the full transcript at yourfuturerealized.com/109.

Hey Ops Execs,

Chaos Isn't Optional in Operations

I’ll be honest—when our team was growing exponentially, those mismatched handoffs, new technologies, and constantly changing teams and processes made my days feel like a was stuck in a hurricane.

And for real, keeping up at that pace demands a lot of you. It drains your time, saps your energy, and chips away at your well-being. It’s easy to slip into feeling like you’re just reacting all the time, scrambling to catch up but never quite getting there. No shame in that. 

I know you keeping things moving, no matter how choppy it gets. And that’s such a gift to your organization. That kind of grit is impressive.

Still, I believe there’s a better way to ride out the storm. One that lets you catch your breath.

Let’s talk about “surfing the chaos.” Why? Because frankly it’s exhausting and ineffective to spend your energy fighting against the chaos, wishing it weren’t there, judging it, dreading it, being angry at it, or feeling like you’re failing because of it.

How do you actually surf the chaos instead of fighting it? And what does that even mean? I’ve learned it probably means something a little different to everyone. But it usually starts with pausing, and taking care f yourself a bit. Don’t panic but it likely means unplugging a little and going a little deeper than the day-to-day generally allows, asking bigger questions, and experimenting with a bit of discipline. It’s something you practice, not perfect overnight. 

Three Centering Questions for Operations Executives

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all and want to shake up how things are going, here are three questions worth getting honest about:

1. Forget the big master plan for a sec—what’s one tiny step you can actually take right now?
2. Since no one’s ever totally in control anyway, what helps you keep moving when things go sideways?
3. When you’re stuck in the chaos, how do you want to show up? What do you want people to remember about you, what do you want for your team to experience, especially on the toughest days?

Don’t worry about having the “right” answer to any of these. You don’t need to fix everything overnight. Sometimes just sitting with these questions can open up new possibilities. You’ll figure out fast what actually makes a difference for you.

And one more thing about this: Sometimes, it really does feel impossible to keep pushing. If you’re still hanging in, ask yourself what you need to stay in the game. And if it’s time to step back, honor that too.

A Real-World Case: Letting Go to Move Forward

This past month I coached an operations leader who kept clinging to old maps even though the territory had clearly shifted under her feet. Her breakthrough wasn’t finding the “right answer.” It was getting clear about what was really hers to own, letting go of the rest and letting it stay fuzzy. And investing in herself so she could bounce back when things got weird, really taking care of herself. That’s not just resilience. It’s freedom. I wish I’d done more of that myself years ago.

By the way while I’m here I want to give a shout out to the stellar PM team I got to work with back then, who brought so much commitment, resilience and fun to the chaos. Chaos is definitely easier to ride when you really like who you’re working with.

Here’s your homework: Is there something unpredictable that’s bugging you? This week, give yourself a little room—loosen up, notice how you’re handling it, and mess around with what you’re assuming about it. You might be surprised what opens up when you start seeing chaos as something other than your enemy.

Want simple, practical steps to get more decisive and less frazzled? Give my free 5-day challenge a try at yourfuturerealized.com/challenge and let me know how it goes.

You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change how you play – and how you surf it.