Lean In, Not Out: How to Lead Your Business Through Chaos Without Losing What You Built

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Creativity is Messy! - Empowering Leadership Teams

A client called me recently and the first thing she said was, "Frustration is the word of the week." And then she listed everything — this was frustrating, that was frustrating, and everything in between. I listened. I understood. And then I said something that I want to say to you today: the fact that you can name what is frustrating means that you built something worth protecting. That frustration? It is actually a sign of strength.

Here's what I mean.

When the external environment gets chaotic — and right now, for many small business owners and leaders, it truly does feel chaotic — the natural instinct is to feel like everything is falling apart. The ground is shifting. Decisions that felt straightforward a few months ago are now complicated. Your clients are responding differently. Your team feels the pressure. You feel the pressure.

But here is the thing: if you have been doing the work — building your team structure, getting clear on roles, developing your strategic plans, running good meetings, creating agreements about how you operate — that foundation does not disappear just because the world outside your business is noisy. It is still there. And right now, it is your greatest competitive advantage.

The Chaos Stress Test

One of the most valuable things a chaotic external environment does is reveal the weak spots in your business infrastructure. I know that does not sound like good news, but it is. Because those weak spots were always there — they just were not visible when everything was running smoothly.

Maybe your team meetings have been running long and leaving everyone drained. Maybe communication has gotten a little fuzzy around who owns what. Maybe the clarity you had on priorities six months ago has softened. These are the things that show up when the pressure is on. And if you see them now, you can address them now — before they become real problems.

So rather than looking at the cracks as evidence that your business is broken, I want you to look at them as the exact information you need to get stronger. Shore up the structure. Revisit the agreements. Tighten the agendas. Do not abandon what you built — invest in it.

Go to the Source

One of my favorite teachings that I come back to over and over again is this: the best information is where the action is. And nowhere is this more true than during uncertain times.

If the external world is shifting and you are trying to figure out how your business should respond, do not sit in a back-office meeting and make big reactive decisions based on headlines or anxiety. Go to the source. Talk to your customer service team. They are in direct contact with your clients every single day. They are hearing the real-time pulse of how people are experiencing the shifts, what they are worried about, what they need, what is working and what is not.

Bring those voices into your strategic conversations. What are clients actually saying? What is emerging? Is there a new need you could meet? Is there something you should pause? You have incredible intelligence right at your fingertips, in your team — and using it is how you make decisions that actually serve your clients and your business.

Get Creative — Get Messy

I want to share a quote that has been sitting with me as I have been working through this topic with our clients: "Creativity is messy. The creative process is a process of surrender, not control." That is from the brilliant Julia Cameron.

Here's the leadership application: when we try to control everything in a chaotic environment, we cut off the very creativity and innovation that could carry us through. Instead, give your team real space to brainstorm without immediately demanding solutions. Let the ideas be messy. Let people bring vantage points you have not considered. Explore more than you have been comfortable exploring. Be curious more than you are decisive — at least in the early phase of figuring things out.

And then? Follow up. This is where so many teams lose their momentum. They have a great brainstorm and then nothing moves. Build in a simple cadence: we tried this — what happened? What do we adjust? What is working? What do we do next? Think of it like a chef adjusting spices while cooking, not waiting until the plate is in front of the guest.

Your Team Is Human — So Are You

The other piece I must address is the human element. What is happening in the wider world is landing on your people. They come to work carrying uncertainty, stress, and sometimes outright anxiety about things that have nothing to do with your quarterly goals — but everything to do with their capacity to bring their best thinking.

As a leader, this is your moment to model the culture you say you want. If you have healthy self-care agreements in your organization — encouraging breaks, protecting lunch, normalizing stepping away — they may be quietly slipping under the weight of the current pace. Bring them back. Make it visible. Send the Slack message: "Stepping away for a 20-minute walk, back soon." Give your team permission by demonstrating that it is okay.

And here is the deeper truth: if you are feeling stretched, stressed, and running on empty — somebody else on your team is too. The leader who can pause and say, "I think we all need a break" is not showing weakness. They are showing the kind of self-leadership that produces better decisions, stronger teams, and sustainable businesses.

You've Got This

The closing thought I want to leave you with is this: you are not starting over. You are not back at the beginning. You are a stage two or three business owner with infrastructure, a trained team, and real leadership experience. The chaos feels like a lot because it is a lot. But you have more tools than you realize.

Lean into what you have built. Go to the source. Get creative — get a little messy. Take care of yourself and your team. Ask great questions. And trust that the skills you are growing right now — resilience, innovation, adaptability, leadership under pressure — are exactly what your future success is made of.