Jan 29 • Strategies and Wins
Handling Chaos at Work When Leadership Above You Makes It Harder, Not Easier
During last night’s Calming Chaos live call💻, I was asked to share my perspective on a challenge many professionals face but don’t always feel free to talk about: "How do you handle chaos at work when the pressure, control, or micromanagement is coming from leadership above you?"😠
The conversation was honest, real, and worth watching. I’d encourage you to go back and view the full call to hear the context, comments, and discussion that led to this question.
When I’m not treating pro and elite athletes💪—keeping them in the game until they are ready to leave on their own terms—I consult with healthcare practitioners, clinics, and organizations on leadership and operational breakdowns.👨⚕️ And this issue comes up far more often than people realize.
Leaders want results… ✔️🏆but sometimes their behavior makes it harder to actually get the job done.
After the call ended, I kept thinking about the discussion and realized there were a few additional points that didn’t make it into the live conversation, so I wanted to share them here.
Here’s the bottom line:
Difficult people are unavoidable. Strong professionals don’t win by reacting to them—they win by managing themselves.☮️
A few perspectives shift that matter:
• “Difficult” doesn’t always mean unethical or toxic. ☣️
Often, it’s personality differences—contrarians, micromanagers, chronic skeptics—who may still bring real value to the organization.
• Also worth remembering:
You may be the difficult one to someone else. That awareness alone changes how you respond.
• Matching behavior never works.
When you react emotionally or mirror control, you give away your leadership edge.
What actually helps you navigate the chaos:
• Know the real goal.🏆
Leadership isn’t about changing people—it’s about helping them succeed without losing your professionalism or credibility.
• Prepare before the interaction.📑
If you don’t prepare, difficult leaders can take control of your emotions before the conversation even starts.
• Manage your internal response first.
The win isn’t proving a point. The win is stability, results, and maintaining your edge.
• Enter every conversation with the end in mind:
– What outcome actually matters here?
– How do I want this handled to be remembered?🤔
– What response moves things forward instead of escalating them?
• Let go of stored resentment.
Unresolved frustration eventually shows up as overreaction—and causes more damage than the original issue.
• Be direct. Be clear. Be kind.
Clarity is kindness.
End tough conversations with: “What can I do to help you succeed here?”💡
Chaos at work isn’t always about broken systems. Sometimes it’s about learning how to stay steady when the pressure is coming from above.
If this resonates, I encourage you to watch the Calming Chaos call and join the conversation there—and feel free to share what’s worked (or hasn’t) for you in the comments.
Blessings,
~ Doc 🤠🤙
3
6 comments
Handling Chaos at Work When Leadership Above You Makes It Harder, Not Easier
powered by
skool.com/calm-your-chaos-1458
Join us to crush the chaos and calm the crazymakers. You got this!
Suggested communities
Powered by