"Chaotic" as a Leadership Style

Unraveling a chaotic leadership environment is possible with intention and accountability.

We know that leadership style can make or break a team, and chaotic leadership is no exception. Chaotic leadership styles lead to confusion, decreased morale, and lower productivity in the team, and an always-present hum of anxiety within the leader. The pressure of leading in our rapidly changing world can lead to chaos within both the team and the leader if we don’t cultivate an ongoing continuing awareness of how we lead.

What Chaotic Leadership Does….

Chaotic leaders often display unpredictable behavior, shifting priorities, and a lack of clear direction. This type of environment breeds uncertainty. A 2021 survey revealed that 52% of employees reported feelings of confusion at work, directly linked to unclear leadership.

A major issue with chaotic leadership is the damage it does to trust within the team. Trust is critical for effective teamwork and collaboration. Some characteristics of chaotic leadership include a lack of direction, unpredictability, and a tendency to create instability, often by being unavailable, passive, or permissive.  It is difficult to trust a leader who displays these tendencies, and that mistrust will spill over into how the team functions together. When leaders demonstrate these behaviors, teams may experience lower motivation, decreased productivity, and higher turnover. This will also result in lost opportunities for innovation today, where it is needed perhaps now more than ever.

In addition, chaotic leadership contributes to employee burnout. The World Health Organization outlined that chronic workplace stress often leads to burnout. Erratic workloads and unclear expectations can leave team members feeling overwhelmed and fatigued, stifling creativity and overall job satisfaction.

Might your leadership style be chaotic?

Here are some signs that could indicate your leadership approach is landing as chaotic: Are goals and project timelines frequently changing? Do team members often seem confused about their specific roles and responsibilities? These are red flags that could indicate a need for more structure in leadership style.  If you notice these red flags, here are a couple of strategies to help you overcome them:

• Establish Clear Objectives

A key strategy to combat chaotic leadership is to set definitive, achievable objectives. For example, instead of saying “increase productivity,” specify “improve team output by 20% over the next quarter.” This provides your team with a clear path and reduces ambiguity, allowing them to concentrate on their responsibilities with assurance.

• Embrace Flexibility, Not Chaos

Flexibility is vital in modern workplaces, but it should not come at the expense of clarity. Encourage your team to be adaptable in their methods while adhering to an established framework to guide decisions. This allows team members to explore diverse approaches to a project, while providing a timeline and basic guidelines.

Do you want to know more about the Plot Twist exercise? Click the link to contact us:https://www.clearsight-coach.com/coaching

Shifting your leadership style from chaotic to constructive requires commitment and thoughtfulness that will pay off in your team's elevated productivity, and a less anxious way of working for you. Chaos might be the lifestyle you've learned, but change is possible if you are willing to do the work. To help you make the transition from a chaotic leadership life, don't be afraid to seek out a thought partner or coach to provide accountability as you transform into your best self as a leader.

Michele Aikens is Lead Coach at Clear Sight Coaching & Consulting, Inc.