Thriving in Chaos

Jerry Pico, Lead, Global Culture Transformation, Daiichi Sankyo

In recent years we’ve been introduced to several new acronyms to describe what we’ve collectively been experiencing:

VUCA: Volatile Unpredictable Complex Ambiguous

BANI: Brittle Anxious Non-linear Incomprehensible

Basically, what these terms are describing is chaos, and how it makes us feel – for many people it’s simply overwhelming and people feel powerless, but it doesn’t have to be that way – in most cases it’s a choice or a mindset. Let’s take a deeper look…

The dictionary describes chaos as “complete disorder and confusion having a sudden and sizable impact”, which are generally believed to be caused by random or unpredictable factors, but in reality, chaos or chaotic situations are often mathematically or scientifically predictable ‘Black Swan’ events.

Investopedia describes a Black Swan event as: “…an unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected of a situation and has potentially severe consequences. Black swan events are characterized by their extreme rarity, severe impact, and the widespread insistence they were obvious in hindsight.” Take the recent pandemic for example – given the rapid advancement of science and society in the past decades, was it completely unpredictable – no, but it created chaos, and global disruption on a scale rarely seen in one’s lifetime.

I’m a person who innately thrives in chaos, and have developed a career in part by showing others how to adapt and bring order to chaos in organizations so that it’s more manageable – though, I wasn’t really sure how I did it – for me, as a natural and trained systems’ thinker, optimist and lifelong learner – it was an intuitive process. Perhaps growing up in New York City also had an influence – one needs to be able to thrive in chaos in order to survive.

As I was seeking more clarity, I decided to do what many people are doing these days, and ask the most learned entity on the planet, ChatGPT.

Q: How can one thrive in chaos?

A: To thrive in chaos, one can develop skills such as adaptability, creativity, and resilience. It can also be helpful to focus on what is within one's control, rather than becoming overwhelmed by external factors. Additionally, seeking out opportunities for growth and learning, maintaining a positive mindset, and finding ways to connect with others can all contribute to thriving in chaotic situations.

I found this to be an extremely helpful and accurate answer, one that basically describes what Carol Dweck has called a “Growth Mindset”.

I’d like to explain why I’ve been thinking about this, and why it may be relevant to you even though it may have seemed a bit esoteric and abstract thus far.

For the last two years, I’ve been part of a team (in collaboration with our external partners, McKinsey and Korn Ferry) who have been leading our company, Daiichi Sankyo, Co. Ltd., through a global culture transformation. Let me put this in perspective: we are a 125-year-old Japanese pharmaceutical company operating globally, and we begin a culture transformation in the middle of a global pandemic – few situations could be more chaotic at an organizational level; and yet we’ve had amazing results as indicated by our most recent Global Engagement Survey and overall business success.

How is this possible? Because we are creating a culture of Learning in which our leaders and employees are adopting a growth mindset to develop a culture of continuous learning so that we can effectively adapt to whatever change or chaos – internal or external – with which we are confronted.

“Take the recent pandemic for example – given the rapid advancement of science and society in the past decades, was it completely unpredictable – no, but it created chaos, and global disruption on a scale rarely seen in one’s lifetime.”

In order to take this to the next level, three weeks ago we held our first ever Leadership Forum in Tokyo – one day with our top 140 global leaders present – completely dedicated to culture, and I was asked to set the tone for the day by giving a keynote address on growth mindset.

In preparing for this, I once again asked ChatGPT:

Q: Why is it important for leaders and employees to have a growth mindset?

A: Having a growth mindset is important for leaders and employees because it enables them to embrace challenges, learn from failure, and continually develop their skills and abilities. It helps them to be more adaptable, innovative and resilient in the face of change and uncertainty.

Basically, the ability to thrive in chaos!

Here are four steps you can take to thrive in chaos:

● Chaos is predictable – especially in a world where change occurs and scales extremely quickly – therefore, manage your expectations – both personally, and on an organizational level; tomorrow may be like today, but don’t expect it to be. And don’t fear change – embrace it! Change doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you…even if it doesn’t immediately appear that way.

● Develop a growth mindset in order to be adaptable and resilient, and proactively address change and thrive in chaos.

● Establish a regular mindfulness or meditation practice if you don’t already have one, that way when change happens – you don’t have to panic and react irrationally – instead you can breathe, center yourself and think before acting.

● And finally, the linguistic root of the word chaos comes from the ancient Greek language meaning the primordial and generative “void” or “abyss”, from which according to Greek mythology, the universe was created, so when confronted with chaos – be creative!

Pharmaceutical