In the latest episode of the Sales Leadership Show, titled "Built to Beat Chaos," host Phil Gerbyshak explores the profound insights of Gary Harpst on harnessing chaos as a catalyst for personal and organizational growth. Harpst, a seasoned CEO with five decades of leadership experience and an author inspired by biblical wisdom, shares invaluable perspectives on leading oneself and others through the tumult of life and business.
"Recognize that you are built to beat chaos."
At the onset, Harpst shares the transformative advice that shaped his career and led to his latest book. He explains, "The best advice I ever got was to recognize that I am built to beat chaos. So many times, I've felt like a victim of chaos, and it turns out we're not intended to be victims, but victors." This mindset shift from victimhood to victory is central to his philosophy and serves as a cornerstone for his teachings on leadership.
"Chaos is not an enemy, it's just a set of circumstances which you need to figure out what your purpose is."
During the conversation, Harpst challenges the conventional perception of chaos as inherently negative. "Chaos, if you really go back to the first time it's discussed in scripture, is just raw material from which we can build things," he states. This redefinition encourages leaders to view chaotic situations as opportunities filled with potential, waiting to be shaped by a clear and purpose-driven approach.
"The symptom of this sense of being closed in by chaos is a sign to think a little more about your purpose."
Harpst emphasizes the critical relationship between chaos and purpose. He advises that feeling overwhelmed by chaos should act as a cue to refocus and clarify one’s purpose. This clarity allows individuals to prioritize actions and manage chaos effectively, turning overwhelming situations into structured, actionable plans.
Throughout the episode, Harpst provides practical advice for leaders facing chaotic environments. He illustrates this with a real-world example from a healthcare provider on the south side of Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overwhelmed by an influx of service requests, the organization needed to prioritize effectively. Harpst advised them to focus singularly on improving their response rate to incoming calls, which helped reduce the chaos and clarified the demand.
Leadership, according to Harpst, starts from within. It involves aligning one's desires, reason, and actions to navigate and order one’s internal chaos before effectively leading others. He elaborates on the biblical perspective of being designed to overcome chaos, likening leadership to cooking a meal or building a house—both processes that transform a set of diverse components into a coherent and purposeful whole.
In Conclusion: Gary Harpst’s insights on "Built to Beat Chaos" reveal a profound understanding of leadership as a dynamic interplay between internal clarity and external challenges. By reframing chaos as an opportunity and emphasizing the importance of purpose, Harpst not only provides a blueprint for personal growth but also enhances organizational resilience and effectiveness. His biblical inspirations serve as a foundation for a leadership style that is both transformative and deeply human-centric, advocating for a leadership that nurtures both individual and collective growth in facing the inevitable chaos of life.
Built to Beat Chaos with Gary Harpst