Lessons for a father - Unfashioned. Unframed. Chaos.

Image Courtesy: Flickr

I do not like what it stands for, but for some odd reason I love the word! In one word we can explain so much that may happen around us and the state of things. A few weeks ago, I started reading about its origins and came to realize that it had a deeper meaning than I thought.

Chaos is from the Greek word Khaos, meaning "gaping void". A gaping void of what though? It stands for nothingness or an absence of anything. That is a part of what it stands for. Let us delve deeper.

From our perspective are we, as leaders and parents, creating a void by not doing what needs to be done sometimes?

The word, chaos, brings out a very negative emotion usually. I have hardly met anyone that wants or craves chaos. We, usually, prefer some sort of an order to things. Then why is it that we fail to remove chaos from our lives completely? Again, I do not have an answer to that.

Dive a little deeper and we will realize that according to mythology, Chaos was a confused shapeless mass from which the universe was developed into a cosmos, or harmonious order. Harmony came from chaos? That is indicative to me. Looks like someone took the opportunity of the void, the absence, and created balance. Can we emulate that behavior?

Here is what I would do.

• Remove everything that is superfluous. If we do not need it, there should not be any place for it in our mind or lives.
• Simplify. Make everything simple enough for anyone to understand. The simpler things are, the easier it would be for everyone to do and follow. Simple = less confusion = usually less chaos.
• Make good communication a necessity. Communication holds the key to our success. Try and do anything without good and clear communication and you will know what I mean.
• Have a vision. It is very hard to run a marathon without knowing when and where it ends. Without knowing where we are going, confusion and chaos will surely follow.
• Whatever you do, keep people first. If we all lay the ground work, through communication, clarity and a vision, and the main component - that of the human element, is taken care of chaos will not win.

There is a lot of good in this world. But, we also have a "lack" around us. There is, sometimes,  an absence of leadership, of good advice, of laughter, of food, of love and empathy, of kindness, of teamwork, of giving, of gratitude, and yes of balance among a great many other things.

I think it is time that we stepped up the proverbial plate and took up that challenge. Let us make remove chaos and create harmony.

What do you do to remove chaos from your personal or professional life?