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Managed Chaos

Guest post by: Kerri Salls

Article Overview: Could be an oxymoron couldn't it? Chaos is disorder, confusion, commotion, disarray and turmoil. When a leader manages something, it's an effort to handle, cope, control, or direct it. For absolute clarity in this situation, here are two practical tips

Managed Chaos

Could be an oxymoron couldn't it? Chaos is disorder, confusion, commotion, disarray and turmoil. When a leader manages something, it's an effort to handle, cope, control, or direct it. For absolute clarity in this situation, here are two practical tips:

1. Focus on the vision. Bring everyone back to the vision of what you set out to do. Be clear and stress the vision for everyone to reaffirm.
   
   
2. Make your communications:

Clean - clear simple directives, no gobbledygook.

Frequent - at different levels it may be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, but have systems in place to keep it going.

Operational - keep it constructive and forward moving.

Drive it daily - you set the example.

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Article Tags: chaos, clarity, communication, confusion, disarray, leader, leadership, management, organization, vision



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Erica Ehm profile, Ladies Who Launch - Meet Erica Ehm Interview Meet Erica Ehm in Toronto at Ladies Who Launch LIVE on September 29. Erica Ehm rocks. And she does it with the lights on. At least, she used to. One of Canada's most recognized media personalities, Erica was barely in her 20s when she became the first female video jockey on Canada's MuchMusic cable TV station. Erica went on to launch a multi-media career that has included television, radio, film, theater, journalism, songwriting, and music publishing. The birth of her son, Joshua, however, changed her pace and direction on a dime. As a new mother, she found herself confused, afraid, isolated and depressed, and she wasn't alone. Yummy Mummy Club was launched to create an online community for women with "kids, guilt and no time for themselves." Cheeky and playful, it speaks to "finding the impossible balance between the single sexpot she used to be, the woman she's become, the professional she works hard to be, the wife she aspires to be and the mother she has to be." What I learned from Erica: the key to success is to dream. "To make your dream come true, you first have to have a dream." And,"You have to be very specific as to what you're trying to achieve. Go at it, day in and day out. Meet people. Network. Use others' expertise to your mutual benefit. Find the 'frenemies' around you. And, be prepared for more work than you ever thought possible." Birth of a Video Jockey "I always wanted to be in music and acting. They were my passion, and, as a VJ, I could combine the two. "When I was 16, I worked at a local radio station. My next jobs were at larger radio and TV stations. They saw that I was passionate and driven. I was able to make a demo tape and I basically thrust my talent on MuchMusic. "I also ran the school yearbook, wrote a student newspaper column and did my college yearbook. A pattern emerged that I didn't notice. It was that I've always been a spokesperson for my generation." School of Hard Knocks "I went to the school of hard knocks. I learned on the job. I had no formal training, script or director and I was on the air live for four hours every day. I survived and flourished." Fearless Good Girl "I learned to be fearless in front of an audience and camera. "I was creating my own persona and messaging from the time I was in my early 20s on live national TV. This forced me to examine my priorities and what kind of message I wanted to send. "I positioned myself as a good girl, an inspiration and a role model, as opposed to the party animal rock and roller. I used the platform to spread inspiration to young people and women. No one ever wrote a script for me. It all came from my heart." Ups and Downs of Celebrity "I was somewhat of an introvert and initially not comfortable with people. I just wanted to interview rock stars and understand their creative abilities. I didn't think about and wasn't prepared for celebrity. "It did allow me the opportunity to get my message out. I learned how to use the media for my own ways and how to navigate an interview." Shock of Motherhood "I was totally unprepared for the psychological, emotional and physical changes when I had my son, Josh. I did all the research, but it hit me over the head like a hammer. I was in a fog and totally depressed and terrified." Dirty Little Secrets "I wondered if anyone else was having such a terrible time. Out at parks and places, I started to talk to other mothers and tell them my experiences. "They'd say, 'Me, too.' I realized it was a dirty little secret that no one is sharing because they're too ashamed that they're not the perfect mother. "I thought, there has to be some way to talk to moms and tell them they're not alone, that we're all going through same thing and it's OK." Yummy Mummy Club "I wanted to create a place on the internet to share and celebrate our lives as mothers. The idea was to stop talking to moms like they're just moms. "We are women first. Part of the discussion will be about motherhood, but we are also lovers, girlfriends, athletes and so much more. A mother is not just a caretaker of children. So many of us forget that when we have a child and start to lose our identity. Definition of a Yummy Mummy "It means different things to different people. She's an inspired multi-tasking mom who feels good about herself and takes good care of herself. She's a great role model for her friends, kids and family." Hooked up With a Delicious Daddy "A Delicious Daddy is a father who is connected to his family on a domestic level. He doesn't just go to work, come home and say, 'Honey, where's supper?' He's connected on an emotional and physical level. Imperfect: The New Perfect "Moms need to lose the guilt and fear. It's all a state of mind. It's important to keep the idea of 'happy mummy, happy family' in perspective. Sometimes a mom has to take care of herself and put her needs first. Refreshed and inspired, she'll be able to be there for her kids in a better way." Prepare For Chaos "For all the talk about balance, really there is no balance. As soon as you have it, something goes out of whack. Be prepared for chaos." Turning Point "My business model has been based on my own intuition. I built my website by hand myself on intuition. Its message and feel reflected my strong vision. I was a one-woman operation until recently. "Now I've hit a plateau. I'm still doing most of the hands-on, but now someone does the site for me. I hired a mom-preneur of Craigslist. I've hired a firm to handle the invoicing and I have virtual assistants. My sister in law is the 'prize queen' and she contacts our contest winners. "I love the transition. I'm very careful about who I'm asking to join my team. Everyone has exceeded my expectations. The secret is, hire moms. They know how to multi-task, they take great pride in their work and they know about self-employment. Moms are the best untapped market." Yummy Future "YummyFriends is my new social networking site for women and moms to meet and support each other. It's a place to share sexy secrets, fave books and cool questions. "My biggest initiative to date is a user-generated contest to find Canada's Yummiest Mummy. It's a 12-week contest beginning over Labor Day. Thousands of videos will be uploaded and there will be prizes for winners, voters, and people who forward news of the contest. It's a huge undertaking with a cheeky, playful vibe." Yummy Last Words 'The only way you'll succeed is to put work and time in. It can't be all about money because then you'll start compromising left, right and center. You have to be consistent about your dream. Have the attitude, 'If you build it, they will come.' "Starting out in the spotlight so young, I learned that the key to success is to be fearless. Don't be afraid to ask, to take chances and to risk being turned down. Roll with the punches and get back up."


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