Living on the Edge of Chaos – Where Leaders Become Undone
- Brainz Magazine
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
Written by Maya Niksic, Leadership Coach
Maya Niksic is a Belgrade-born, Harvard-educated Serbian-American women’s leadership expert. Welcome to Maya's world where unleashing your inner superstar is the daily agenda. Maya is the Founder and CEO of Adaptive Leadership Atelier.
We tell ourselves stories about leadership. We tell ourselves there are rules, hierarchies of knowing, someone who holds the answer. But today, as early September envelops the world, I wonder about the dangerous edge on which so many of us stand. A place where assurances fall silent, a threshold where we meet the truth that all our strategies, all our careful planning, are whispers before something much larger, much stranger. Here, at the edge of chaos, a leader becomes a witness to their own unraveling.
Photo credit: Margaret Polinder
“Who am I when I am not the one with all the answers?”
Who am I when I am not the one with all the answers?
In October 2008, during my days on Wall Street, I remember a night that remains vivid seventeen years later. I was sitting at my desk after another relentless day. The markets were in freefall, firms crumbling under the weight of losses once thought unimaginable. I left the office around 2 a.m., stepping out onto the quiet streets of Lower Manhattan. The city had a different tone in those hours, a fog hanging thick over Broad Street. I felt as though I had stepped into a different world, a liminal world, surreal and suspended in time, with the city caught in the twilight. The falling leaves mixed with a sense of impending collapse, a feeling that the familiar was falling away, making space for a world we didn’t yet recognize. It was as if I could feel the ground shifting beneath us, leaving us at the precipice of something we didn’t yet understand.
External link: Harvard Business Review’s exploration of adaptive leadership
The edge of chaos is not a metaphor
When I speak of the edge of chaos, I am not speaking in abstractions or theories. I am speaking of a very real place, a trembling frontier, where systems, routines, and identities either evolve or regress. It is a space that calls us, as leaders, to let go of what we think we know. This edge, this liminal space, is where transformation begins but also where the familiar dissolves, leaving us in uncertainty.
To lead from this edge is to allow for what is beyond our comprehension. And yet, in this disturbing suspension, we often encounter our greatest question: What if our work as leaders is not to fix the broken pieces but to sit with the fractures, to witness them without rushing to make them whole?
“What if our work as leaders is not to fix the broken pieces but to sit with the fractures, to witness them without rushing to make them whole?”
The vertigo of unraveling
There is a particular sensation that comes with standing at the edge of chaos. A kind of vertigo, a dissolution of the boundary between what we know and what we cannot yet understand. That night in New York City, as I stepped out into the early-morning fog, I felt the unsteady ground beneath us all. It was as if the world had lost its balance, and we were all reaching for something to hold onto. That vertigo was a reminder that the stories we had relied upon were no longer reliable.
“At the edge of chaos, leadership is no longer about mastery over complexity; it is about allowing oneself to be unmade by it.”
At the edge of chaos, leadership is no longer about mastery over complexity; it is about allowing oneself to be unmade by it. This unmaking is not a failure of leadership but its evolution. When we resist this unmaking, when we cling to our old maps and metrics, we miss the invitation that chaos offers: the chance to discover what lies beyond our current understanding.
Holding space for brokenness
We are taught to see brokenness as something to fix, to hide, to repair as quickly as possible. But at the edge of chaos, brokenness is not a flaw; it is a doorway. It is a place of passage. Here, leadership is not about patching things together but about holding space for what is falling apart.
There is wisdom in allowing things to break, in bearing witness to the cracks that run through our systems, our organizations, our very selves. To lead from this place is to resist the urge to fix and instead sit with what is incomplete. This, I believe, is the most radical act of leadership: to resist the impulse to mend and, instead, to allow ourselves to feel the weight of what cannot be restored.
“This, I believe, is the most radical act of leadership: to resist the impulse to mend and, instead, to allow ourselves to feel the weight of what cannot be restored.”
This surrender is counterintuitive. To stand still as the world unravels is to go against every instinct, every expectation. It requires a courage that is quiet, a trust in forces that operate beyond the reach of our understanding. In many ways, this is the heart of adaptive leadership: a recognition that transformation is not a project to be completed but an unfolding to be witnessed.
“Leadership at the edge of chaos is an act of becoming.”
Leadership at the edge of chaos is an act of becoming. It is not about arriving at certainty but about stepping into the unknown, willing to be transformed. At this edge, leaders are called not to fix but to grow, not to impose but to evolve. It is an act of shedding the old and allowing the new to emerge within the self, the system, and the collective.
Leadership at the edge of chaos is an act of stillness. It is the willingness to stay with what is unresolved, to sit with the gaps and fractures without rushing to fill them. It is a practice of patience, of humility, of honoring the unknown. Here, a leader becomes a threshold figure, a custodian of paradox, standing between the known and the unknown, the old and the emerging.
What if our role as leaders is not to provide clarity but to hold space for ambiguity? What if we are here to witness the disintegration of old forms and to nurture the emergence of something we cannot yet name? This is the essence of leading from the edge: the willingness to stand in the unlit spaces, to embrace the mystery of what lies ahead.
There is a power in this kind of leadership, a strength that does not come from answers but from questions, from curiosity. It is the strength of those who are willing to be unmade, to be remade by the forces that shape us all. And in this willingness, we find not only a new way of leading but a new way of being.
External link: In Mastering The Art Of Leadership Jazz – Diagnosing Adaptive Challenges In A Technical World, I explore how leaders distinguish between technical fixes and adaptive work.
Leadership at the edge of chaos is not an act of strategy but an act of development. It requires more than technical expertise or quick solutions; it demands a transformation of the leader's way of making sense of the world. In moments of complexity, leaders are called to move beyond their current meaning-making structures, to expand their capacity to hold ambiguity, and to see themselves as part of a larger system in flux.
This is the essence of leading through adaptive challenges. It is not about exerting control over uncertainty but about allowing oneself to grow with it. At the threshold, a leader must undergo the difficult work of letting go of old assumptions, identities, and frameworks that no longer serve. Leadership at this edge requires the ability to move beyond constructing one's own frameworks to seeing the world through multiple perspectives simultaneously.
What if uncertainty is not a problem to be solved but a developmental opportunity? The leader’s task is to foster a holding environment where both the self and the system can evolve, where the discomfort of not-knowing becomes a catalyst for deeper understanding and connection.
Here, leadership is not about arriving at answers but about expanding one’s capacity to live in the questions. It is about growing beyond the impulse to fix, to rescue, or to resolve prematurely. Instead, the leader becomes a co-creator of the future, engaging with complexity not as an adversary but as a teacher, as a partner in the ongoing evolution of the self and the system.
External link: I explore the foundations of adaptive leadership and when the familiar no longer holds in Navigating Through Darkness – The Essential Role Of Adaptive Leadership In Chaotic Times
Practical steps for building adaptive capacity
For those who find themselves standing at the edge, wondering how to lead in the midst of such profound uncertainty, here are steps that, though practical, are rooted in a deep understanding that transformation requires patience, openness, and a willingness to let go.
Standing at the threshold: Growing through uncertainty
1. Reading the invisible
Adaptive leadership begins with seeing what is present, even if it is uncomfortable. We are trained to look for solutions, but at the edge, leadership sometimes involves "doing by not doing." It is a practice of seeing without intervening, of allowing what is hidden to become visible.
Action step: Practice holding silence within your team. Allow the unspoken to surface. Sometimes, the answers we seek emerge only when we make space for them.
2. Embrace the unseen “elephants in the room”
Leaders at the edge must cultivate the courage to name the unspoken. These are the "elephants in the room" the uncomfortable truths that everyone knows but no one acknowledges. This is not about forcing solutions but about creating a space where truth can be seen and held without fear.
Action step: Create forums for open discussion where difficult topics are not only welcomed but expected. Encourage your team to name the unspoken, to confront what lies beneath the surface.
3. Create a strong holding environment
A "holding environment" is a space that can contain the discomfort of change, a space where tension is allowed to be present without overwhelming the system. This requires leaders to be both steady and flexible, balancing stability with openness.
Action step: Develop team rituals that encourage reflection, bravery, and dialogue. Create a space where individuals feel safe enough to express vulnerability and uncertainty.
4. Honor the necessary losses
Every act of transformation requires that something be left behind. Adaptive leadership means honoring what must fall away, whether it is a belief, a structure, or a way of being. This is not an easy process, but it is a necessary one.
Action step: Guide your team in acknowledging the losses that come with change. Allow space for mourning, for letting go, for honoring what is no longer part of the path forward.
5. Build bridges across divides
Leadership at the edge requires a willingness to connect with those who hold different perspectives, even those who may resist or oppose the direction of change. This bridge-building is essential, for transformation cannot occur in isolation.
Action step: Seek out dialogue with those who may not share your vision. Listen deeply, without needing to persuade or convince. Often, the greatest insights come from voices on the periphery.
6. Know when to step back
Sometimes, the most powerful act of leadership is to get out of the way, to allow others to step forward and take ownership of the work. Adaptive leadership means knowing when your role is to guide and when it is to step aside.
Action step: Regularly assess your own role within the team. Ask yourself, "Is my presence here supporting growth, or is it holding it back?" Recognize when stepping aside is the act of leadership.
7. Prepare for the risks of leading at the edge
Leadership is not safe. It involves stepping into spaces that are unpredictable, uncomfortable, and often met with
Action step: Cultivate a network of allies who can offer support and perspective. Adaptive leadership is not a solitary journey; it requires the wisdom and resilience of the entire community.
Embracing the edge: The invitation to become undone
The edge of chaos is not a comfortable place, but it is where the most profound growth occurs. To lead from this space is to release the need to control, to allow oneself to be unmade, to become part of a larger movement. Here, we do not lead with certainty; we lead with openness, with a willingness to be changed by the journey.
This edge is an invitation. It asks us to step out of the roles we have been given, to leave behind the titles and structures that have defined us, to become something new. To lead here is to trust in the unseen, to walk in the dark with courage that comes not from knowing but from not knowing.
Are you ready to lead from the edge?
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke
To glimpse more of my journey, philosophy, and the path that brought me here, read my Executive Contributor Interview with Brainz Magazine, Designing Life, Leadership, and Legacy With Style – Exclusive Interview With Maya Niksic.
Maya Niksic is the founder of Adaptive Leadership Atelier, launching later this year. Join the journey via newsletter and connect with X. Her favorite things include black tea and suede boots.
Read more from Maya Niksic
Maya Niksic, Leadership Coach
A dynamo in the world of leadership development, Maya Niksic has taken the leap from the heights of NYC's investment banks to the frontlines of women's leadership coaching. Belgrade-born and Harvard-polished, she moves through life's complexities with resilience shaped by conflict and crisis. Maya is a blend of mystic and alchemist, turning personal and professional battlegrounds into extraordinary growth with each inquiry. Maya is not just coaching – she is revolutionizing the way we lead and live. Welcome to Maya’s world where unleashing your inner superstar is the daily agenda. Maya is the Founder CEO of Adaptive Leadership Atelier. Her favorite things include black tea and suede boots.
References:
Heifetz, R. A. (1998). Leadership without easy answers. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Retrieved from Harvard University Press.
Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review.
Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). Immunity to change: How to overcome it and unlock the potential in yourself and your organization. Harvard Business Review Press. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review.
Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2016). An everyone culture: Becoming a deliberately developmental organization. Harvard Business Review Press. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review.
