Creating Strength in Chaos with Kevin Black

Is chaos something to fear or something we can leverage? Kevin sits down with Kevin Black to discuss why chaos isn't inherently good or bad and how leaders can prepare to succeed in it. Kevin Black explains how natural behaviors, deeply rooted in our personality and life experiences, influence our reactions to chaos and shape team dynamics. He shares his chaos model, which features a taxonomy of control outcomes, from anarchy to deliberate resistance, and how leaders can identify and respond to each stage. They also discuss the four components of constructive chaos and how mishandling these can lead a team into destructive chaos. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 00:40 Chaos can be used to your advantage 01:16 How to join the podcast live 01:59 Guest introduction: Kevin Black 02:50 Definition of chaos 03:35 Chaos comes from the perception of losing control 04:20 People experience chaos differently based on natural behaviors 05:18 Big idea of the book 07:07 Why Kevin Black wrote the book 07:56 Natural behaviors drive chaos 09:07 How natural behaviors affect reactions to chaos 10:17 Chaos dynamic explained 12:17 Control as the source of chaos 14:32 Control continuum overview 15:04 Anarchy 15:46 Undisciplined initiative 16:35 Disciplined initiative 17:11 Mechanical compliance 17:36 Malicious compliance 18:25 Deliberate resistance 19:57 Constructive vs. destructive chaos 21:01 Unity as the first requirement 22:21 Forward integration 26:00 Mission command 27:47 Trust as the highest level 28:36 Strength in chaos 29:27 Where leaders should start 30:13 Team is the measure of success 31:14 What Kevin Black does for fun 31:32 What he is reading 32:15 Where to connect with Kevin Black 33:24 Closing and Kevin's "Now what?" challenge Kevin's Story: Kevin Black is the author of Strength in Chaos: The Ultimate Leadership Blueprint for Mastering the Uncontrollable, the first book to measure chaos at the leader and team level. He is a veteran U.S. Army officer, strategic advisor, author, and founder of Chaos Studies in Leadership, a new domain exploring how leaders, strategies, and behaviors intersect under pressure. Known for his innovative use of computer wargaming and behavioral profiling, he helps organizations craft flexible strategies and build high-performing teams that thrive under pressure. Kevin's been published in Forbes and USA Today and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his two Australian Cattle Dogs and an American Dingo. https://www.kevinblack.co/ https://www.thechaosbook.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinblack1999 https://www.youtube.com/c/blackmarketleadership   This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.    Book Recommendations Strength in Chaos: The Ultimate Leadership Blueprint for Mastering the Uncontrollable by Kevin Black  Like this? Leading Through Disruption with Tony Hunter The Disruption Mindset with Charlene Li The Upside of Disruption with Terence Mauri  

Would you like to be more insightful? Insight is one of those leadership qualities we admire in others—but rarely think about as a skill we can develop. In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry shares a practical blueprint for becoming more insightful as a leader and as a human being. You'll learn: Why insight comes from slowing down—not speeding up How reflection turns experience into learning The power of asking better questions (of yourself and others) How making connections leads to better decisions Why "what if" thinking builds empathy and understanding How writing or talking ideas out helps lock insight in If you want to make better decisions, lead with greater clarity, and grow into a better version of yourself, this episode is for you. 👉 Remarkable Reminder: You become a better version of yourself when you seek insight before answers. 📩 Want more leadership insights each week? Join our free weekly newsletter, Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential: https://www.kevineikenberry.com/newsletters My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

How can laughter become one of your most powerful leadership tools? In this episode, Kevin welcomes Adam Christing to explore how humor can foster trust, connection, and engagement in the workplace. Adam shares practical strategies for leaders, including his framework of five "laugh languages": self-effacing humor that builds authenticity, the art of poking fun without causing harm, in-jokes that strengthen team bonds, and techniques like amplification and wordplay that enhance storytelling and communication. Adam emphasizes the importance of "planned spontaneity," the idea that intentional preparation allows humor to land naturally and meaningfully. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 00:28 Why humor matters for leaders 01:20 Podcast purpose and live participation 02:05 Guest introduction: Adam Christing 03:44 Big idea: humor builds trust 05:05 Why Adam wrote the book 06:31 Everyone has a sense of humor 07:42 Is humor risky for leaders? 08:16 Guidelines for using humor intentionally 10:17 Humor even in serious situations 11:08 Laugh Language: Poke (self-facing humor) 13:40 How to poke safely as a leader 19:57 Laugh Language: In-jokes 20:34 Knowing your audience 22:10 Leaders aren't trying to be comedians 23:41 Humor strengthens connection 24:49 Laugh Language: Amplify 25:09 Using exaggeration effectively 26:57 Laugh Language: Wordplay 28:11 Test humor in communication 29:12 Planned spontaneity 30:05 Simple ways to spark humor (questions) 31:05 How to recover when humor fails 32:56 Where leaders should start with humor 33:41 Listening for others' humor styles 36:45 Where to find Adam and his book 37:46 Conclusion Adam's Story: Adam Christing is the author of The Laughter Factor: Five Humor Tactics to Link, Lift, and Lead. He is one of America's most sought-after professional speakers and masters of ceremonies. With a signature blend of humor and heart, Adam has hosted events for a wide range of organizations—from Stanford University to the Green Bay Packers. As a humor expert and the founder and CEO of Clean Comedians®, Adam champions the power of laughter to inspire, connect, and create unforgettable experiences, without the need for profanity or politics. Adam has been featured on Entertainment Tonight and in more than 100 podcasts, TV, and radio programs. His warm-hearted comedy has delighted over a million people across 49 U.S. states, as well as in Canada, Europe, and Asia. https://adamchristing.com/ https://thelaughterfactor.com/ https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/68878f40feaa82001501542a https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-christing/   This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations The Laughter Factor: The 5 Humor Tactics to Link, Lift, and Lead by Adam Christing How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie Like this? Humor that Works with (An)Drew Tarvin You Have More Influence Than You Think with Vanessa Bohns Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group    

We are all getting older. That part is unavoidable. But getting old is not the same thing. In this episode of Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast, I challenge a phrase many people say without thinking I am getting old It sounds harmless, but it often becomes an excuse that limits our mindset, our curiosity, and our growth. What if getting old is not something that happens to us, but something we choose through the way we think and talk about ourselves? Let me ask you this While it is true that you are getting older, is getting old the choice you want to make? Get our free weekly newsletter Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

What if the biggest barrier to your leadership success isn't your skills, but your beliefs? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Muriel Wilkins to discuss how deeply held beliefs can limit our growth and impact as leaders. Muriel shares how many high-performing leaders unconsciously operate from outdated or misaligned beliefs; beliefs that may have once served them but now hinder their effectiveness. They also talk about how these "blocking beliefs" develop, why they are so hard to recognize, and how to reframe them to align with who we are becoming as leaders. Muriel's Story: Muriel M. Wilkins is the author of Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential and coauthor of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence. She is the founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. Muriel is also the host of the Harvard Business Review Podcast, Coaching Real Leaders, consistently ranked as a top-ten podcast in Apple's Management category. https://www.murielwilkins.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/murielwilkins/ https://www.instagram.com/coachmurielwilkins This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential by Muriel M. Wilkins  Sovereign Love: A Guide to Healing Relationships by Reclaiming the Masculine and Feminine Within by Dené Logan  Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie  Like this? Understanding the Success Mindsets with Ryan Gottfredson The Mindsets That Separate the Best Leaders with Vikram Malhotra Five Mindsets to Lead Well with Paula Davis Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes   

What two words can make you smarter? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I share the surprisingly simple phrase that helps leaders think more clearly, make better decisions, and avoid the trap of automatic responses. These two words invite us into curiosity, reflection, and wiser choices—and they can change the way you lead starting today. When we say "It depends," we pause long enough to consider context, challenge our biases, and explore new solutions. And when we do that consistently, we become more flexible… and smarter. If you want to navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence, this is a simple but powerful mindset shift. My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.    

What if motivation isn't something people are born with, but something that can be influenced, shaped, and sustained? In this episode, Kevin is joined by Matt Granados to challenge common leadership myths about motivation. Matt reveals a powerful formula for creating sustainable motivation through personal connection, structured systems, and self-awareness. He explores the critical distinction between love-based and fear-based leadership, explains how three simple weekly questions can transform team engagement, and helps leaders identify individual motivation catalysts, including freedom, acknowledgment, connectivity, and support. Matt's Story: Matt Granados is a two-time #1 international bestselling author. His latest book is Motivate the Unmotivated: A Proven System for Sustainable Motivation. He is the founder and CEO of Life Pulse Inc., where he helps organizations fix people problems by solving process problems, once and for all. His Life Pulse Methodology equips leaders and teams to achieve Optimal Performance—the highest sustainable output aligned with human potential. Matt first validated this approach by transforming a Craigslist-hired crew into a $40 million sales team. Since then, companies like Google, Twitter, and the U.S. Air Force have used his system to reduce burnout, increase retention, and engineer culture https://www.lifepulseinc.com/  www.lifepulseinc.com/trlp  https://www.linkedin.com/company/life-pulse-inc/  https://www.facebook.com/LifePulseInc  https://www.instagram.com/lifepulseinc/  https://www.lifepulseinc.com/podcast  This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Motivate the Unmotivated: A proven system for sustainable motivation by Matt Granados ESV Church Bible (Hardcover, Black): Holy Bible, English Standard Version The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies by Chet Holmes  Like this? The Leader's Role in Motivation with Susan Fowler Intrinsic Motivation with Stefan Falk Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

How do you coach someone who only seems to do the bare minimum… even when you know they're capable of so much more? In this episode of Remarkable TV and The Remarkable Leadership Podcast, I share seven practical steps to help you coach, support, and clarify expectations for team members who may be meeting the minimum — but could be achieving more. You'll learn: ✔ Why expectations are almost always misunderstood ✔ How to explore their perspective before offering your perspective ✔ Why "minimum" might not mean what you think ✔ How to help people see the potential you see in them ✔ When to coach, when to support, and when to let it go If you're a leader who wants to help your people grow — especially new or frontline leaders — this episode will give you a simple framework to start the right conversations. Learn more about our From Bud to Boss leadership development resources here: https://kevineikenberry.com/budtoboss  My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

What if the key to more effective leadership lies not in a new strategy, but in understanding your own biology? In this episode, Kevin speaks with Dr. Scott Hutcheson about an unconventional approach to leadership: biohacking. Dr. Hutcheson shares his behavioral leadership model, built around three biodynamic channels: warmth, competence, and gravitas. He identifies specific, observable behaviors within each channel that send powerful signals to teams, signals that either inspire connection and confidence or lead to disengagement. They also discuss how everyday actions like being punctual, actively listening, and managing workload effectively are more than simple good habits. These behaviors function as leadership signals that directly shape how teams perceive their leaders and, ultimately, how they perform. Scott's Story: Dr Scott Hutcheson, PhD, is the is the coauthor of Strategic Doing: Ten Skills for Agile Leadership and his new book, Biohacking Leadership: Leveraging the Biology of Behavior to Maximize Your Impact – the first in a three-book series on the biodynamics of leadership, teams, and organizations. He is a biosocial scientist and senior lecturer at Purdue University, where he studies leadership, teamwork, and organizational performance through the biology of behavior. After a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, he turned to biohacking—using data and feedback loops to optimize health—and soon recognized that the same principles could transform leadership. With over 30 years of experience, Scott has advised the White House, Fortune 400 companies, startups, nonprofits, and communities worldwide. He has worked with more than 4,000 leaders across 147 countries. His TED Talk on the "Science of Prospection" has been viewed over 1.3 million times, and his Forbes column reaches millions of readers, ranking in the top 0.1% of contributors. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Biohacking Leadership: Leveraging the Biology of Behavior to Maximize Your Impact by Scott Hutcheson Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid Like this? Lessons from a Fortune Top 50 Leader with Mitch Daniels Executive Presence with Joel Garfinkle The 8 Strengths that Redefine Confidence with Lisa Sun Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

Do you want to be more productive—at work and at home? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I share the first and most important step to improving your productivity. It's simple, powerful, and often overlooked: deciding what to say no to. We talk about: ✔ Why your to-do list will never be empty ✔ The difference between priority and "priorities" ✔ How clarity creates focus ✔ Why self-confidence matters when saying no ✔ How saying no to the good lets you say yes to the great If you're overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or simply want to get better at choosing the work that matters most — this episode will help. 🔗 Want more practical tools? Explore our curated learning resources designed to help you and your team be more productive: 👉 KevinEikenberry.com/curated My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.