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What if we told you that the most successful higher education leaders don't avoid chaos—they harness it?
While others are paralyzed by uncertainty, these "chaos pilots" are transforming disruption into opportunity, setbacks into sidesteps, and ambiguity into innovation.
In today's release—the fifth installment of Dr. Melissa Morriss-Olson's IngenioUs Leadership blog series—she dives deep into Chapter 8: Chaos as Catalyst, exploring how exceptional leaders navigate our rapidly changing landscape with what poet John Keats called "negative capability": the ability to thrive in uncertainty without frantically reaching for certainty.
Read: Two Essential Habits of Chaos Pilots
 Read the full blog post here: "Chaos as Catalyst: Piloting Through Challenges and Opportunities"
Discover how leaders like:

• E. Gordon Gee turned a $45 million budget deficit into a catalyst for transformation
• Michael Sorrell made a bold accreditation pivot that saved Paul Quinn College
• Nicholas Covino is revolutionizing mental health on campus by questioning fundamental assumptions
• Ben Nelson completely reimagined higher education with Minerva University's radical model

You'll learn the two core habits that separate leaders who merely manage change from those who design it—and practical ways to implement these strategies immediately.
But here's what makes this release extra special...
 Watch the companion video featuring voices from Dr. Morriss-Olson's latest podcast season

Check out our  powerful 15-minute video that brings these concepts to life through the authentic voices of remarkable women leaders, including:

• Dr. Annette Parker (South Central College) on strategic thinking during industry disruption
• Dr. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Augustana University) on the art of strategic risk-taking
• Dr. Barbara Mistick (NAICU) on cross-industry innovation strategies
• Dr. Sandra Harper  (McMurry University) on resilience for the long-term
• Dr. Marcheta Evans (St. Catherine University) on radical transparency as transformation
• Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan (St. Mary's College of Maryland) on systematic self-renewal

• Where am I trying to control what cannot be controlled?
• How might my current "crisis" actually be an opportunity in disguise?
• What experiment could I start today that might fail—but could also transform everything?
• How am I modeling resilience and growth for my community?

The future of higher education won't be built by leaders who avoid chaos—it will be shaped by those who learn to pilot through it.
Navigate with purpose. Lead through uncertainty. Pilot with courage.
Best,
The CHELIP Team
P.S. After you read and watch, we'd love to hear which insight resonated most with you. Simply reply to this email and share your thoughts—we read every response personally.

These leaders don't just talk about thriving in chaos—they demonstrate it through their lived experiences and hard-won wisdom.
Your Chaos Navigation Questions
As you engage with both the blog and video, consider these reflection questions:What's Next?
This is the fifth of six installments in Dr. Morriss-Olson's IngenioUs Leadership blog series, each lifting up core themes from her book that emerged through interviews with higher education leaders across the country.
Haven't caught up on the previous posts? You can find the complete series here.
Want to dive deeper? Her book IngenioUs Leadership: Creating Solutions to Wicked Problems in Higher Education provides the complete framework and additional insights from all her research.