Here’s one of my best stories - I have so many! —a time when chaos could only be tamed by taking a breath and rethinking the approach.

I was contract and procurement lead in a pioneering oil and gas project in the Arctic, where we faced pressures on all fronts: we were weeks behind schedule and billions over budget. The project itself was a feat, using a conventional offshore platform design in Arctic waters, something no one had done before. Everything was adapted to Arctic-proof specifications, including a carefully designed drill floor with specialized doors to prevent freezing. But just as we thought we’d solved one problem, another sprang up: the drill floor was icing over, fast.

The initial reaction was panic. Engineering teams were being called on to rework the design, which would have taken weeks or more—while we needed a fix yesterday. We were already billions in the red, so flying out expensive equipment wasn’t feasible either. A redesign wasn’t just slow and costly; it was potentially impossible, with layers of approvals and contracts, each party more overwhelmed than the last. It was a domino effect of delays and costs waiting to happen. Yet we couldn’t avoid it either; a nonfunctional drill floor would halt production entirely, which wasn’t an option.

But as the weight of this ‘solution’ started sinking in, we realized that going back to engineering might only push us deeper into trouble. We connected with some folks on-site to see if they could pinpoint what exactly was causing the issue, and after some investigation, the real culprit emerged. The doors were difficult to maneuver with the constant material handling, so workers had been propping them open, letting in the Arctic cold. The design wasn’t failing—it was simply too cumbersome for the job.

With this clarity, a group brainstorming session led us to a faster, simpler idea: install a set of flaps like those in the cooler sections of big-box stores. Durable yet flexible, they would keep the warmth in without needing constant opening and closing. We still paid a fortune for emergency transport, but compared to the cost of a redesign, it was a lifesaver.

This experience underscores why, in a business emergency, you must pause to assess before moving forward. A knee-jerk reaction to redesign would have buried us deeper in chaos. Instead, by stepping back, we found a practical solution that saved the project—and proved the value of staying calm in the storm.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved structuring chaos. As a kid, I was fascinated with organizing everything from Lego bricks to imaginary hoarded houses. Of course I also loved puzzles. This pull toward structuring and connecting, solving challenges, naturally led me into engineering. I joined the oil and gas industry fresh out of school, a young engineer following the prescribed career ladder. But it didn’t take long for everyone—including me—to realize I couldn’t stay in one lane. Where others saw rigid paths, I saw connections and opportunities, and I thrived in the spaces between, bridging gaps between teams and tackling problems no one else had yet claimed.

One pivotal conversation with a mentor shaped my career. Sensing my frustration with standard roles, he encouraged me to “play in the gray”—those undefined spaces where most avoid venturing. He explained that large organizations need people who integrate, who bring others together, and who aren’t afraid to handle complex, unboxed work. That insight shifted my perspective, and soon I found myself on a unique path: one where I rarely applied for roles but instead was called in to “unstick” projects, align misaligned teams, and step into high-stakes, high-stress environments.

My journey led me to work on frontier projects in remote, challenging locations, where everything from weather to budgets seemed stacked against success. Under constant time and resource pressures, I had the flexibility to step outside traditional job boundaries, often taking on tasks that weren’t officially mine. Whether it was answering a Friday night call for an offshore emergency repair or connecting groups working in isolation, I naturally gravitated toward filling the gaps and problem-solving on the fly.

I’ve also been part of business emergency response teams, tasked with managing real-time crises in high-stakes environments. Much like a fire brigade, these teams are the command structure during incidents in heavy industry—where quick, coordinated action is essential to safety. Over the years, I developed a deep respect for clear, effective decision-making structures, recognizing how they enable agility and calm, even in chaos.

In addition to my professional experience, my background as a skipper has shaped my approach. Navigating offshore waters requires controlling what you can—your vessel, your crew—while adjusting to unpredictable elements like weather, shifting tides, and passenger concerns. My work is similar: every project is a ship, each team member a passenger, and my role is to get us safely from A to B, adapting as needed while keeping everyone aligned and engaged.

This blend of practical, flexible, and strategic decision-making is what I bring to every project, helping teams navigate complexity, find calm amid chaos, and even enjoy the journey.