When everything feels messy, most leaders reach for more tactics and more meetings. In this conversation, I sit down with Maartje van Krieken - engineer, skipper, crisis strategist, and host of The Business Emergency Room Podcast - to talk about how to triage chaos, make cleaner decisions, and realign people and processes without burning everyone out. We cover her "coat rack" process metaphor, the emotional side of chaos (and why emotion = people still care), and a simple way to de-risk the options you've been carrying around in your head. If you're navigating growth, change, or just too many priorities, this one's a compass and a raincoat.

Takeaways

• Triage first, then treat: stabilize cash/commitments/people before "fixing" root causes.

• Emotion is a signal, not a problem: frustration often means people still care—use it.

• The coat-rack rule: lightweight, fit-for-purpose processes prevent "stuff on the floor."

• Preventive leadership: "see your people," listen for small irritations before they scale.

• Decision hygiene: define options to de-risk them; clarity beats carrying cognitive baggage.

• Sail the weather you're in: keep destination clear, adjust the route—not the mission.

• Yes, And in chaos: assume positive intent, ask a better question, redirect the energy.

Links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/
• https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/
• https://www.thebusinessemergencyroom.com/
• [email protected]

About Maartje

Maartje van Krieken is a Dutch seasoned executive and host of The Business Emergency Room podcast, where she helps leaders triage chaos and steer their organizations toward stability and growth. With 20+ years leading global, multi-billion-dollar initiatives across from Iraq to India to New Orleans (her current base), she now guides mid-market B2B companies as a Fractional CEO/COO/CSO through The Chaos Games Consulting. She focuses on Triage, Decision Making Mechanics, People Dynamics and closing the gap to potential.

Her typical roles are Business Value or Start-Up Advisor, Executive Coach, Exit Planning Specialist, Speaker / Workshop Facilitator and various Board Positions. She is also an Entrepreneur, Investor, accredited Disaster Action Specialist, a Skipper and a mom to 3 teens committed to helping leaders and businesses turn chaos around and perform better in today's VUCA environment.