The holidays don't create chaos - they reveal it.

Organizations that operate on heroic effort and last-minute scrambling during “normal” months collapse spectacularly under holiday pressure.

For CEOs, founders, and operational leaders, sustainable systems mean being able to flex during peak disruption seasons without losing velocity or clarity.

In this Forbes feature, I shared a systems-first approach to preparing for holiday seasons as an organizational design opportunity, not a crisis.

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"Create systems that limit and isolate any potential for catastrophic events. Deal with current crises through root cause team efforts and developing management plans together. Minimizing day-to-day risks is essential for any downstaff scenario. Train everyone through essential scenarios and rotating drills. With end-of-year planning, expect less and assume teammates will be gone as they take time off."

~ Kinga Vajda, Forbes Coaches Council

Systems that can’t flex under predictable stress aren’t designed systems - they’re accidents waiting to scale.

If a company doesn’t plan for coverage ahead of time, it can create resentment and tension across the team. Anticipate staffing gaps as part of your business strategy - not as an exception to it - and address it in quarterly planning cycles.

Where is your organization still relying on heroic effort - instead of operational design - to survive predictable disruption?

Read "How New Startups Can Best Manage Holiday Vacation Planning"

Read the Full Article on Forbes

🛡️ This quote was originally published by Forbes as part of a Forbes Coaches Council Expert Panel. Reprinted here with permission in accordance with member guidelines.