Built to Beat Chaos

“Exceptionally well reasoned, written, organized and presented, "Built to Beat Chaos: Biblical Principles for Leading Yourself and Others" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, church, and academic library Leadership & Management collections.” – Midwest Book Review, June 2023

Apply timeless, biblical insights to overcome organizational chaos

Over 47% of leaders say that chaos is pervasive in their organizations. Though disorder can feel overwhelming at times, human beings are actually designed to overcome and conquer chaos.

In Built to Beat Chaos: Biblical Principles for Leading Yourself and Others, renowned teacher, coach, speaker, and best-selling author Gary Harpst delivers an insightful and practical discussion of how to transform chaos into order by relying on strategies drawn directly from the Bible. You’ll learn how to find fulfillment and success by leaning into your innate ability to calm the madness and control chaos by:

• Understanding the fundamental processes underlying how we put things together for a purpose
• Discovering why everyone is biblically called to leadership and the dynamics of self-leadership
• Applying biblical principles to transform your organization through action

An invaluable roadmap for board members, executives, managers, pastors, and other organizational leaders, Built to Beat Chaos is the straightforward, practical, and biblically grounded business manual that every leader should read.

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Part 1 What Effective Leaders Should Know 3

1 Chaos Refines Us 5

2 You Are Designed to Win 21

3 All Chaos Is Not Alike 41

4 Purpose Is Your First Responsibility 51

5 People Don’t Obey the Laws of Physics 71

6 Order Is Easier to Create Than Keep 87

Part 2 What Effective Leaders Should Do 113

7 Build a Habit-reinforcing System 115

8 Set Vision 131

9 Prioritize Change 145

10 Balance Running and Changing 157

11 Get Results through Teamwork 173

12 Get Everyone Innovating 185

13 Prepare Their Team for the Future 195

Part 3 What Effective Leaders Should Be 205

14 Someone Who Cares 207

15 Honest and Open 217

16 Someone Who Builds Oneness 231

17 Takes Ownership 245

18 Someone Who Masters Mentoring 255

Epilogue 267

Learning Resources 269

About the Author 271

Index 273

GARY HARPST is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and teacher. A successful software entrepreneur, he has been recognized as one of the Top 100 United States-based thought-leaders on management and leadership by Leadership Excellence magazine.

In Built to Beat Chaos: Biblical Wisdom for Leading Yourself and Others, sought-after speaker and bestselling author Gary Harpst delivers an incisive and inspiring discussion of how you can strategically transform the chaos in your organization into order by relying on strategies and concepts drawn directly from the Bible. You’ll learn how to find success and fulfillment by leveraging your innate and inborn ability to calm the madness and control the chaos around you.

In the book, you’ll uncover the fundamental processes underlying how we, as people and as leaders, put things together for a unified purpose. You’ll discover why the Bible calls upon all of us to be leaders and how it can light our path to responsible self-leadership. Finally, you’ll explore the application of biblical principles to take control of your organization through responsible action.

From deep insights into the nature of the universe—including why we put things together and take things apart—and the reason we (as people) are all here to the true difference between order and chaos, the author offers deep explanations of why people act the way they do. He outlines how to optimize your mindset for action, as opposed to theory, and set visions, prioritize change, and get team-based results in the real world.

An invaluable strategic playbook for board members, executives, managers, pastors, and other organizational leaders, Built to Beat Chaos is the practical, easy-to-implement, and biblically grounded business manual that you’ve been waiting for.

PRAISE FOR BUILT TO BEAT CHAOS

“This book changes your thinking. It is the chapter missing from other leadership books! Gary reveals the biblical laws that govern leadership. Everyone wants to work for a mission-driven organization, but very few leaders are equipped to create purpose and lead with their values. This book shows you how AND explains why it works. It can help develop any corporate, government, religious, or nonprofit leader.”
—ROBERT SPRAGUE, Ohio Treasurer of State

“Gary Harpst’s Built to Beat Chaos brings hope to overworked, uber-stressed business leaders who have forgotten (or never experienced) the spiritual grounding essential to meaningful leadership. Gary’s offering of practical examples of what happens when deep purpose and daily practice are aligned will benefit readers in many walks of life.”
—KATHERINE FELL, PhD, President, University of Findlay

“I love the thesis of this book—that properly viewed, chaos can be our friend. Victims no more! Gary Harpst challenges conventional wisdom. His perspective is rooted in decades of inquiry, observation, practical experience, and systematic analysis. Your time invested in Built to Beat Chaos will be rewarded in lasting and important ways.”
—JOHN D. BECKETT, Chairman, The Beckett Companies, and Author, Loving Monday and Mastering Monday

“Gary’s ability to take simple biblical truths and apply them to business is outstanding. A great read and this will serve as an inspiration not only to me but also to our leadership team as we continue to challenge ourselves every day.”
—CHUCK STRAWN, CEO, Redseal Measurement Group

“Gary Harpst provides timely insights based on his integration of faith and hard-earned business experience. His very personal story of success, failure, and learning embodies a faith-informed, innovative spirit. In an age defined by lean operations and tight budgets, his challenge is to view organizational leadership in terms of stewardship, and he provides a guide as we take up this challenge.”
—BRENT C. SLEASMAN, PhD, President, Winebrenner Theological Seminary

“Gary integrates ancient principles with modern systems to show leaders how to engage the hearts and minds of their teams and live out their organization’s purpose. The world needs this roadmap for conquering chaos right now.”
—CARY HILL, Results Coach, Lead4Results, and former CEO of MESA, a 3-time Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient