The leader's compass: Reimagining leadership in chaotic times

Amid unprecedented volatility, sociopolitical upheaval, and organizational strain, traditional leadership approaches are proving insufficient in healthcare. Drawing on complexity science and grounded in relational, values-anchored practice, this Perspective proposes a Leader's Compass, with five orienting principles (Courage, Credibility, Curiosity, Communication, and Community), to help clinicians and institutions sustain teams, rebuild trust, and harness disruption as a catalyst for constructive change. Rather than promising control over chaos, the Compass reframes current instability as a bifurcation point: a rare moment of systemic plasticity from which more resilient, equitable, and adaptive institutions can emerge.