by Maartje van Krieken
Scaling a business isn’t just about strategy—it’s about navigating chaos, making fast but sound decisions, and keeping teams aligned under pressure. The Business Emergency Room helps leaders, founders, and decision-makers sharpen their decision-making mechanics, master people dynamics, and build resilience in uncertain markets. Host Maartje van Krieken shares battle-tested frameworks to eliminate bottlenecks, avoid analysis paralysis, and turn turbulence into traction. Tune in weekly for real-world insights to lead with confidence and thrive in turmoil. For leaders facing: High-stakes decisions, VUCA market conditions, crisis management, and rapid business growth pains.
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Publishing Since
8/23/2024
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April 30, 2025
<p>When a crisis hits, the leaders who move fastest aren’t the ones clinging to the org chart. They’re the ones who know exactly who their people really are.</p><p>In this episode, Maartje van Krieken shares a look at crisis leadership and what it truly demands. When volatility takes over, can you still see the emotional and mental state of your team? Or are you relying on titles and job descriptions that no longer fit the situation? Maartje explains why spotting who has the energy, trust, and alignment to step up can make or break your recovery. She also points to sobering Gallup research that shows how unseen employees weaken organizational resilience long before a crisis even hits.</p><p>To give leaders a clear starting point, Maartje introduces the “VITALS” framework, a quick diagnostic to help you assess your people’s readiness without guesswork. Who is leaning in? Who has gone silent? Who still sees the bigger picture? Understanding these signals can help you find the right people to move things forward when it matters most.</p><p><br></p><p>Maartje also challenges leaders to rethink the comfort of rigid structures. Could your second-in-command have more gas in the tank than your senior lead? Would pairing a high-trust junior with an overwhelmed manager give you new momentum? With smart strategies like cross-placement and short-term task forces, she shows how to strengthen employee engagement in volatility and create a culture that can bend without breaking.</p><p><br></p><p>If you want to lead through uncertainty with more clarity and speed, it starts by seeing your people before you reach for the org chart.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Breakdown:</strong></p><p>00:00 Seeing Your People in Crisis</p><p>01:03 Employee Well-Being and Engagement in Volatility</p><p>02:30 Why Structure Fails During Crisis</p><p>04:07 Introducing the VITALS Framework</p><p>09:10 Using VITALS for Quick Diagnostics</p><p>10:57 Recognizing Burnout and Stress Signals</p><p>12:12 Creative Strategies Beyond the Org Chart</p><p>16:17 Building Organizational Resilience with VITALS</p><p>18:32 Getting Support from Internal Partners</p><p>20:01 Leading Through Crisis with True Visibility</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p><strong>Connect with Maartje van Krieken:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/</a></p><p><a href="https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><a href="http://hivecast.fm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm</a></p>
April 23, 2025
<p>Conflict doesn’t kill momentum. Our silence around it does.</p><p>Maartje van Krieken makes a case for why conflict resolution in growing businesses should be a core leadership skill, not something we save for when things get bad. She shares a bold truth: most workplace conflict comes from fear. Fear of being left behind. Fear of failure. Fear of losing control. And when those fears go unspoken, they don’t just slow teams down. They damage trust, communication, and performance.</p><p>What happens when leaders let tension linger? How much collaboration is lost when no one wants to name the discomfort in the room? Maartje shares a personal story from her early career that shows how quickly team dynamics can unravel without clear communication during workplace conflict. She also introduces her “three Cs” framework, communication, clarity, and care, as a practical approach to managing team tension in scaling companies. These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re the real conversations, decisions, and moments that either help teams grow together or break apart.</p><p>If you’re scaling a team, leading through change, or noticing signs of disconnection, this episode offers a grounded, no-nonsense take on what to do next and why waiting is the bigger risk.</p><p><strong>Episode Breakdown:</strong></p><p>00:00 Fear, Friction, and Conflict in Leadership</p><p>01:05 Fear as the Root of Workplace Conflict</p><p>02:30 How Conflict Impacts Growing Businesses</p><p>03:56 A Personal Story of Conflict at Work</p><p>06:25 The Cost of Avoiding Conflict</p><p>09:05 The Three Cs of Conflict Resolution</p><p>13:20 Why Clarity Prevents Misalignment</p><p>16:01 Leading with Care in Tough Conversations</p><p>18:00 Creating a Culture That Addresses Conflict</p><p>21:09 Using Conflict Tools to Build Stronger Teams</p><p>24:31 Realignment, Safety, and Resilience in Business</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p><strong>Connect with Maartje van Krieken:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/</a></p><p><a href="https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><a href="http://hivecast.fm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm</a></p>
April 16, 2025
<p>When the market tilts without warning, leadership means stepping up even when the chaos wasn’t your fault.</p><p>What do you do when geopolitical tension, tariffs, or broken supply chains knock your business off course? In this episode, Maartje van Krieken talks about responding to global market disruptions and why waiting to see how things shake out can cost you more than you think.</p><p>Maartje walks through the first move every leader needs to make: building situational awareness. How do you get a clear picture of what’s happening, what you don’t know yet, and where you still have control? Who belongs in the room when you’re wargaming the next steps?</p><p><br></p><p>This is a hands-on guide to crisis planning for manufacturing leaders who are dealing with instability they didn’t create but still have to navigate. Maartje shares practical tactics: diversifying your supplier base, reassessing critical products by impact rather than revenue, and running stress tests on cash flow. She also explains how supply chain instability strategy starts with shorter planning cycles, better cross-team communication, and a willingness to move, even if conditions aren’t perfect.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re in the thick of disruption and unsure what to do next, this episode is a clear reminder: momentum matters more than perfection.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Breakdown</strong></p><p>00:00 Navigating Market Shifts</p><p>02:24 Building Situational Awareness</p><p>03:50 Resetting Short-Term Goals</p><p>07:06 Strategies for Supply Chain Instability</p><p>13:55 Leading with Clarity in Uncertainty</p><p>20:26 Steering Through Rough Waters</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p><strong>Connect with Maartje van Krieken:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/</a></p><p><a href="https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><a href="http://hivecast.fm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm</a></p>
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