Avoiding a 'Goat Rodeo': Leading with clarity in times of ambiguity

Much as we love creating our own language at Wingmaven, we owe the term "Goat Rodeo" to a much-loved former colleague (you know who you are!) who coined this vivid analogy for a chaotic company environment. In a Goat Rodeo situation, multiple agendas, conflicting strategies, and disjointed plans result in utter confusion with everyone pulling in different directions, with their own ideas of where to go. The root cause? In our experience, typically a lack of vision setting, prioritisation (and associated decision-making), and clear and consistent communication by the business leadership.

In today’s fast-paced, economically and politically uncertain business landscape, the risk of slipping into a Goat Rodeo is ever-present. Whether it’s a sudden market shift, an internal reorganisation, or the introduction of a change in strategy, leaders must navigate periods of ambiguity without letting confusion take hold.

Here’s how you can ensure clarity, avoid chaos, and keep your organisation riding in formation:

1. Lead with vision

The foundation of clarity starts with a strong, well-articulated vision. When leadership lacks alignment on this vision, team members are left to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions, often leading to conflicting priorities.

In ambiguous times, this becomes even more crucial. If a team is working without a clear sense of direction, they’ll drift toward competing agendas, driven by personal biases or departmental objectives, as they try to make sense of the ‘grey’ on their own. As leaders, it’s our job to rally everyone around a unified vision, one that is adaptable but not contradictory.

And if the goals or strategy for your organisation have (necessarily) shifted- this change in direction will only ever be as successful as our ability to convince everyone in the business that it’s the right course of action to take. 

Action tip: Revisit your company’s mission and vision in times of uncertainty. Ensure they are communicated clearly and repeatedly across every layer of the organisation. If ambiguity persists, set immediate, short-term goals that reflect the broader mission to prevent teams from pulling in opposite directions. And if business direction has fundamentally changed- even more reason to double-down on crafting a compelling and accessible change narrative, to get everyone on board before you pull the trigger.

2. Brutal prioritisation

A hallmark of the Goat Rodeo is the illusion that everything is equally important. Without clear prioritisation, teams spread their resources thin across too many initiatives, resulting in mediocrity and frustration.

As leaders, we must discern between what’s critical and what’s noise. In periods of uncertainty, it’s easy to want to chase every opportunity or fix every problem. However, failing to prioritise means nothing gets done well. Define what success looks like in the short term, and be ruthless in trimming down objectives. As a general rule, whatever we think your business has capacity to do well- reduce expectations by at least 10%- to account for curveballs (and associated trade-offs) that will draw energy and attention away as things progress.

Prioritisation is rarely an exercise between choosing between right and wrong, and more likely to be between ‘shades of right’. So being clear about why choices are made is critical- and acknowledging that it's potentially not a case of ‘not ever’, but definitely a case of ‘not now’.

Action tip: Regularly revisit your top priorities. Are there more than three (the magic number for effective recall?)- if so, you might need to be even more brutal. Are they still the right priorities given current circumstances?If not, why not (be clear on this, and provide this clarity for others). Share these with your teams frequently, and ensure that every project, task, and initiative supports these core objectives.

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

When ambiguity strikes, communication becomes a lifeline. But often, leaders either retreat into a decision-making bubble or become overly reactive, offering fragmented information that adds to the noise. In a Goat Rodeo scenario, communication breakdowns fuel the chaos, leading to misalignment and wasted effort.

Instead, prioritise open and frequent communication. Being transparent about what we DO know, what’s still uncertain, and what we’re doing to gain clarity encourages questions, feedback, and active discussions across teams. 

Action tip: Host regular check-ins where leaders and team members can align on key objectives, report progress, and adjust plans as needed. Ensure there is a consistent flow of information across departments, and be open about the challenges being faced. When you ask for feedback and questions from your team- deliver on your commitment to respond to them (even if the answer is, ‘we don’t know yet but we’re working on it’). Make it a dialogue, not a monologue.

4. Embrace adaptability, but avoid whiplash

In times of uncertainty, agility is key, but too much change too fast creates whiplash. If our team constantly pivots from one strategy to another without a clear rationale, confusion will mount, leading to decision paralysis. 

While it’s essential to adapt, there must be a clear framework for why and how decisions are made- and how often (or under what circumstances) we will reassess and potentially make changes.Action tip: If a shift in strategy is necessary, explain the reasoning behind it. Ensure teams understand how the new approach aligns with overall objectives, and give them time to adjust without derailing ongoing work.

5. Be aware of the shadow you cast

Perhaps the most important factor in avoiding a Goat Rodeo is how the leadership team holds itself. If we, as leaders, succumb to panic, chaos will follow. Our teams looks to us for cues on how to respond in uncertain situations. Maintaining a calm, composed demeanour, even in the face of ambiguity, sets the tone for the entire organisation.

Action tip: Practise self-awareness and emotional regulation. Stay off the dancefloor, and on the balcony as much as possible- so you can maintain perspective. Acknowledge the challenges of uncertainty, but communicate confidence in your team’s ability to navigate it. When problems arise, respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.

The upshot?

There’s a common thread throughout all of the above- effective communication. It's the transferable skill that in our view, leaders should put far more effort into cultivating than they do today. And it pays dividends like just about no other leadership capability. 

After all, leadership is not about having all the answers—it’s about guiding your team with clarity, even when the path ahead is unclear.

So if you, or your leadership team could use some help brushing up on communication- we can help.