Entropy is a scientific concept as well as a measurable physical property that is most commonly associated with a state of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty - Wikipedia

I had heard the word before, but I fully understood what it meant participating in a Tunisian Collaborative Painting Workshop facilitated by David Black, an American Painter. The process brings together strangers who meet, collaborate and create a painting. This collaboration forces all participating to embrace the inherent disorder and friction, as a necessary stage in the creative process. It interprets the concepts of entropy.

Individuals make their marks on the canvas creating a chaotic visual mess. Any artist can paint over or change another’s marks creating an entirely different effect. However, no single person is responsible for the whole composition.

The process produces disorder and eventually leads to the elimination of desire to control and a way to let go of your ego.

I discovered that disorder is only a limited perspective of order and the only way to escape entropy is to seek it with a mindful approach.

This understanding has helped shape me as a leader. I view my responsibility as a leader to be able sense increases in entropy and respond accordingly with a tremendous amount of drive and passion. It also means as a leader I constantly choose to overcome personal feelings, fears, and frustrations in the face of constant struggle to serve as a source of endless energy and motivation for my team.