Navigating Complexity: 6 Lessons in Resiliency From Maritime Operations

Brandt Douglas von Krieger, BA, PMP, MNI is a maritime operations leader and Senior Project Manager with over 15 years of experience managing high-risk, multi-stakeholder projects. He is the author of 'Navigating Complexity: Maritime Lessons for Project Management Across Industries' and currently works for the Canadian Coast Guard. Brandt is currently completing an MBA with a focus on sustainable operational leadership and risk governance.

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Topics: Change Management, Organizational Culture, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Sustainability

Maritime professionals face some of the most complex, high-stakes project environments in the world. Drawing from my 15 years in marine operations, this article offers practical insights to help project managers across industries strengthen stakeholder relationships, plan with confidence, and lead teams through uncertainty.

Introduction: The Sea as a Project Environment
Working in maritime operations has taught me that complexity is not an exception, it is the baseline. Whether managing vessel decommissioning, salvage logistics, or environmental response efforts, the combination of unpredictable conditions, diverse stakeholders, and tight timelines requires more than a good plan. It demands structure, adaptability, and a leadership style grounded in trust and readiness.

Over the course of my career, I have led projects that involved overlapping jurisdictions, emergency deployments, cross-cultural crews, and shifting environmental regulations. While these conditions might seem specific to the maritime domain, the underlying strategies for success translate well to any complex project environment.

This article shares six key lessons that can help project professionals build resilience, align stakeholders, and lead with clarity under pressure.

1. Build a Culture of Risk Visibility
In high-consequence environments, project leaders cannot afford to treat risk as a …

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