“In the weeds” is restaurant worker slang for being so busy—hungry customers lined up at the door, every table occupied, orders pouring out of the ticket machine, the kitchen a clamoring chaos of smoke and fire—that you’re lost amid a thicket of competing obligations. This can happen in higher ed, too, whether because of staffing shortages, financial challenges, political environments, or just plain drowning in work at a busy time of year. In this session, your presenter will draw upon his five years of experience as a restaurant line cook to present leadership strategies for surviving the busiest of slams. We’ll discuss the five kinds of leadership you can activate no matter what role you occupy—illustrated by examples from higher ed and from critically acclaimed TV show The Bear—so that the next time you find yourself lost in the weeds you can lead the way out.