Run around like headless chickens = to act frantically without control, with haste and in a careless/senseless manner – They are panicking when they should be thinking carefully.

• He ran around like a headless chicken after he missed his flight to the US.
• It is important to get everything organised for the meeting today so that we don’t end up running around like headless chickens.
• Instead of running around like a headless chicken, make a list of the things you need to finish and then work on them in that order.

Put out feelers = make informal enquiries , talk to people unofficially, discreetly try to learn something ( alludes to animals’ feelers such as antenna or tentacles used to find food.)

• He has been putting out feelers to see how employees might react to such a policy.
• Why don’t you put out your feelers and see if anyone is interested in buying.
• I don’t know if anyone would really want a job like this one, but we could put out feelers and see if anyone is interested.

Bite the bullet = decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over.

• Decisions have to be taken and as director you have got to bite the bullet.
• I hate going to the dentist; but I will just have to bite the bullet.
• Tour operators may be forced to bite the bullet and cut prices.