Leadership. There are countless novels, journal articles, TED Talks, podcasts and opinions on the topic – all with different points of view on what makes a great leader and how to become one. During my years as a corporate leader and executive coach mentoring emerging leaders, there is one major underlying asset all great leaders must have: Resilience.
The ability to harness the power of the human spirit and build resilience is crucial to becoming a great leader. Resilience is not just about bouncing back from setbacks; it’s about stepping outside your comfort zone, tackling challenges head-on, and emerging stronger and more capable. This journey enhances your leadership skills and helps you take control of situations, mentor effectively, and remain calm during stressful change management scenarios. Most importantly it instills confidence in your team.
The big question is HOW? It’s not as difficult as you may think, but it does take intention and a shift in mindset.
Mastering the Art of Resilience
The Art of Self-Reflection. All personal development, and ergo growth, begins with self-reflection. Ask yourself: “How do I show up for myself, how do I show up for others, and how do I perceive my successful, confident, and most powerful, persuasive self?” This process requires you to be reflective and honest with who you are and dig deep into your personal mission, vision, and values. Once you gain clarity in these areas you are far more confident forging into unknown territories.
The Art and POWER of Optimism. If you want to be more resilient you must be able to see a positive preferred future and outcome to any roadblock or hard season you may encounter. Knowing you have complete control over how you react to ANY situation is imperative. You can find the positive or dwell in the negative. True leaders see the glass half full and do so with confidence. The more optimistic you are, the more resilient you will be.
The Art of Having a Solution-Based Mindset. Stop complaining and start creating solutions to problems you may have. Be it in your personal life or in your career, complaining typically will NOT move the needle forward. Look for solutions and when you do tackle the hard, you’ll not only be moving beyond whatever hardship you were facing but you’ll feel accomplished. Moving outside your comfort zone and realizing you CAN do hard things is one of the cornerstones of becoming more resilient.
The Art of Mastering the Confidence /Competence Loop. It is no secret that our success improves our confidence in whatever it is we choose to tackle. Why? Because when we lack confidence, we revert to fear and when we revert to fear we do not take action. When we don’t take action in areas we fear, we do not build up resilience. The more you dip your toes in the water of the unknown, the more your mind will shift to “I’ve got this” versus “I can’t” and you become more confident and therefore more resilient. The more confident you are, the more competent you become and the more competent you become, the more confident you become. It’s a brilliant circle of success!
Be a Proactive versus Reactive Leader
The next time you are faced with a tough challenge, take a step back and breathe. What can you control? What are some solutions you can see for a more positive outcome? Say to yourself “I’ve got this!”
The more you tackle the “hard”, the more resilient you’ll be and the better leader you will become. When your team sees you tackle difficult decisions and situations with confidence in their competence, with optimism, with a solution-based mindset they will be more apt to follow you into the battlefield, and in turn – you will boost your confidence AND resilience.
Still struggling? Consider working with an executive coach who specializes in change management, resilience, and leadership. At Leading Edge Consulting we excel at helping individuals and organizations chart their course to success via 1:1 coaching, executive retreats and workshops, strategic culture and change management support, and keynote speaking engagements.