Be Resilient in the Storm
Resilience.
When I think of resilience, I think about people who have overcome adversity. No matter what happens, they keep going.
I’ve seen people get up from a hospital bed in absolute agony and, with a combination of gritted teeth and steely determination, push through pain to take those first steps.
We don’t always realize how strong we are until we are tested.
It’s a personal quality and also one that is important for leaders. It’s especially important to be able to find a balance between minimizing losses– sugarcoating a bad situation, as we say—and allowing a setback to turn into a disaster. Establishing a “resilience equilibrium” is a major factor for successful leaders, and my guests on the podcast have some great thoughts on how you can find yours.
About two years ago, I wrote a blog post about Ama Marston and Stephanie Marston’s book, Type R: Transformative Resilience for Thriving in a Turbulent World. It’s an excellent book and I highly recommend it. I went back over that interview and post before my panel got together for this week’s “Aim Higher” podcast, and was really struck by this quote from Ama:
“By using adversity in our lives to promote growth, we both consciously and unconsciously influence the actions of a significant number of people. Each of us creates a point of impact that makes waves that ripple outward through our various spheres of influence.”
A good deal of the discussion we had in the studio relates to that. The idea that resilience isn’t about denying adversity or trying to avoid challenges or pretend they didn’t happen. Especially from a leader, people just don’t buy into that kind of thinking. Your team, your shareholders, your customers—they can see through that nonsense. But… you can use adversity to promote growth.
How Resilience Can Promote Growth
How? Well, that’s where my guests can offer some great ideas. For example, you need to acknowledge that everyone experiences loss at a different pace. One person may bounce back quickly, while another may need more time, but may ultimately soar even higher.
Another great piece of wisdom: it’s never too late to be resilient. There may only be a minute or two left on the clock, but one person’s resilient attitude and determination can change the course of a game, a project or a company.
I hope you’ll listen in and think about how you can use adversity during these challenging times to create a point of impact for the people in your life. Whether you lead a team at work or a circle of friends, you can make waves that influence others and help them be more resilient, too.
Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.
