Leadership Secrets on Bouncing Back
At the weekend I watched the Women’s Marathon one of the last events of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The athlete who eventually ran the race was not ahead until the final 200m. She has stayed with the lead runners and then chose her moment to push for the finish line. She had resilience. Resilience which she had built up through many adversities not least of which was managing her energy. Resilience is the secret trait which enables leaders who choose to stay in the learning and curiosity lane learn to stay on track and keep going.
In my book I See You I spend a whole chapter on this particular issue. Before going any further as leaders I believe this is something that can be developed. You may have a certain amount of resilience built in but resilience is a learnt skill and is essential for you to reach your goals personally and corporately.
Here is a working definition to help:
“…the learned quality that people have so that when hit by adversity, stress or severe challenge, they are able to recover quicker and stronger than before. To bounce back. Characteristics would be a positive way of looking at the world; alongside an acceptance of reality; a belief that life is meaningful; constructive learning from past adversity; an ability to change course and to retain hope.”
For leaders like you these qualities are just as vital. The journey to becoming an effective and respected leader parallels the journey of these Olympians. It requires daily attention to your character, behaviour and actions which build trust over time. What lessons can we draw from these extraordinary athletes and how can you apply them to your leadership journey.
5 Key Factors in Building Resilience:
Using the Acronym B.R.A.I.N.
1. Belief/Value system
This is about what drives you in life. If you hold that life is meaningful then it is possible to go beyond the “Why is this happening to me?” As you connect to your values and beliefs the you can look beyond yourself with questions like: What can I learn from this? What am I learning about myself, others and how to adapt to these circumstances?
2. Realistic Optimism
One of the characteristics that you would think would be a factor in resilience would be optimism. You would be absolutely right. It is true but without a realistic assessment of where you are at the same time the optimism doesn’t lead anywhere, the optimism is without foundation and is more likely to set you up for disappointment.
3. Adaptable
The resilient leader understands that circumstances can and do change the further you get into them. The ability to adapt when needed, to move to a plan B or a plan C reveals the flexibility of the leader.
4. Identity
Being self-aware is key to understanding how you will move forward. To be able to manage or change patterns of preferred behaviour requires us to understand what we will tend to do in certain situations. How we gather information or how we make decisions. You must know yourself to lead yourself.
5. New Perspective (Mindsets – Focus)
Perspective is all about the way we look at something. It is based on how we like to look at the world, the information we use in decision making. What we find refreshing or uplifting.
When adversity hits it maybe that a new perspective is required. As you lead it is important to retain focus – solve the problem. What got you here may not get you where you want to be.
As you move forward in your resilience journey I have noticed that life becomes way too serious. A simple solution is to not take yourself too seriously and give yourself a break as you navigate choppy waters.
If you would like to explore more about resilience you can book a discovery call here.
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
