As a leader, it is crucial to possess a resilient attitude. You will inevitably encounter challenging moments and obstacles, and the ability to navigate these periods with the right mindset and knowledge is essential. This is an unavoidable aspect of leadership, and it should be emphasized that it is a vital quality for any effective leader.
I love this particular definition of resilience by the Oxford Dictionary:” the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity”. The ability to bounce back from setbacks is often described as the difference between successful and unsuccessful people- Harvard Business Review. Let us take a look at some of the ways we think a leader should handle a difficult or crisis period.
FOCUS
“The first step is to remain focused and not shift your gaze away from the goal. A loss or failure does not mean that the entire project will end up in failure. In my final driving test, I made many mistakes that I thought would cause me to fail. I told myself to keep going and do my best until the end. I was surprised when I found out that I had passed. I immediately thought to myself, ‘What if I had given up and focused on the mistakes? Would I have made even more mistakes?’ If I had done that, I would have never found out that I had passed.” Ensure your team is well-grounded and stabilised during this period. They would be looking to you for direction, just like little children look up to their parents. If you are panicking, that would reflect on the whole team and if you show strength and focus, they are most likely going to react as you react. We have faced challenges from 09/11 to COVID and the ways leaders have responded played a huge role in the resolution.
Analyse & Reanalyse: This should be a time to dissect what is working right and where tweaks are needed.
ADAPTABILITY:
To achieve success, it’s essential to be adaptable and flexible when analyzing results. Start by listing out all your available options and resources, and then prioritize them based on what you believe will work best. Take inspiration from people who have encountered similar occurrences with a successful result and learn from their strategies. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches and adapt to the changing world around you. Remember, traditional methods may not always be the best, so be open to blending in innovative ideas and techniques. Only then can you evolve and achieve the desired results.
Surround yourself with positive people: Have an inner circle that can keep you functioning in difficult times.
Someone who would ensure you stick to your values and ethics.
Someone who would create a happy environment to unwind.
Someone who can supply you with resources needed to manage during this season.
Someone who reminds you of your past success, your cheerleader.
Someone who would remind you of your WHY!
These could be family, partner, friends, colleagues, or parents.
Delegate: Delegate/outsource to people with adequate knowledge who can keep things running with a clear mind.
Who can you delegate to: Someone who wants you to win, trustworthy, capable, and knowledgeable (as seen in the greatest book, the bible).
positive mindset/growth mindset: As a leader you need to remain positive.
As a leader involved with various projects, people management, and tasks, it can only be normal to have days when everything is getting out of control. What makes you a real leader is your ability to spin things around to normal.
Here are some of the ways we think you can make resilience an inbuilt habit………..
- Intentionally take unknown terrains – On your daily route to work, decide to take the route you are unfamiliar with on your Google map.
- Learn a new skill/ develop a new hobby: Never played chess? Learn it!
- Learn a new language.
- Daily pick up an activity outside your comfort zone and see to its success.
- Be consistent with your personal development- when equipped with adequate knowledge, you have good leverage to rise above issues.
- Read an article, analyse it, and identify an area it would be of good purpose.
Turn the lemon into lemonade. Do not wait for challenges to find you first. Go for the challenges, find them before they find you. Do not be afraid of anything, not even failure.
Learn to play out different scenarios for any project and always have a plan if it ends up driving you along any of these possible lanes. Change is constant in life, you simply can not escape it. How you handle change and your preparedness for change are the most important.
So, what strategy do you have ready to tackle tomorrow?
Do not let anything catch you unaware.
How do you plan to handle that rejection?
How do you plan to get settled into that post for that new promotion? Are you well equipped and ready when it comes?
How do you handle that colleague who is always downplaying you?
What are the challenges you experience in your day-to-day life? Share them in the comment section and let us plan a strategy together.