5 Ways To Protect Leadership Resiliency
Brian White
The resilient leader embodies the human capacity to persevere, and they help others in the organization do the same.
They meet adversity head-on and apply the learning presented to them in order to bounce back from setbacks quickly.
Resilient leaders maintain positive energy in the face of disruptive change, the pressures of modern life and work, and they channel that energy into their adaptability and growth.
They nurture resilience in your organization through demonstration and influence, and they inspire others to accept their own personal challenges and overcome them with optimism and confidence.
Leadership resilience can be challenged from many angles.
In the modern workplace, we ask our leaders to navigate a changing workforce reality. They’re tasked with creating and maintaining collaboration and teamwork in a Zoom-centric world, and they’re navigating new employee expectations for where and how we work together.
Leadership is not immune to the effects of personal and professional hardship, or needs for psychological safety and acceptance.
Today’s leaders often find their resilience challenged. Stepping into a gray zone of change, they’re charting new leadership territory for themselves and their organizations, even as companies ask them to maintain the essential operations of the organizations they lead.
All this can leave leaders shaken; not because they’re not up to the task, but because it can take time to absorb change and find your footing. Add to this the fact that we are in many ways still defining the leadership skills needed for the modern workforce, and we see a huge opportunity to engage leadership resiliency in ways we might not have thought of in the past.
Leadership does not occur in a vacuum. Far from the stoic examples of the past, with today’s leadership, we recognize that thoughtful and emotional beings are part of the equation. It also requires that they have an open mind, an open heart, that they express their feelings, and be curious about and show empathy for others.
Five ways to protect leadership resilience in your organization.
Encourage leaders to form attachments and bond with others
Far from becoming emotionally or mentally hostage to others, the leader who forms strong bonds within the organization draws strength and support from their relationships. The ability to form attachments and bond with others is one of the foundations of resilience. It gives leaders the confidence to take risks and aim themselves (and others in their organization) toward stretch goals. These bonds are also critically important as leaders overcome adversity and disappointment. They aid in the ability to bounce back quickly from setbacks and reposition themselves for future success.
Encourage leaders to take responsibility for key performance indicators
Goals and objectives encourage leaders to tackle unknowns with confidence. They gain positive energy and momentum when they are striving for a goal. It helps keep them grounded, confident, and focused on the futureResilient leaders find strength in purpose, and they in turn become the model and inspiration for others. Help keep them focused on their personal goals and those of the team. Hold regular progress discussions where you identify barriers to success and develop solutions together.
Cultivate leadership awareness of factors influencing their own personal performance
Encourage self-awareness for the social, environmental, physical, and other components of their lives that either work for them, or detract from their leadership performance. When leaders appear to lose focus, for example, companies want to treat the symptoms, but there’s value in identifying the underlying cause. What role might the impact of stress and anxiety in their lives contribute to a drop in work performance? What are the sources? How can you be a resource?
Encourage leaders to embrace and share in the important work of the organization but keep a critical eye on their workload
Engaging in important work with a purpose is a major motivator for all, but high performers can take on too much. When this happens, they may quickly find themselves in a hole they can’t escape. Watch for signs your leaders may be feeling overwhelmed, and retreating to “busy work,” where they can feel a sense of accomplishment. Share tips for overcoming what may be perceived as overwhelming expectations and responsibilities.
Celebrate leadership effort, courage, and success
During times of uncertainty, it’s easy to succumb to fear and doubt. Demonstrate that you will take the time to celebrate even small wins.
As your leaders extend themselves, develop meaningful relationships with peers and direct reports, and overcome personal adversity, they need to know their efforts are visible.
Resilient leaders will benefit from taking the time to fully appreciate both the achievement of personal and professional growth and the struggles they’ve overcome to get there.
Organizations that recognize the need to build and maintain resiliency, and provide a highly personalized strategy and resources, help equip their leaders to respond to and bounce back quickly from adversity.
With practice, leaders display self-efficacy and learn to develop self-leadership in maintaining their personal leadership resiliency. A third-party coaching resource can help the leader safely explore their personal or leadership challenges and create an action plan for success.
Ready to improve the resiliency of your leadership team and help them drive personal and organizational success? Book a demo with Boon today!