5 Steps for More Resilient Leadership
Being a resilient leader means that you have the ability to maintain vigor under stressful situations and cope with disruptive changes. This characteristic of leadership allows a person to quickly recover from failures or roadblocks without harming others or showing unacceptable behaviors. However, it's not that easy to develop resilient leadership.
Here are 5 steps to becoming a more resilient leader:
- Be open to change
A resilient leader should be open to change and is willing to lead the team to facilitate change. Even if certain strategies are proven to be effective in the past, there may come a time when you need to adapt to change for the better. Because of this, a leader should be open to implementing new strategies, processes and workflows and dare to spearhead the process. Being able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape is an important part of being a resilient leader.
- Learn to cope with stress
How well you can cope with stress determines how resilient you are as a leader. Stress in itself is not harmful. The body's normal response which includes fast breathing and a pounding heart helps the body prepare for a "threat" and is an integral part of a fight or flight response.
There are different ways on how you can cope with stress. To be a resilient leader, you must learn to discover the most effective coping mechanism for your situation. Common coping strategies include the following:
- Creating clear and specific goals
- Modifying negative personality patterns
- Employing physical activities
- Voicing out worries and concerns
- Learning to let go
- Building positive relationships with your team members
- Seeking support
- Build social connections
As a leader, there a numerous benefits to having social connections. For one, the people you know can help achieve your goals and help you navigate through challenging situations. These people can also help you develop the right leadership skills to be a resilient leader.
Moreover, there are also mental benefits to having the right people in your circle. Studies show that positive social connections lower the rates of depression and anxiety and improve self-esteem and empathy. All these attributes point out good leadership characteristics.
- Develop a positive mindset
Having a positive mindset is also key to resilience. Amidst bad situations, a person with a positive mindset chooses to stay positive, calm and optimistic that something good will happen. Of course, the outcome is still dependent on your actions, and a resilient leader knows this.
A resilient leader is optimistic though he does not ignore the possibility of failure. He considers failure as a learning opportunity and moves on. Setbacks are inevitable, but being optimistic allows a leader to properly strategize and plan to achieve the desired outcome.
- Engage in physical activities
Regular exercise and physical activities help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and boost the body's immune system while simultaneously helping you become a resilient and effective leader. Research shows that leaders who are physically fit are also more effective in the workplace because they can better cope with the demands of their position.
There are exercises that aren't time-consuming, and shorter multiple physical activities can be as effective as longer exercises. You can browse videos online for some ideas on exercises that you can do in your busy schedule.
Developing the characteristics of a resilient leader can take time. At Change Works, we can help you get started with our one-day program that focuses on becoming a resilient leader. This program covers topics such as the resilience myth, defining your leadership purpose and values, managing stress, and developing resilience. It is a highly interactive and engaging program that will help leaders and future leaders develop resilience.