Resilient Leadership: Seven Steps to Becoming a More Resilient Leader
Before we discuss seven ways to becoming a resilient leader, let’s take examine precisely what a ‘resilient leader’ is and what traits they display. A resilient leader is an individual who views failure as something merely temporary that can be recovered from rapidly. They have the ability to maintain an upbeat and positive attitude, in addition to a strong sense of opportunity, when passing through times of turbulence. When presented with ambiguity, a resilient leader is able to find ways to plough on forwards and avoid becoming stagnant.
The question is, how can one become a resilient leader? What do resilient leaders do that less-resilient leaders don’t? Let’s find out.
Seven Steps to Becoming a Resilient Leader
#1 – Powerful Communication
Some people will often act alone without informing others of what they’re trying to achieve. When driving down the motorway, we appreciate it when another driver indicates prior to changing lanes (and vice versa) because it shows our intentions. Resilient leaders are effective communicators and will inform others of their intentions. They have the desire to show other a new direction or strategy, as well as help them to understand it. Effective, positive communication helps others to get their head around changes of direction and expectations.
#2 – Being Coachable
Resilient leaders welcome feedback, often asking others to provide them with their thoughts and feedback. When receiving feedback, resilient leaders strive to improve and will make every effort to do so, as they have a powerful desire to hone their abilities and skills continually. In short, resilient leaders are both coachable and humble individuals. Many young people are coachable but become less so as they age. Resilient leaders, on the other hands, are coachable throughout their entire careers and will always ask for feedback.
#3 – Builds Positivity and Trust
Resilient leadership involves others and bring others ‘along for the ride’. By building positivity and trust, as well as being open to difference of opinion, resilient leaders have the ability to create very strong teams with positive interpersonal relationships. Although many individuals might be willing to make significant changes, it requires positive relationships to garner support for such changes.
#4 – Risk-Taking
Resilient leaders and resilient people, in general, are typically willing to try new things/ideas and take bold risks. For most people, it is easy to become stuck in a rut, which they stay in year after year. Although this approach can work well for a certain amount of time, when the world around them changes, this can cause major issues. Businesses must adapt to change; otherwise, they may decline and eventually cease to exist altogether. Resilient leaders are completely willing to make bold changes and are not afraid of the risks involved in doing so.
#5 – Help to Develop Others
Resilient leaders aren’t just concerned with their own career and person development; they are also concerned with the development of those around them. Being resilient is absolutely necessary when dealing with failure and helping others to develop helps everyone to recognise and learn from their mistakes. Leaders who actively desire feedback for themselves are far more likely to furnish others with productive feedback and constructive criticism because they themselves want frank, open, and honest feedback too.
#6 – Promote Change
Resilient leaders are open to change and are willing to provide the necessary leadership to ensure the business as a whole will also change. Change takes a certain amount of courage, as well as vision about the direction the business is moving in. Resilient leaders are happy to embrace change and will also encourage those around them to welcome change too.
#7 – Being Decisive
Making decisions is never an easy task because no single individual has all the data at their fingertips, nor do they understand every single possible eventuality. A business cannot move forward until a decision is made – and it requires an effective, resilient leader to make decisions and move the business ahead. If a resilient leader makes the wrong decisions, they will rapidly make a different decision, moving in another direction.