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Apr 10 - Leadership and Resilience
Leadership and Resilience
April 10, 2007
"Why do some individuals do well in life despite disappointments and misfortunes, whereas others are crushed by similar events? What makes them resilient? This critical characteristic concerns not merely getting over a single hurdle but maintaining an ongoing outlook that enables the individual to get over a succession of obstacles. Resilient individuals deal with difficult issues proactively, reframing the past and viewing the future from the point of view of its possibilities, taking the time for self-reflection and maintaining a network of supportive relationships.
No one welcomes adversity, and yet it is through adversity that we learn. It is through dealing with setbacks and obstacles that we discover ourselves - our strengths as well as our blemishes. When we know what we consist of and what we want to make of what we have, then we know who we are and we can communicate that to others.
There is something about the forge of experience that not only marks us but also affords reassurance to those we seek to lead. Why? It is through experience that we acquire balance and judgment. Experience can help us to be bold without being rash. It can assist us to recognize people's feelings without becoming soft. It may facilitate our seeing hierarchical power as a last resort rather than for routine use. It can also enable us to see mistakes and setbacks in perspective. A leader is not ashamed to admit these errors and difficulties; the only shame is not taking practical measures to remedy them. The leader is someone who has seen the meaning of what is sweet in life and what is terrible and who then goes undeterred to meet what is to come (Denning, 2004, p. 141-142)."
Reference: Denning, S. (2004). Squirrel Inc.: a fable of leadership through storytelling. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Squirrel Inc. is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page http://164.107.48.88/winnebag/index.asp?lib=???
Created: 2007-04-17, Updated: 2009-02-26
