Navigating the Storm: Resilience Strategies for Leaders in Times of Crisis
"Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient." - Steve Maraboli
We are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Great Recession still marks the economy, despite happening 15 years ago. Who knows what the future holds for us, and what unexpected turns lie ahead.
Resilience is the anchor in the turbulent seas of leadership. It is through resilience that we survive and even thrive during difficult times. I spent a good portion of my career in disaster recovery, seeing desperate people who have had their lives permanently overturned. One thing that always stayed with me was the psychological impact after a crisis—the effect a crisis has beyond the practical—and how crucial resilience is in forging a path forward.
Clarify Your Purpose and Impact
Your purpose as a leader is your North Star in choppy waters. So often, the reaction to a crisis is purely pragmatic. This makes sense – of course, you want to fix issues, solve problems, and keep moving. But having this “fix-it mentality” at the expense of purpose and impact is a mistake.
By taking a step back to reflect on your values, vision, and reasons for being, you root your actions in purpose. In the long run, you will have a much deeper impact if you center yourself on your long-term ambitions during turbulence.
Practice Mindfulness
Yes, we all know to focus on mindfulness. Most of us have a mindfulness practice plan somewhere in the back of our heads, or perhaps a mindfulness app that has been left unopened for an embarrassingly long time. But it bears repeating – mindfulness is incredibly important.
Whatever mindfulness means to you, don’t let it slip away in times of crisis. Take the opportunity to set aside time on your calendar for mindfulness practice – whether that is meditation, deep breathing, journaling, or simply taking a second to ground yourself in the present moment. When you carve out moments of stillness, you are building emotional strength and gifting yourself with long-term resilience. Remember that self-care is a responsibility to your team.
Cultivate Supportive Relationships
In times of crisis, the strength of your support network is paramount. In my disaster recovery days, I was consistently amazed by how people came together in the hardest of times. Community divides that were in place for years suddenly no longer mattered - people were committed to coming together.
It can be tempting to look inward during difficult times – to knuckle down, get the work done, and hustle. This is a perfectly natural response, but it can have the unwanted effect of closing off opportunities and relationships.
Emergencies and upheavals are exactly when you should be leaning on trusted mentors and peers. Look to them for guidance, empathy, and encouragement. Listen authentically and remember to use the support network that you undoubtedly have. Your friends, colleagues, loved ones, and even clients will show understanding and give support – and I bet you would do the same for them.
Embrace Positive Leadership
Now is the time to be the leader that you want to be. Look back at all of the goals, ambitions, and insights that you have had over the last few years. Look at the leaders you admire. And keep them at the forefront of your mind when navigating the storm.
Your company culture starts with you. Some companies showed their true colors in the COVID-19 crisis. Others doubled down on cultures of optimism, adaptability, and empowerment within their team. What do you want your company culture to look like?
The Next Crisis
The next crisis is coming. I don’t say this to sound like Nostradamus – it’s just a fact of life. In our professional and personal lives, we are going to go through multiple times of hardship. We can’t change the crisis, but we can change how we react to it.
Remember to carve out time for yourself, and stay mindful. If you need to lean on your network, now is the perfect time – make sure you are getting support from people who care about you. And finally, take a step back and look at the leader you want to be. Embrace positive leadership, and remember to keep hold of what defines you and your company culture.
Meridith Marshall is the CEO and Founder of Uncharted Way and has seen firsthand how people and organizations can navigate the most difficult of circumstances with clarity and openness to improve employee experience and culture in their workplace. She is an industry-recognized expert in using a data-driven approach and is a therapist and certified Co-Active coach.