By Laurie Arron
TLG Strategic Partner and Executive Coach, Arron CoachingResilience is no doubt a critical leadership quality for Chiefs of Staff. The ability to recover quickly from setbacks, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain a positive outlook in the face of adversity is essential for any Chief who wants to thrive. While resilience is generally a positive trait in leadership, there is also a downside to it, which is denial. Resilience can make Chiefs too focused on bouncing back from mistakes instead of learning from them.
This pattern of resiliency can set the ground for a vicious cycle of always having to recover from setbacks instead of preventing them in the first place. Not to mention the constraint this behavior can have on physical and mental health due to chronic stress associated with striving in the context of high-risk and failure. It is critical to recognize and address these downsides to harness the benefits of resilience.
How to Harness the Benefits of Resilience
Here are three proactive steps you can take that will help jumpstart your mastery of resilience:
1. Reflect regularly on past experiences
Identify trends or patterns that have contributed to setbacks or failures. By reflecting on past experiences, Chiefs of Staff can learn from mistakes and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, by constantly seeking feedback and being open to change, Chiefs can adapt plans as needed and remain flexible in the face of adversity.
2. Identify what needs to change
While it is good to learn from past experiences, it is also crucial for Chiefs to identify what needs to change to avoid future failures. At times, we can become bogged down by our biases and assumptions. To prevent this, make it a point to examine your behaviors and practices regularly. Seek feedback from others to get a fresh perspective. By constantly challenging ourselves and our assumptions, we can stay ahead of the curve and avoid making the same mistakes twice.
3. Don’t be afraid to shift gears
Acknowledge and act when it’s time to rethink a plan. In today’s ever-changing world, Chiefs of Staff must be agile and adaptable. If the strategy in place is no longer working, don’t be afraid to shift gears. Acknowledge the problem and take action to fix it. By being proactive and adaptable, Chiefs of Staff can navigate some of the toughest challenges.
By adopting these few strategies, Chiefs can harness the benefits of resilience without falling prey to its harmful side effects. This topic is just one of many areas I cover in my group coaching and mastermind program, ChiefSpace™, designed to help Chiefs of Staff amplify their performance and impact in service of their leader and company mission. If you’d like to learn more, click the button below! The program kicks off on Wednesday, July 5th!