A few years ago I met Martin Seligman, best selling author of more than twenty books including Learned Optimism. Seligman has long stated that positivity and grit are the two factors that differentiate outstanding performance.
…I’d like to suggest there is an essential third factor we need to add to that list…
Resilience.
I’ve observed this in my most remarkable clients in the last two and a half years.
Positivity and grit have long been talked about as essential for every leader…but the speed in which you can adapt and recover when the unexpected or unwelcome happens - your resilience- that is the new factor that sets apart the remarkable from the successful.
Over half of my current clients are making strategic acquisitions, mergers, or planning intentional change of ownership structures. All of which require a new approach to how you adapt to the world you work in.
It wasn’t always this way. An acquisition, IPO, going private, or recapitalization would distract many CEOs and boards sideways. But the matter of fact approach I am seeing leaders take is calming everyone around them. Your resilience is contagious. Your teams mimic your response.
Consider for a moment your team. How are they adapting and course correcting given the reality of today (rather than looking backwards on last week, last month or last year?)
This is true in your whole life not just your work life. I got to experience just that this weekend. Because…
40% of the Wright house have Covid!
What we have avoided meticulously for two and a half years finally changed all of our July 4th long weekend plans. Fortunately the symptoms are mild so it was an inconvenience more that a health crisis. But it did get me pondering how our family of five all rapidly adapted to our new long weekend plans in isolation. - Deja Vu for sure!
We’ve all developed thicker skins over the last two years and perhaps haven’t taken a moment to realize the resilience we have built up.
You are stronger than you realize. So is your team.
Looking for more on this topic including a trick my therapist taught me for strengthening my own resilience?
What does it mean to be imperturbable?
How to recover from intense stress
Strengthening Your Zone of Resilience - Chapter Seven of Words That Work
To your endless resilience!
Dedicated to growing your business,
Val
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