How to Be a Resilient Leader: Strengthening Your Mental Game Through Accountability and Restored Energy

Leadership is a mental sport — it demands the same kind of resistance training athletes go through, building the strength and resilience needed to be the backbone your team relies on. It’s challenging because it will feel like the entire org is watching you at times, even in your sleep, especially when sh*t hits the fan; wondering how agile you are, how resilient you are, how authoritative yet understanding you are – regardless of an acute event taking place, the pressure never seems to die.

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Here are 2 simple things helped me show up as a better leader:

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Accountability

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The best way to manage high levels of pressure is to take full ownership and accountability wherever you can. Put leadership aside for a minute and think about your personal dynamics, it’s always easier to point the finger at others than it is to redirect it to yourself. My opinion is that even when we think we’re 100% in the right, there’s always 1% of accountability where you can lean on and learn from. One recommendation is to learn about Stoicism. Studying this over the last few years has helped me become a better husband, father, friend, and leader. At the core, stoicism is about understanding that you do not control what happens to you; all you control is how you react to these things.

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Energy

Being a leader is extremely draining. Because a big portion of your role is spent fueling your team members. Whether you want it or not, they’ll mirror your energy. Find something to restore your energy on a regular basis – whether it be through meditation or a physical activity, so that you never find yourself pushing any stress back onto your team members. How you show up for them will set a standard for how they show up for themselves, and for their colleagues.

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