“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.”
- Captain Jack Sparrow
The Optimistic Leader: How to stay resilient in the face of adversity
In a world that continues to evolve at a rapid pace and uncertainty remains a constant, the importance of effective leadership has never been more evident. Leaders are tasked with navigating unpredictable situations and maintaining their composure amidst the chaos. Without the right mental framework and attitude, leading through adversity can cause burnout, loss of team morale, and suboptimal decision-making.
How effective a leader navigates challenge depends on how resilient they are, i.e., how well they can withstand difficult experiences, recover, and adapt. But how do we become more resilient?
One solution is that we learn to reframe how we perceive and label events in our lives to turn challenges into victories and find purpose in struggle. By turning negatives into positives, we take back our power and control over the situation, which translates to our team; it gives them confidence that everything will be okay.
In other words, be an optimist.
An Inner Power
Optimism is a source of power. An optimist believes that the outcomes of events will generally be positive. Even when it seems like nothing is going their way, the optimist manages to look beyond the surface of adversity and find within it a deeper meaning.
Optimism is the key to supercharging your resilience. And the best part? Anyone can cultivate this power—it just takes some practice!
The Core of the Composed Leader
In times of uncertainty, people tend to look to their leader for direction, and it is the responsibility of the leader to stand tall despite challenges and set an example. This isn’t to say that a leader shouldn’t ever be vulnerable with their team or have normal feelings like nervousness, but why not focus on what you can control? By shifting your mindset, you can instill confidence in the people around you and get the best versions of them.
Let’s look at it from the Illinois Model of Leadership. Approaching your actions with a healthy and positive attitude is key to having high self-management skills. Having a strong personal foundation is a prerequisite to effectively leading at a larger scale. In the context of teams, you need to be able to look at a situation objectively to form a plan of action and keep everyone grounded. Holding the team together with a common purpose will result in achieving the shared vision. At the organizational level, managing change in a successful manner fosters smooth transitions with strategic plans in place for the future.
Navigating through all the levels of the Illinois Leadership Model results in becoming a global leader capable of influencing broader communities. Each step along the way requires different abilities, and resilience is at the core of many leadership competencies identified in the model; It gives a leader a foundation from which they can continue to improve themselves.
Optimism in Action
To borrow an idea from Stoicism, there’s a Latin expression Amor Fati which translates to “A love of one’s fate”. The stoics believed we should not merely accept what is, but embrace it as meant for us. Replacing the belief that life happens to you with the new belief that life happens for you, is very empowering and it creates room for growth.
Understand that good and bad are labels we assign experiences based on our preferences. If what happens in your life is meant for you, then it does not make sense to label one event as fortunate and another as misfortunate–they are one and the same. In fact, you could even say that facing these “misfortunes” and enduring them is good fortune!
You did not have a bad day because you got stuck in traffic, someone was rude to you, or your to-do list seemed to keep getting longer and longer. You had a good day because you were given the opportunity to build your patience, composure, and discipline. Sure, it may not have been your ideal day, but you survived, and you're stronger because of it. Now next time you face a similar situation, you will be more well-suited for success!
Life is tough, but so are you
Lay your problems out on the table and see them for what they are. Strip them of the labels so that you can look for the hidden benefit. It won’t be easy at first, but optimism is like a muscle that you have to build. Consciously practice reframing situations to be in your favor rather than something working against you, and soon it will become your brain’s default response to adversity.
Every time life gets difficult, and you find it hard to keep moving forward, try being an optimist and realize that it is all happening for your benefit in some way. You may not see that benefit right away, and that is okay. What’s important is that you see adversity for what it really is—a lesson—instead of backing down or letting it dictate your emotions. Smile confidently in its face and say, “Bring it on”!
If you enjoyed the read and would like to learn more about optimism, stoicism, or the Illinois Model of Leadership, check out these additional resources:
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/optimism
- https://leadership.illinois.edu/competencies
- https://dailystoic.com/what-is-stoicism-a-definition-3-stoic-exercises-to-get-you-started/#what-is-stoicism
- https://dailystoic.com/amor-fati-love-of-fate/
