“The future is shaped by what you do today.” Mahatma Gandhi
Leadership is important in implementing the concept of institutional management. On the basis of the sustainability of companies and a successful institutional management, “Resilient Leader” is a leader who can be hardy, flexible and strong in every condition. At the moment, the whole world needs a sensibly, empathetic and effective leadership. Are there any reasons for concern?
Definitely yes, because
- We could not have predicted this corona pandemic crisis.
- We were caught unprepared.
- We are isolated in every field.
- We can’t see the finish line yet.
Then, what should we do in this case?
At such uncertain times, leaders must first take a closer look at their own behavior and ask themselves if they are involved in the panic.
First, as I mentioned earlier, the behaviors in these environments are more reactionary, which is why it is necessary to stay as calm as possible and to focus on the positive.
It is necessary to be aware of the feelings experienced throughout the process. How worry, anxious, or panicky feelings are? How authentic feelings are?
It is necessary to understand and accept that there are natural feelings.
Effective leaders must improve in order to progress. They are also responsible for maintaining and increasing the energies and motivation of the people in their team. Leadership is sustainable only if individuals and teams can maintain consistently high energy levels. At this point, resilience emerges as the most important feature of high performing, effective leaders.
What is “Resilience”?
Resilience is a person’s capacity to meet difficult situations, adversities, setbacks and traumas and to overcome them effectively. Resilient leaders have the ability to keep energy levels at the top even under all kinds of pressure, cope with destructive factors and adapt. Also, in this process, they can overcome great difficulties without making sense or harming others.
Resilient leaders are successful because
- They take responsibility for their actions. They don’t seek happiness by relying on others and don’t blame others for their situation.
- They focus on the possibilities in front of them, they create their own luck. They do their best with their available resources and thus take control of their lives.
- They think positively. They adapt to their situation without losing hope. They look for the positive.
- They give priority to knowledge.
- They can manage their emotions. Instead of ignoring negative emotions, they become aware of, confront, and accept them.
- About change and risk, they choose the struggle instead of the easy way.
- When faced with difficult or negative situation, they reframe to change their perspective and seek different ways for their situation.
- Instead of winning victory, they choose to “be”. Real success comes from who you are, not from what you have achieved.
- They choose to live in harmony with their core values.
- One of the most important features; The “trust environment” they create in the system with honesty and sincerity comes.
If you are one step ahead, you are a “LEADER”, if you are 10 steps ahead, you are a “TARGET”.
One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to anticipate the possibility of future situations and to plan accordingly. Efficient leaders spend significant time weeks, months and even years before the people around them, predicting the future. They look over the horizon and try to understand what it’s like to be there.
However, perfect results can be achieved when other team members adopt the same vision and combine it with the ability to act according to that vision. Otherwise, it will remain an unbelievable idea with great potential. If you think of the leader as a rubber band that unites the people around him, if the leader moves to predict the future, the rubber band is stretched. If there are linear / parallel terms between the leader’s vision and the current reality of the people, there is a useful and appropriate tension, and the team can begin to assimilate this vision and act accordingly. However, if the leader goes too far to pull people together or pulls too hard, the rubber band can break. In this case, there is a gap between the leader’s vision for the future and everyone’s current reality and that means that the leader loses his influence as a result.
If “effective” leaders are living in the future and spending time in the future, “resilient” leaders will show skills that will encourage their teams to join the consensus. Sometimes it takes effort to actively shape and influence their views. But even when it is needed, it is necessary to avoid moving.
Because the “resilient” leader not only assesses the probability of future events, but also pays attention to the current trends and the extent to which people influence each other in this process. There is a saying that if you are one step ahead, you are a “leader”, if you are 10 steps ahead, you are a “target”.
In the new world order, leaders will now have to look to a very changeable and uncertain future and decide for what they believe in its possible outcome. Inevitably, they will have to move forward with insufficient data. All of this will naturally force the leaders, the rubber bands that connect them to the people around them. Therefore, they should try to move their institutions and employees forward with a balanced voltage, without putting too much pressure on people and systems. Resilient leaders wear a rubber band, but they don’t tear it.
Strengthens the “Mental Immune System” …!
As much as it is necessary to physically keep our immune system strong during this period, it is even more necessary to keep our “Mental Immune System” strong. Therefore, while resilient leaders attach importance to their personal development, they also focus on the development of all members in their team. Instead of telling them what to do, they ask strong questions about what they do and can achieve their goals. They don’t just listen to their team members; they try to understand them deeply and discover what they really want to say. Thus, ideas are shared in the system, learning from each other takes place, decisions are taken jointly or in cooperation, the rate of achieving goals is high, team spirit and success are mentioned.
Therefore, only “leaders with coaching skills” who understand this fact and “the systems they influence will survive and those who achieve sustainable growth” will be able to create a brighter future.
According to the Building Strong Coaching Cultures for the Future, a 2019 study from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Human Capital Institute (HCI), providing leaders with coaching and tools/resources to develop coaching skills in their leadership is key to facilitating the development of a learning organization to grow and change in support of long-term engagement and performance of its employees.
Finally, in order to make ourselves more stronger, more flexible and more resilient, that is, it would be very useful to ask some questions, seek their answers and act on their solutions;
- Who would be the best me in the current situation? and how can I be?
- What is a higher perspective for me? How can I reach that? What does that point mean to me? What resources do I have to get there? What do I need? What would be the most appropriate action plan to get me to that point? What steps? In what order? Timing? etc.
- What strengths do I have in my work and private life support my resilience and adaptability? How can I use them more effectively in current conditions?
- What would be the best practices for me to stay calm and help restore the logical mental system? Such as deep breathing, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, talking to a trusted friend, or talk to a colleague.
- How much do I need to work with a psychologist, psychotherapist and / or professional coach?
- Which kind of things help to me to connect, give meaning for my purpose of life?
- Who and what inspires me today?
- What makes me wonder?
- In what ways can I develop hope?
- What kinds of new habits can I add fun to my daily life? Using what tools can I achieve pleasure in this environment?
- If I made a list of strategies for what calms, soothes and inspires me, what would be on this list?
- How much do I mirror myself in terms of emotions and behavior? What is the mirror telling me?
- How much do I ask questions to my surrounding? such as “How’s it going?”, “What can I do for you?”
Being aware of ourselves, working with ourselves, making decisions for ourselves are perhaps the most necessary concepts in these difficult times. Because this is what we need most to adapt to the new world, to be flexible and resilient.
Stay with health, stay with love and If you need any support on your organisation’s and leader’s coaching journey, do contact us at ICF and our team of volunteers in the UK will be happy to help.
https://www.coachingfederation.org.uk
