The key to overcoming surprises? Resilience

The business world is transient by nature. Disruption is common among enterprises, and leaders simply have to adapt. What’s the secret in managing and dealing with surprises and bumps in the road? Resilience.

Harvard Business Review contributor Rosabeth Moss Kanter explained that no one can avoid troubles and pitfalls in the modern workplace. The measure of the most adaptable people is centred on how they react.

Building a purpose

So, how can leaders garner resilience and better deal with change? The first step is to have faith in your own vision, as well as the aims and objectives of the wider company.

Research from the Ivey Business Journal suggested that having confidence in your own convictions can help develop resilience, and allow you to build up enough momentum to get over those workplace hurdles.

Get positive

Your attitude in the face of difficulties plays a big role in resilience. After all, if you’re constantly assuming something is too problematic to navigate, then you’ve already succumbed! A set of advanced leadership skills includes the ability to consistently think in positive terms.

Forbes contributor Meghan M. Biro suggested that learning from bad experiences is also crucial. After all, if you can channel a negative into dealing with issues going forward, then you’ll likely develop natural resilience.

Don’t be afraid of help

The modern leader can be too reliant on the silo mentality. In any position where others are looking to you for inspiration, it can be difficult to admit that you need help.

As Harvard Business Review contributor Steven Snyder pointed out, the most effective leaders have expansive support networks and peers they can rely on, when they have to bounce back from a difficult time.

Building resilience is by no means easy in today’s world of work, but constructively confronting problems is certainly a good starting point.