Following the COVID pandemic, for example, a survey of
over 1,000 senior leaders found that a staggering 8 in 10 reported exhaustion indicative of burnout risk, and 6 in 10 said they didn’t make time for their personal well-being. How could these leaders have become more resilient to the challenges posed by the unavoidable global pandemic?
Up your resilience quotient and you’ll learn to maintain focus when outside factors are deeply challenging. As a result, your leadership skills will inspire your teams to do their very best work. A resilient leader certainly survives adversity, but that’s not all. A resilient leader adapts. A resilient leader learns. A resilient leader keeps on leading with clarity.
Tools such as the 5Qs framework can help organisations cultivate resilient leadership, creating leaders who are equipped to manage complexities and drive sustainable growth within their teams.
In this blog, we’ll explore practical leadership strategies for fostering resilience, underlining the role of the resilience quotient (RQ) and the broader impact of resilience in leadership.
Real-world examples of leadership resilience offer a deeper understanding of how this skill can completely transform leadership. From India’s Mahatma Gandhi to
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, history is filled with leaders who have demonstrated remarkable resilience, overcoming immense challenges to inspire and lead others.
Nelson Mandela serves as a powerful example of. The South African was imprisoned as a young revolutionary in 1962, then emerged nearly three decades later as a champion for peace and reconciliation. He later became President – his country's first black head of state. Mandela’s remarkable ability to embody empathy, connection self-efficacy, and authenticity highlights the true essence of leadership resilience.
Rather than being simply about survival, resilience means adapting, growing and leading effectively in the face of adversity. Leaders with high resilience protect their teams from stress and maintain their personal focus and clarity under pressure, guaranteeing sustained success.
But what does resilience look like in practice?
A resilient leader is characterised by their ability to adapt to setbacks while maintaining a steady vision. Taking the above example of Nelson Mandela, he overcame the biggest possible setback of almost 30 years of imprisonment – and still managed to become President. Rather than being a fixed trait, resilience is a skill that you can develop through intentional practice and self-awareness.
Here are some key traits that resilient leaders typically possess:
● Adaptability: Adjusting to unexpected changes with a solution-focused mindset.
● Emotional strength: Managing personal emotions while supporting team morale.
● Strategic focus: Balancing immediate priorities with long-term objectives.
● Empathy: Building trust and understanding within teams.
Resilience in leadership plays a vital role in organisational success. Leaders with high leadership resilience handle stress effectively and create a positive ripple effect throughout their teams. They also serve the important role of
protecting the energy of their staff, so that everybody can give their absolute best to their role. In short, a resilient leader takes the blows so that their employees don’t have to.
"All good leaders have scars on their leadership mantle."
Mark Cole, CEO of the John Maxwell Company
The resilience quotient (RQ), one element of the 5Qs framework, provides a measurable way to understand and enhance this capacity.
So what are the benefits of having a high RQ? Let’s take a look at how having a strong RQ can help in the workplace:
1. Improved decision-making: Leaders maintain clarity under pressure, and are better equipped to make informed, intelligent choices.
2. Team stability: Resilient leaders project confidence, reducing anxiety among their teams and superiors.
3. Sustained performance: High RQ supports leaders in avoiding burnout, so that productivity stays consistent.
Developing resilient leadership requires a combination of self-reflection, structured training and intentional actions. Below are actionable steps:
Understanding personal strengths and weaknesses is foundational to resilience. Tools like the 5Qs Pulse assessment offer insights into how leaders perform under pressure and identify areas for growth.
Example: an editor with strong problem-solving skills may discover through the 5Qs assessment that he needs to improve emotional regulation during the highly stressful weekly newspaper deadline.
Resilient leaders rely on trusted advisors, peers and teams for perspective and guidance. Building relationships that offer constructive feedback and support is crucial.
Practical tip for leadership coaches: encourage leaders to actively seek feedback from colleagues and mentors, helping them identify blind spots and hone their approach.
Formal training programmes focused on resilience in leadership can equip leaders with techniques for managing stress, making adaptive decisions and fostering team resilience.
Suggested approach: Conduct workshops that explore real-world challenges and teach actionable strategies for overcoming setbacks.
Resilience thrives in environments where open communication is encouraged. Leaders who share their thought processes during crises build trust and model resilience for their teams.
Example: HR manager Sue openly discusses the steps she is taking to address a project delay in order to reassure her team, promoting collaboration and reducing stress.
Sustaining leadership resilience requires attention to physical and mental well-being. Leaders need to prioritise self-care to remain effective in the long term.
Practical tip: Promote initiatives such as flexible schedules or mindfulness sessions to help leaders recharge and maintain focus.
While these five strategies offer practical approaches, resilience requires a multi-dimensional framework to fully develop. This is where the 5Qs framework comes in, integrating key aspects of leadership to develop resilience in a structured and measurable way.
The 5Qs framework is a comprehensive model for leadership development, integrating
Cognitive (IQ),
Emotional (EQ),
Political (PQ),
Resilience(RQ), and
Moral (MQ) intelligences. Its focus on RQ equips leaders to handle adversity while maintaining ethical and strategic focus.
Tailored assessments provide leaders with a clear picture of their resilience levels and growth areas.
Practical workshops offer tools to strengthen RQ in real-world scenarios.
Continuous development encourages leaders to reassess and refine their strategies regularly.
Rather than being theoretical, resilience has practical applications in leadership scenarios, from dealing with team dynamics to managing market disruptions. Here’s how resilience strategies play out in real-world workplace contexts:
Team conflicts: when a recurring dispute occurs among team members, CEO Matt remains composed and focuses on long-term solutions rather than reacting impulsively. He uses his resilience to maintain clarity under pressure, encouraging a structured and supportive environment where his team can address the issue’s root causes and move forward collaboratively.
Market disruptions: faced with a seismic market shift, tech leader Meghda remains composed and calm, using her adaptability to realign organisational priorities and weather the storm.
Personal challenges: when Leigh experiences sudden loss of hearing after an infection, he employs his strong RQ to balance his personal situation with his professional responsibilities, modelling resilience for his team.
Leadership resilience is a vital skill for navigating the choppy waters of today’s workplace complexities. Developing a strong resilience quotient (RQ) can help leaders inspire their hardworking teams, adapt to challenges and create sustainable success.
