What are the key resilience skills for leaders in times of uncertainty and disruption?

Leaders who embrace change view it as a chance to learn and grow. They remain flexible, open-minded, and willing to experiment. Effective communication is key—explaining the reasons for change, its benefits, and gathering feedback helps ensure alignment and fosters a collaborative environment for innovation.

I encourage leaders to 'accept what is'. It doesn't mean resigning to the challenge/s but it means acknowledging the problem. By doing so, leaders can more effectively find solutions, and in fact be more innovative. Otherwise, one runs the risk of being overly optimistic ('it shall pass'), or what we call ostrich effect (avoiding the problem completely). Accept what is so new solutions can arise that make you and your company more resilient in the face of challenges.

To echo @Neri Karra Sillaman I would say step one is to tell the truth, particularly to oneself. How bad is it really? Don't catastrophize "the sky is falling," or ignore (see Neri's post) but identify what is really going on. It won't all be good news. And it won't all be the worst case scenario. Assess the actual situation on an on-going basis so that any changes made are built on a firm foundation of reality.

Leading through uncertainty and disruption demands resilience skills I’ve honed through challenging times. Adaptability has been crucial, allowing me to pivot strategies swiftly when faced with the unexpected. I’ve learned the power of empathetic communication, keeping my team informed and motivated even when answers are unclear. Building a culture of trust has been vital, as it fosters collaboration and collective problem-solving. Lastly, maintaining a forward-looking mindset, I focus on opportunities within challenges, inspiring my team to innovate. These skills have not only guided us through crises but have strengthened our collective resolve and unity.

Key resilience skills for leaders in times of uncertainty include adaptability, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, decision-making, strategic thinking, resilience, flexibility, communication, collaboration, self-care, empathy, and crisis management. These skills enable leaders to navigate challenges effectively, inspire confidence, and foster resilience in their teams.

The key resilience skills of a leader in uncertain times and disruption are the following recommended: 1. Emphasize developing a detailed crisis strategy and plan rather than an action outline. 2. Understand where all your Critical Impact Areas are within your company so that when there is a Crisis, you have already quantified the worst-case scenario, Risks, and Threats. 3. Situational Awareness of Emerging Threats: Stay current on emerging threats that could be catastrophic to one of the Critical Areas of Concern and prepare accordingly. 4. Develop a robust chain of command with redundancies in lieu of a crisis. 5. Adopt a quarterly policy of testing assumptions, scenarios, policies, and plans.

Change is the only constant. You must evolve and adapt changes with positivity. The ones who do not do so become obsolete. In this fast changing world, where everyday some new technology is coming up, it is need of the hour to embrace change.

An important aspect in messaging, especially when establishing a strategy, is on the basis of “we have this strategy – this is what we know today”. Nothing test any strategy like a few minutes in the field, and it’s also the richest source of real-world feedback. So when we expose the strategy to the real world and learn more, then it’s really essential to either change - The definition of success - the pathway to getting there Success, especially as a measure of our capabilities, changes continually with our environment. Be open, honest, explain what we know now, empower the group to help change direction.

The only certainty in life and business is uncertainty, and with uncertainty comes change. Every new day must be greeted with a confident, assertive, positive attitude that change is good and increases opportunities to grow the company, individual, and revenue. Companies with leaders who cannot use their wisdom, knowledge, and attitude of "I got this, so we got this" will be left behind and regularly need to reshuffle, reorganize, and waste valuable dollars replacing people. We are social beings. Yet, many tend to avoid rather than seek out connections at work. A leader must offer team-building activities so that when big shake-ups arrive, everyone is more equipped to weather the storm because they trust their leader and coworkers.

Effective stress management is crucial for leaders. By balancing workload, prioritizing tasks, and delegating when needed, leaders can reduce stress. Practicing self-care—sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition—along with healthy coping strategies like meditation and seeking social support, helps maintain both well-being and performance.

An important part of self-care is to not go it alone. Acknowledge that it is a stressful time and find ways for the team to support one another. Healthy snacks for the office, walking meetings, reality check-ins provide support for the whole team making the leaders job easier. And then, leave work at work. Spend time away from responsibilities doing things that bring you joy. Joy includes light hearted fun all the way to deeply meaningful pursuits. Make time for joy in your life.

Leaders today face a lot of stress. It is recommended that they must look after their mental and physical health. A healthy mind can think better and take better decisions.

Stress management is mostly “reacting to stress”. Things go sideways, we feel the stress, our performance goes down, we work out we need to fix it. In Western society that begins with a stiff drink. Stress management has to be proactive, beginning with building resilience/stress fitness/capacity for managing the unknown. So don’t wait. Start building stress resistance techniques into your day while it’s good. Cold showers, a few more push-ups, some intermittent fasting anything that is hard to do but gives a sense of satisfaction afterwards. Take that resilience, invest it back in yourself, be ready for the tough days. When the tough days happen? Amp up the stress management techniques.

Resilience extends beyond the individual leader to the entire organizational culture. Resilient leaders create environments that encourage and celebrate creativity. They empower employees to think outside the box, take calculated risks, and contribute innovative ideas. Monitor and adjust your self-talk. Cultivate a positive internal dialogue, focusing on constructive thoughts and affirmations. Positive self-talk contributes to a resilient mindset.

You must have resiliency to pursue what you want by choice, not out of desperation, and one that will align with your goals. We are not born resilient; it is a strength that develops over the years. You will only attain achievements and successes with discipline and willpower, two of the most essential characteristics of resilient people. A few things to increase self-discipline and willpower to become more resilient: Know your weaknesses. Set clear goals and have an execution plan. You must also understand what success means to you. How have you been resilient in your life? Write down every situation you used resiliency and discipline to get through; this will train your brain to remember that you are resilient in times of stress.

Leaders can manage stress effectively by building organizational resilience through robust business continuity planning. Establishing clear continuity protocols, conducting regular drills, and identifying critical functions and resources help ensure that the business can continue to operate smoothly during disruptions. By having a well-prepared business continuity plan, leaders can mitigate the impact of crises, reduce uncertainty, and provide a sense of security and stability for their teams, reducing overall stress levels.

As a leader, you know times of uncertainty can shake your team, your business, and your vision. How do you stay strong when everything around you is shifting? Building resilience is the key... ...it’s not just about bouncing back—it's about staying steady and leading with confidence, no matter the storm. Think about it: When disruption hits, your team looks to you for stability. Developing resilience means honing the skills to adapt quickly, manage stress, and inspire those around you to keep moving forward. Resilience isn’t just a soft skill; it’s your most powerful tool for navigating uncertainty and keeping your business on course.

What does modeling resilience themselves mean? Does it mean to keep up appearances and look 'strong' when things are not going well? In order to build resilient organizations, we need to dispel the myth of resilience. Resilience can and does look like saying "I don't have the answers". "I don't know" "This is hard" It is about being human, authentic and real.

Eventually, it all boils down to that one last person in the team who takes up uncertainty and disruption not as a lapse. Instead they take it up as an opportunity to rework the current processes and collaborate to relearn and face the challenge. It is more about sharing the vulnerabilities together and rather than putting a "strong front", the leaders, themselves and encourage their team to, put an authentic front!

Psychological safety - the ability to bring our whole selves to work and not fear judgement or repercussions is one of the most powerful ways to foster resilience at work. This takes time and requires respect of people's diversity and lived experiences. Simply telling people they can open up is never sufficient. Being there for them builds trust.

Resilience is NOT "suck it up buttercup". Resilience is assessing the situation accurately, reaching out for support and information, and moving forward where opportunity allows. Leaders Learn, Model, Teach resilience in an iterative and ongoing process.

Resilience involves learning from failures and setbacks. Leaders who embrace a growth mindset see challenges as valuable learning experiences. They analyze what went wrong, identify lessons, and use this knowledge to fuel future innovation.

Resilience skills are learned by going through hard times. The skills are then an on-going part of your strengths. These R-skills can then be used to build more of what you want in life.

What I think, a creative and innovative approach to ride the waves of uncertainty, will surely add value to the organisation as well as the individual development. That will surely, add something to perseverance & resilience.

Understanding and managing one's own emotions, as well as being attuned to the emotions of others, is essential. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can navigate challenging situations with empathy and composure.

Developing my resilience skills has been a transformative journey, especially as a leader navigating uncertainty and disruption. I began by assessing my resilience, pinpointing areas for growth like stress management and adaptability. Setting realistic actions, I practiced mindfulness to stay grounded and agile in the face of change. Seeking feedback from mentors and peers provided invaluable insights and support. Embracing empathetic communication helped me connect deeply with my team, fostering trust and collaboration. These skills have empowered me to not only cope with challenges but to leverage them as opportunities for growth and innovation, ultimately driving us toward our goals.

To build resilience for life's surprises, proactively seek discomfort. High achievers often avoid critique, and with age, we shy from new experiences. Yet, growth lies in challenge. Want the Pro tip? Set out to challenge your spirit. Go do karate ,boxing, judo or jujitsu. Surviving such trials cultivates the fortitude to face new obstacles with poise and deliberate action, maintaining calm as pressures mount. Embrace these disciplines to forge a mindset equipped to excel amid adversity.