GRIT: The Missing Ingredient in Modern Leadership

Back in the 1950s, a newspaper called GRIT was a staple in homes across America. It was a publication for young people that celebrated perseverance, hard work, and the can-do spirit that defined a generation. Today, the concept of grit seems to be fading from leadership conversations, replaced by buzzwords like agility, innovation, and disruption. While these qualities are valuable, they mean little without the backbone of resilience, determination, and the unwavering commitment to seeing things through.

True leadership—whether in business, politics, or personal life—demands grit. It requires the ability to push forward despite adversity, to remain steadfast in the face of failure, and to keep going when every instinct says to quit.

Shackleton’s Grit: Leading Against All Odds

One of the greatest demonstrations of grit in leadership comes from Sir Ernest Shackleton. In 1914, Shackleton led the ill-fated Endurance expedition to Antarctica. When his ship became trapped in the ice and ultimately sank, he and his crew were stranded in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth.

Many leaders would have accepted defeat. Shackleton did the opposite. Over months of unimaginable hardship, he kept his men alive, leading them across treacherous ice, open sea, and desolate islands. His 800-mile open-ocean voyage in a lifeboat to reach a whaling station in South Georgia—without modern navigation or equipment—remains one of the greatest survival feats in history. Against all odds, he rescued every single member of his crew.

Shackleton’s story isn’t just about survival; it’s about leadership under pressure. He faced impossible circumstances, made tough decisions, and never let despair take hold. That’s grit.

Personal Grit: Discovering My Own Resilience

Grit isn’t just for history books. I’ve had my own moments of discovering what perseverance really means.

At 17, I faced a life-threatening illness that left me hospitalized for 92 days, losing 60 pounds and barely able to walk. Three months after being discharged, I was back on my feet, leading my high school cross-country team to the Kansas State Championships. That moment taught me that grit isn’t about avoiding hardship—it’s about deciding how to respond when hardship comes.

Later, in Army Basic Training, I found myself facing another test of resilience. Pushing through physical exhaustion, mental strain, and the relentless discipline of military life, I learned that my limits were far beyond what I had assumed. The culmination of that experience was graduating as an Honor Graduate in the military journalism program, proving to myself that perseverance and discipline win out over talent alone.

Through these experiences, I learned that grit is the difference between dreaming about success and actually achieving it.

Grit in Leadership: Lessons from History

The greatest leaders in history weren’t necessarily the smartest or the most talented—but they had grit.

• Abraham Lincoln lost multiple elections, suffered business failures, and battled depression, yet he persevered to become one of the greatest U.S. presidents.
• Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly child but built himself into a robust adventurer, leading the charge up San Juan Hill and later shaping modern America as president.
• Winston Churchill faced political exile before World War II, only to return as the leader Britain desperately needed, standing firm against Nazi Germany when the odds seemed insurmountable.
• Harriet Tubman risked her life over and over again to free enslaved people, never stopping until she had saved as many as possible.

Each of these leaders had something in common: They refused to give up when things got difficult.

Modern Leaders with Grit

Grit isn’t just a relic of the past. Today’s most successful leaders also display perseverance in the face of failure:

• Elon Musk – Nearly went bankrupt multiple times, faced widespread skepticism, and still built Tesla and SpaceX into world-changing companies.
• Howard Schultz – Grew up in poverty, was rejected by 200 investors, but still transformed Starbucks into a global powerhouse.
• Diana Nyad – After multiple failures, swam from Cuba to Florida at age 64, proving that grit transcends age.
• Jocko Willink – Former Navy SEAL who teaches “Extreme Ownership,” a mindset built around resilience, discipline, and never quitting.

Why Grit is the Missing Piece in Leadership Today

Many aspiring leaders today focus on strategy, innovation, and emotional intelligence—all crucial skills—but they often overlook the one trait that holds everything together: perseverance.

In coaching executives and managers, I’ve seen firsthand how those who develop grit become the most effective leaders. They don’t crumble under pressure. They embrace challenges. They push forward despite failure. They understand that success is often just one more attempt beyond failure.

Leadership isn’t about having an easy path. It’s about forging ahead when the path is anything but easy.

Building Grit: A Call to Action for Leaders

So, how do we cultivate grit in ourselves and others? Here are three simple but powerful steps:

1. Embrace Discomfort – Seek out challenges instead of avoiding them. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.
2. Stay the Course – When things get tough, push forward instead of backing down. Setbacks are just part of the journey.
3. Develop a Grit Mindset – Believe that persistence beats talent. Learn from failures, but never let them define you.

Grit isn’t just about individual success—it’s about building a culture of resilience in leadership. If we want to inspire future generations, we must embody perseverance ourselves.

Final Thought: The Leadership Grit Test

Here’s a question to leave you with: When was the last time you faced something truly difficult and refused to quit? That’s where leadership is forged.

Shackleton didn’t quit. Lincoln didn’t quit. Churchill didn’t quit. Neither should we.

Grit isn’t optional in leadership. It’s essential.

Want to discover your GRIT. Contact me for a brief conversation.

#ExecutiveLeadership #GritInLeadership #ResilientLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #NonprofitLeadership #CoachTerryApproved

?

?