Our Stable Mind: Leadership Wisdom: Turning Fragility into Resilience, Productivity, and Sustainable Growth

Welcome to this edition of Our Stable Mind, your source of stability in an ever-changing world. This month, we explore a powerful metaphor that encapsulates wise leadership and its impact on organisations: the poison-eating peacock.

In many traditions, the peacock is revered for its remarkable ability to consume poisonous plants without harm. Even more striking is the belief that the poison it ingests enhances its vibrancy, making its feathers more colourful and its immunity stronger. This imagery offers a compelling lesson for modern organisations: wise leadership turns adversity into opportunity, much like the peacock transforms poison into functional beauty (fabulous feathers attract).

The Peacock and Poison - Wisdom in Leadership

Like the peacock, wise organizations and leaders can overcome challenges, mistakes, and obstacles. Recognizing that both life and organizations are fragile and precious, they transform vulnerabilities into growth, innovation, and societal impact. In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, with organizations facing ever-shorter lifespans, this adaptability is essential for survival.

What sets wise organisations apart?is?their capacity to transform pressures into pathways for long-term success. While many companies falter under disruption, wise organisations shift their focus from short-term, self-serving goals to creating value for the broader community. This outward focus leads to enhanced productivity, employee satisfaction, and sustainable profit.

"In 2020, the average lifespan of a company on Standard and Poor's 500 Index was just over 21 years, compared with 32 years in 1965. There is a clear long-term trend of declining corporate longevity... with this expected to fall even further throughout the 2020s." (Statista, 2023)

Relevance for SMEs: This is especially important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are increasingly feeling the pressure of factors beyond their control. In Australia, 71% of SMEs are struggling with rising interest rates, 73% with increasing energy and fuel costs, and 68% with the rising cost of raw materials. On top of these challenges, 30% of SMEs have reported declining revenues over the past year (Statista: ID 1373420). The courageous people who start, grow, and lead SMEs can harness these pressures as opportunities for innovation and resilience by building organisational wisdom. Metabolising adversity is a survival skill and a path to thriving in uncertain times.

Key traits of wise organisations:

• Supportive Leadership: Wise organisations foster leaders who practise compassion and patience, especially in the face of difficulty. This leadership style encourages job fulfilment and reduces burnout, resulting in stronger employee commitment.
• A Culture of Fairness and Respect: When organisations create a culture that values competence, autonomy, and respect, employees are more likely to flourish, leading to improved physical and mental well-being.
• Transforming Adversity: Rather than avoiding or blaming others for problems, wise organisations gather challenges and take responsibility, transforming them into learning opportunities.

For evidence of this relationship see the article Linking Wise Organizations to Wise Leadership, Job Satisfaction, and Well-Being.

The peacock metaphor reminds us to learn to consume the "poison" of adversity to make our organisations more vibrant and resilient.

Read the full article here.

Film Review: "The Pursuit of Happyness" - A Lesson in Resilience

Films provide a unique way to step back and reflect on deeper values. This month’s film review focuses on The Pursuit of Happyness, a true story of resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges. The film follows Chris Gardner, a man who faced financial struggles and homelessness. Instead of succumbing to adversity, Gardner used these challenges as fuel for perseverance, ultimately transforming his life into one of success and purpose.

Much like the peacock consuming poison, Gardner's ability to absorb hardship and turn it into personal and professional triumph is a testament to the power of resilience—a core quality of wise leadership. This film reminds us that even in the harshest circumstances, we can create beauty and growth from difficulty.

Read the full review here.

Reflection Exercise: Embracing Challenges to Build Wisdom

The metaphor of the peacock eating poison also inspires this month’s reflection exercise. Leadership wisdom grows by embracing challenges with patience and compassion.

How to Start: Reflect on a recent challenge your organisation faced.?

• How did you respond to it??
• Did you take responsibility, or was the blame shifted externally??
• Consider how you can approach similar challenges in the future with a mindset that transforms adversity into growth - making your leadership more vibrant and impactful.

Access the full exercise here.

Act Now: Prioritising Mental Health at Work

If you missed it and are interested, download our paper on mental well-being at work for in-depth insights.

Download here.

At Our Stable Mind, we believe that the capacity to transform difficulties into opportunities lies at the heart of wise leadership. The peacock metaphor reminds us that organisations can cultivate beauty, growth, and resilience even in the face of adversity. Book a consultation with us if you’d like to explore how to bring these practices into your leadership team or board.

Warm regards,

Subscribe to the Newsletter | Book a Call | Download Buddha in Pinstripes

References:

• Ardelt, M., & Sharma, B. (2021). Linking Wise Organisations to Wise Leadership, Job Satisfaction, and Well-Being. Frontiers in Communication, 6, 685850. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.685850/full
• Statista. (2023). Concerns among SMEs in Australia. Statista Research Department.