Overcoming adversity as a leader

Adversity can have a positive impact on leaders by helping them develop resilience, which is the ability to adapt and stay focused in the face of challenges. Resilient leaders can learn from their mistakes, maintain a positive attitude, and bounce back from failures. They can also become better problem solvers, more flexible thinkers, and stronger performers.?

Let me share a snippet of a story from Mahabharata

During his lifetime Karna is confronted with the fact that he is an illegitimate child and the adopted son of a low caste charioteer. Apart from the traumatic rejection by his own mother, Karna has to endure constant slurs on account of his perceived low caste from his own wife, the Pandavas, their teachers in the military arts, and the common people of Hastinapura. 

At an exhibition to test the skills in the use of arms for both the Pandavas and Kauravas princes, everyone rejected Karna saying a charioter's son cannot have a duel with a Kshatriya. Then Duryodhana expressed amity to Karna by "taking Karna by his hand". Duryodhana gave Karna the Anga state and made him the king so that Karna could compete with Arjuna in a competition. Karna openly challenged Arjuna’s skills in archery and, also ends up matching him in skills that too in the presence of the entire Kuru clan. Adversity through out his entire life, made Karna stronger and resilent.        

When adversity hits a leader, they can learn and grow from the experience, and become a stronger leader. Here are some ways leaders can cope with adversity:?

• Embrace adversity: Leaders can learn from adversity by embracing it early and often.?
• Be optimistic: Leaders can regain control of the situation by turning negatives into positives. This can give their team confidence.?
• Learn from experience: Hardships can be a powerful catalyst for leadership development. Leaders can learn from their experiences and turn them into opportunities for growth.?
• Maintain composure: Leaders can maintain their composure, understand their opponents, and stay focused on their goals.?
• Be persistent: Leaders can keep moving forward, one step at a time.?
• Accept accountability: Leaders can accept accountability for their decisions.?
• Seek mentors: Leaders can seek mentors and differing perspectives.?

When my 3-year-old hound, Kanni suddenly went blind, she couldn't run through the very garden she grew up in. Though her other senses picked up, she didn't have the same confidence she had. She stopped walking and started to put on weight. She was giving up. Thats then I introduced an indie dog - Godhi who became her guide dog. He was the little dog with a bell tied to his neck! Within the first two weeks, she started to follow him and today she can walk through the garden with more confidence. Sometimes you need someone who can help you overcome your adversity. So always seek out for help and mentorship.        

Here are some ways that adversity can impact leaders:?

• Develops resilience: Leaders who develop resilience through past hardships can become better problem solvers, more flexible thinkers, and stronger performers.?
• Builds strong values and principles: Leaders can fall back on their strong values and principles when faced with adversity.?
• Can provide a jolt to a career: Adversity can sometimes give a career renewed energy.?
• Can lead to characteristics that produce successful leaders: Research suggests that facing adversity early in life can lead to characteristics that produce successful leaders, such as compassion, empathy, determination, and adaptability.

As a leader, you will always face adversity. You will see it from your employees, coworkers, and even from people outside your organization. The real question is, “How will you handle it?” Will you run and hide, find a way around it, or face it head-on? As a leader, you must be confident when you encounter adversity because everyone is watching. If you falter or show insecurity, people will lose trust and confidence in you as the leader.

High-performing leaders, are aware of their strengths and understand their weaknesses, and see themselves as continuously learning, adapting and responding to both positive and negative circumstances. Making sense of the significant passages of life and career requires time and space for reflection.