Rise Above: How Resilience Leads Women to Lasting Success

It is nearly impossible for any of us to feel a sense of security and safety at work. In his recent post, Jason Seiden expertly shares the converging trends that point to the challenge of the Talent function being relegated to the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy, versus other functions that will be instrumental in a company’s ability to self-actualize its transformation.

In the dynamic and often turbulent trends that Seiden shares in his posts, it is hard not to see why resilience has become a buzzword; a beacon of hope for individuals seeking to thrive amidst adversity. Since the pandemic, this has become increasingly true for women, who face a unique set of challenges in both their personal and professional lives. In order to move beyond the buzz, we have to understand that resilience is not just beneficial; it is critical for sustained success, and in some cases, continuity.

Here's why:

Resilience is the fabric that holds us together when external forces threaten to pull us apart. It is more than just bouncing back from setbacks; it is about forging ahead with greater knowledge and strength. For women, who reinvest 90% of their income and time into the world around them, this strength is not just for oneself but often for families, communities, and organizations that rely on their leadership and contributions.

It will come as no surprise to know that resilience is deeply intertwined with mental health. Without resilience, the stressors that come with life's insecurities and societal pressures can lead to significant mental health issues, from burnout to depression. In my book, "Disrupters: Success Strategies from Women Who Break The Mold," each of the women profiled, each of whom defined success and achieved it on their own terms regardless of their role or business, practiced a resilient growth-based mindset. A resilient mindset not only helped them provide a protective buffer, turning potential breakdowns into breakthroughs. How do they do it? They used the purpose for their hard work as their mindset reset and intentionally prioritized their mental well-being as a key component of their work, not in addition to it. This enabled them to handle stressors with clarity, objectivity, and grace.

In a professional context, understanding resilience is essential for career longevity and advancement. Women have a significantly higher influence over spending decisions and wealth management, better track recourse on boards and the C-suite, and a high volume of advanced education. And, yes, we are steadily, albeit slowly, breaking glass ceilings. Yet, women continue to be underrepresented at the highest levels of leadership. A significant part of this gap can be attributed to the perception and sometimes reality of an unfair resilience deficit.

Encountering systemic bias, overt and covert discrimination, and constant competition between work and personal commitments, women face far more critical moments that can derail career trajectories. Understanding resilience—embracing it and embedding it into the professional ethos of women—can make the difference between succumbing to these challenges and overcoming them.

Resilience, now more than ever, also plays a pivotal role in leadership. Dr. Carol Gilligan’s work in the realm of feminist leadership theory taught us that women are relational in their decision-making, whereby they consider their decisions based on the impact of those with the biggest stake in their outcomes. Yet, the cultural constructs of business are represented by the work of Kohlberg, whose research used an all-white-male panel of participants, whereby the best leadership decisions were found to be based on justice, rules, and hierarchy. Neither is wrong nor right; they are contextual. In the rapidly changing world of industry and societal shifts to extremes, women can tap into their resilience-due-to-necessity muscle to model resilience regardless of title.

In fact, it is through the unique resilient leadership that only underrepresented populations have had to build as a tool to move beyond surviving and into thriving, where women can lead by example to foster environments that encourage others to persevere and excel. When women leaders demonstrate resilience, they not only are able to achieve success on their own terms, they also inspire and empower those around them to push through adversity.

Then there is the social dimension of resilience. Societal change does not come easily or quickly. As a lifelong disrupter, I have learned that this pushback is not personal. When you bring disruption to someone’s status quo where they are either thriving or at least comfortable, you will meet stiff resistance. Women have been at the forefront of many social movements, and it is their resilience that has helped to bend the arc of history toward justice. By understanding and cultivating resilience, women equip themselves with the tools needed to continue driving social progress.

Finally, resilience is about transformation. It provides the wisdom to discern when to push forward and when to pivot. Misinterpreted, one could view resilience as enduring hardship without change, but true resilience is adaptive—it is knowing that sometimes, sustaining success means redefining it. For women who have had lifelong conditioning that we must say “yes” to every and all opportunities, let's be your charge forward. Sure, we want to have it all; the truth is that means we have to do it all. Resilience is knowing that you don’t have to do it all at once, if at all.

In essence, resilience is not just a survival mechanism; it is a strategy for sustained success and empowerment. It is about cultivating the inner strength that allows women to navigate the complexity of their roles and the challenges that come with them. Understanding this is crucial, not just for individual women, but for the advancement of all. As we collectively recognize and elevate the importance of resilience, we pave the way for more inclusive and robust frameworks of support that benefit everyone.