Fight or Flight: The Leaders Who Emerge Stronger From Setbacks

Pursues challenging goals with energy and confidence.

Maintains composure and optimism in challenging situations. 

Moves independently and with little need for guidance.   

Possesses a need to win and move ahead in their career or authority.

Seeks goals with a focus on the bottom line. 

Takes criticism in their stride and with grace. 

01

Better able to foster a growth mindset.  

Resilient leaders are unafraid of making mistakes. When they do misstep, they reframe these moments as opportunities for growth. They are confident that when faced with difficult situations, they can find creative ways to move the organization forward. This growth mindset fosters a culture of continuous improvement and calculated risk-taking across the entire organization, increasing innovation and organizational agility.  

02

Better at navigating ambiguity. 

Resilient leaders are comfortable navigating the unknown. When faced with ambiguity, instead of becoming narrow-minded and trying to solve the problem themselves, or being paralyzed by indecision, they bring in new voices, and try novel approaches to find a path forward.  

03

Better at building trust. 

Resilient leaders are honest with their team about hardships. They don’t shy away from the truth, avoid unbridled optimism, and are open about the obstacles they face. And in turn, this honesty fosters a culture of trust and open communication across the entire organization. It encourages an open dialogue between teams, allowing problems to be solved faster. 

04

Better at anticipating issues before they arise.

Resilient leaders know two things well. One, that past performance isn’t a guarantee of future results. And two, that there are many external factors that are entirely out of their control. Much like surfers in the ocean, resilient leaders scan the horizon and reposition based on the size and shape of the wave that’s forming. They remain vigilant and proactively anticipate issues before they arise, rather than reacting to them when often it’s too late.

05

Better at galvanizing the organization around action. 

When a crisis emerges, it’s natural for the people in the organization to become anxious. Resilient leaders will help manage that anxiety. They will lay out the vision for the future, and importantly, get the people in the organization aligned on that vision. Resilient leaders are also great communicators. They will talk about the tough times honestly, while painting a grounded, optimistic view of the future.    

Start with self. The best leaders are voracious consumers of data and are constantly finding ways to create space in their schedules to stay curious outside the 'day to day' of their roles. They convert their self-awareness into 'self-knowledge'—the ability to adjust their behaviors and their rituals to take into account when they are in positive or negative situations. They know what triggers their stress and energy depletion and have mechanisms for recovery (both physical and mental) that they apply consistently.  

Strong networks. Leaders need broad and rich networks—inside and outside of their organization, and at multiple levels. The best leaders are very connected, hearing 360-degree inputs from employees levels down, their peers, and a wide range of external sources. These insights are not only critical to ongoing self-awareness and development—they also help leaders to filter each new instinct through a trusted set of colleagues and team members who will challenge and even redirect to get the optimal outcome.  

Intentional inclusion. Great leaders assertively pull perspectives from everywhere into their decision making processes. No matter how expansive or fast thinking a leader may be, their pattern recognition will be improved if they actively get other brains on the challenge and resist the temptation to go it alone. Every leader needs a 'kitchen cabinet' to help them hear the truth and make the right decisions. Nothing is more true than the adage that the senior leader doesn’t hear the unvarnished truth enough—so great leaders seek it out. 

The power of stories. As leaders own their development journeys and prioritize moments of reflection, stories can be an especially effective way of demonstrating authenticity and vulnerability. Some leaders are natural storytellers, but they need to make sure their stories don’t sound too slick or superficial. Other leaders struggle with opening up and sharing—requiring structure, practice and feedback to hone a few stories that can make an impact. 

Svein Tore Holsether
CEO Yara International 

Norwegian chemicals company Yara International invested $15m on an autonomous, all-electric ship, The Yara Birkeland. Tipped as the world’s first emission-free container ship, the Yara Birkeland is expected to replace around 40,000 truck journeys each year between the company’s fertilizer production facility in southern Norway to the northern port of Brevik (cutting about 1,000 tons of carbon emissions). But with maritime regulations on autonomous ships yet to be written, the company must still navigate a host of challenges, including legal liabilities in different territories. Yet Svein thought it was a risk worth taking. “I’d rather be fired for taking too much of a risk and making a mistake than not acting soon enough.”

Source: Sustainable Leadership, Russell Reynolds Associates, 2021