Integer Leadership Consulting

I am beginning a series on Resilience and Posttraumatic growth as it relates to those in positions of organizational leadership, in particular, those who are key decision-makers from senior executives, to mid-level management to those who are just emerging as talented and gifted leaders in their organizations.

This discussion will focus on the meaning of resilience as it applies to leadership under pressure and with high expectations and secondly, the meaning of posttraumatic growth for leaders who have experienced catastrophic job loss leading to a major crises. The question I am raising is this: what does it mean for leaders to “rebound” or “make their way forward into new forms of leadership” after dealing with a major career derailment and setback?

Any review of the literature available today in major book retailers will tell you that, with very few exceptions, business leaders face daunting expectations. Not only are decision-makers under a great deal of pressure, not only are they dealing with significant and often unrealistic expectations both internally and externally, they also have a poverty of resources to turn to when they fail. Failure is a common theme within the ranks of non-profit and for-profit organizational leadership. With very little recourse and no road map to chart their way through exceptionally difficult terrain, these leaders can find it hard to regain their footing and move through the most difficult personal and professional season they will most likely ever face.

In the next post: Understanding the meaning of Resilience and the Nexus with Organizational Leaders.