Why perseverance is a critical attribute for the reflective leader

A common quality found in most good leaders is their desire and ability to self reflect. To take a good look in the mirror and reflect on the decisions they’ve made and how their staff and organization have been impacted by those decisions. It’s a character trait that often leads to humility and a servant leadership mentality.

When too much self reflection begins to cloud judgement:

But can too much self reflection become a hindrance? Good or bad decisions, as a leader, do you ever find yourself awake at night debating if the calls you made were the best for the staff and the organization? When is it time to drive on regardless, to avoid self destruction?

Let’s face it, being a leader is hard. It can be lonely, and sometimes decisions need to be made that negatively impact individuals for the sake of the organization. Often, the decisions made in the interest of the larger group appear selfish at the individual level, especially when they have a negative impact on personal lives. This is when the noise starts, negativity spreads, and empathetic leaders can struggle with the decisions they’ve made.

Good leaders will absolutely find themselves reflecting during these circumstances. The noise can be helpful, because it’s important to solicit feedback and listen to those impacted, but the negativity can impact a leader’s focus and confidence, and have them second guessing their decisions.

Ryan Rausch rock climbing. 

These challenging times as a leader require resilience and perseverance. Whether you stick with the initial decision or alter the decision based on the feedback, perseverance is what helps leaders decide how to react. It’s the character trait that will push the leader to be decisive in their next move, whether it be a change or conviction in the decision already made.

How do leaders learn to persevere through adversity?

Perseverance takes maturity and confidence. Maturity is built over time with experience and by receiving and accepting constructive feedback. Confidence comes with education and by making decisions that are backed up by facts. I’ve found that three key actions have helped me persevere through organizational challenges while also empathizing with my team. The first, stay flexible. Flexibility keeps your integrity intact and prevents you from being a stubborn leader unwilling to make a change. The second, remain transparent. Transparency prevents unneeded surprises to the staff impacted by organizational change or the decisions leadership has made. Lastly, stay open to the advice from trustworthy stakeholders when experiencing adversity. Receiving advice and constructive feedback is apart of our maturing process as leaders and ensures we are making informed decisions.

Head up. Back straight. Stay sharp.