Rising Strong: Leading with Resilience

As a leader, adversity is inevitable. You’ll face challenges that shake your confidence, test your integrity, and push your resilience to the limit. But how do you lead when everything feels like it’s working against you?

Let me ask you this:

• Have you ever felt like you’re at the edge of burnout, and no one is supporting you?

• Have you wondered how to keep leading when the people or circumstances around you are causing chaos?

• Have setbacks ever made you question your ability to lead effectively?

These are not just doubts—they are the true tests of resilience. Resilience in leadership is not about avoiding challenges but about how you respond and grow stronger from them.

In this free training, you’ll learn practical steps to build your resilience, develop stronger mental toughness, and lead with integrity through tough times. If you want to hear more real-life stories that illustrate how I applied these principles, stay tuned for my upcoming podcast episode, where I go deeper into how I’ve handled some of my toughest leadership challenges. You’ll get insights, real stories from my journey, and more actionable advice that you won’t want to miss.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

What Resilience Really Looks Like in Leadership

Resilience in leadership is more than just pushing through adversity—it’s about thriving despite it. Leaders who embody resilience:

1. Stay focused on their mission, even when the road gets rocky.

2. Refuse to let setbacks or negative influences derail their vision.

3. Learn from every challenge, using it as an opportunity to grow and refine their approach.

Resilience isn't about avoiding failure—it's about bouncing back, stronger and smarter, every time you fall.

In my upcoming podcast episode, I’ll share real examples from my own leadership journey that show how I stayed focused during difficult times. We’ll talk about what it means to remain true to your values, even when external forces are pulling you in different directions.

Quote for Reflection: "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela

Building Your Resilience Muscle

Resilience is like a muscle—it grows stronger with practice. Here are three steps to start building resilience as a leader:

1. Reframe Failure as a Learning Opportunity

Failure is a part of life, especially in leadership. But instead of seeing it as a setback, resilient leaders ask, "What can I learn from this?" Reframing failure as a learning experience turns obstacles into opportunities.

Think of a recent challenge you faced. Write down three things you learned from that experience and how you can apply those lessons to your future leadership decisions.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

2. Refocus on Your Long-Term Vision

Short-term challenges can feel overwhelming, but resilient leaders are able to step back and focus on the bigger picture. Keeping your long-term goals in mind helps you navigate the toughest days.

Take 10 minutes today to review your long-term goals. How does your current situation fit into your bigger vision? This exercise will help you stay grounded in what really matters.

3. Build a Strong Support Network

Even the most resilient leaders don’t go through challenges alone. Surrounding yourself with a support system of mentors and peers can provide guidance and strength when you need it most.

Identify two people in your professional or personal life whom you trust for support. Reach out to them and schedule regular check-ins to discuss your leadership challenges.

 “Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey

Trusting Yourself in Leadership: Escaping the Imposter Syndrome Trap

Imposter syndrome—the nagging doubt that you’re not good enough or don’t belong—can chip away at your resilience. But resilient leaders trust themselves and their instincts. They know that their experience, skills, and hard work have earned them the right to lead.

True resilience means trusting yourself, even when self-doubt creeps in. While collaboration and feedback are important, relying on your own instincts and decisions is essential to authentic leadership.

In the upcoming podcast episode, I’ll go deeper into how imposter syndrome affected my leadership and how I overcame it. I’ll share insights on why trusting yourself is critical when you’re in the leadership seat—especially when others doubt your abilities.

"You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody." – Maya Angelou

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Strengthening Mental Toughness

To escape imposter syndrome and strengthen your mental resilience, here are a few simple but powerful steps:

1. Affirm Your Leadership Qualities: Write down three qualities that make you a strong leader. Keep this list somewhere visible and remind yourself of these traits whenever self-doubt arises.

2. Set Boundaries in Partnerships: Not everyone will match your drive or vision. Set clear boundaries in any partnerships or collaborations to ensure they are aligned with your goals.

   Action Step: Take time to evaluate any current partnerships. Are they helping you move forward or holding you back?

3. Own Your Success: Take ownership of your successes—no matter how small. Recognize the hard work and leadership skills you’ve applied to achieve them.

   Action Step: Reflect on a recent success. Write down how your leadership directly contributed to that success and why it matters.

Resilience is Your Leadership Superpower

Resilience isn’t just about enduring—it’s about thriving despite challenges. As a leader, you will face adversity, setbacks, and moments where everything feels like it’s falling apart. But if you build resilience, you will not only rise from these moments, you’ll become a stronger, wiser, and more effective leader.

Remember, resilience takes time to develop. It’s not about avoiding difficulties but learning how to navigate through them with integrity, trust in yourself, and a clear focus on your vision.

Final Action Plan: Building Resilience Daily

Let’s close with a quick action plan to help you build resilience day by day:

1. Daily Reflection: Set aside five minutes each day to reflect on one challenge you faced. Write down what you learned and how you handled it.

2. Review Your Vision: least once a week, review your long-term goals to ensure your daily actions are aligned with your overall vision.

3. Strengthen Your Support System: Commit to reaching out to your mentors, peers, or support network regularly to gain perspective and advice on leadership challenges.

4. Affirmations: Start your morning by reminding yourself of your leadership qualities and the unique value you bring to your team and organization.

Want more insights on building resilience in leadership? Be sure to check out my podcast episode releasing soon, where I share real-life stories of how I applied these resilience strategies in my leadership journey. You’ll get deeper insights and personal examples of how I handled adversity and thrived in challenging situations.

References and Resources:

• Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

• Maya Angelou, The Complete Collected Poems

• Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

• Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

• Oprah Winfrey, What I Know For Sure

• Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street

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To learn more about Sarah Beth Herman, the author of all free training content you can read her bio here. These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based on your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice. You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, or insurance carrier). To the extent, Dentistry Support ®has included links to any third-party website (s), Dentistry Support ® intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, Dentistry Support ® makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites. You can view our privacy policy and terms and conditions by clicking those pages in the footer of our website.