One of the universal experiences of a leader in any organization,is bouncing back from fill-in-the-blank. At some point during a leader’s career, they will encounter something that will knock them down or worse yet, knock them out of the game altogether. In some cases, it is an involuntary separation from a company or a chronic illness that interrupts the career path and goals.
While the experiences may differ in the way they show up, they certainly will have some commonalities. They all have a starting point, a middle point and an ending point. The challenges do not recognize gender, age or expertise and will hit anyone and any time. The value of the benefits of bouncing back come after the ending point; however, they are part of the starting point.
When you know the ending point of any challenge will include a set of benefits, you might experience it differently from those who are just riding the wave with no control. The control in bouncing back from career and life-challenging experiences comes from knowing that they are something to keep in mind while in the middle point. It can give you a sense of hope, inspiration, and motivation.
The Five Benefits of Bouncing Back are you will be Stronger, you will have more Experience, you will act Bolder, you can be a Role Model and you become more Empowered. While these benefits are in no particular order, it is important to explore each one as a part of the set. That is to say that all of them are possible when you are focused and driven in your approach to bouncing back from any career or life challenges.
Being Stronger has a number of benefits in store for you, when you bounce back. You can draw on this strength in any part of your life for any reasons. The strength you gain in bouncing back does not limit itself to the exact experience you went through to gain it. Strength is strength and it literally is a powerful resource in your toolkit. Stronger LEADERS are more in demand for critical leadership roles in organizations globally.
Having more Experience as a result of bouncing back from an obstacle or challenge, enables you to be more productive in solving future problems. The Experience that you gain by bouncing back will be unique for you and can easily be a part of your leadership style. Your leadership style is enhanced and more valuable when it is unique and based on your experiences. Experience sets you apart from other LEADERS because it is unique to you.
Acting Bolder can be a powerful part of your unique leadership style. Bolder LEADERS are more willing to take on the higher risk roles and be successful with them. Being Bolder as a result of bouncing back means you cannot experience the next challenge in the same ways you experienced the most recent one. It changes the way you look at and respond to the challenge. Bolder demonstrates for others what is possible in developing your unique leadership style.
Being a Role Model in a leadership role is an important role for the fact you are showing others how to be LEADERS while encouraging them to go for the opportunities that support them. The visibility of a Role Model requires a consistent mindfulness to demonstrate the most impactful and effective leadership traits. Role Models who have bounced back may make the difference in the ways others experience their own challenges.
Owning your Empowerment after bouncing back is a massive achievement. Others will be more confident of their own ability to bounce back with more Empowerment—when they see others do it successfully. Having more Empowerment implies you have the power and authority to decide, for yourself, how you will take on any future challenges. LEADERS, who are flexible in their approach to their career and life challenges, might demonstrate more resiliency. Empowerment is a valuable component of your unique leadership style.
One of the best pieces of advise that I received during my 35-year corporate career around bouncing back had to do with keeping the end in mind. It is one of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, a book by Stephen Covey for a very good reason. Seeing the ending point of the challenge in a hopeful and positive way can sustain you through the middle part, which most often is the most difficult part of the challenge.
When the challenge starts and you know you are in for a career or life challenge, prepare yourself with your best practices for the middle part and trust you will experience the Five Benefits of Bouncing Back at the ending part. It is a law of the process that you will be rewarded at the end of the challenge with these benefits or others as well as countless lessons learned.
Developing your unique leadership style requires you to learn how best to experience the challenges that will come your way. Only in this way, can you be of service and supportive to others. In challenging times, people want to know that their LEADERS are substantially equipped to keep them safe throughout the process.
LEADERS who can guide others through the bouncing back process along with sharing the benefits of blocking back are more likely to elicit trust, respect, and loyalty. All of these are enormously valuable resources for a leader.
Challenges in your career and personal life are inevitable: How you respond to them demonstrates your valor, courage, and commitment to your unique leadership style and its ability to support you throughout the entire process. Keeping the Five Benefits of Bouncing Back in mind while going through a challenge can make all of the difference in how you experience it.
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Phil's corporate career has spanned over 40 years at 8 companies in two industries on five continents. As a result of his passion and enthusiasm for learning and sharing business best practices and inclusive leadership, he is a powerful and proficient contributor to organizational transformations. Phil’s career experiences, as an openly gay man, with multiple Fortune 100 Companies influenced him to become a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advocate and Ally.
