Leading with Resilience: What It Really Takes

In a world that constantly shifts beneath our feet, leadership is no longer about having all the answers. It’s about being steady in the storm, adaptable in the unknown, and hopeful in the face of a challenge. This is the essence of resilience—and it’s one of the most powerful traits a leader can cultivate.

Resilience doesn’t mean we push through without pause or pretend everything is fine. It means we recognize our capacity to recover, to realign, and to lead forward with courage—even when the path is unclear.

Over the past few years, I’ve coached leaders who have faced overwhelming uncertainty—economic shifts, team burnout, personal loss, organizational change—and I’ve seen firsthand what sets resilient leaders apart. It’s not perfection. It’s not pretending. It’s presence, perspective, and practice.

Here are three thoughts on what it means to lead with resilience:

1. Resilience Begins with Self-Awareness

You can't lead others through uncertainty if you are disconnected from your own experience. Resilient leaders pause to ask: "How am I showing up right now? What do I need to lead well today?"

Checking in with yourself is not a detour from leadership—it’s a discipline that keeps you grounded.

2. Resilient Leaders Should Prioritize Honesty, Not Perfection

Leaders often feel pressure to appear strong, composed, and “in control” at all times. But in moments of disruption, what teams need most is authenticity.

Being honest about what you know—and what you don’t—builds trust. Resilience isn’t about shielding your team from reality. It’s about walking through it with them.

3. Resilient Leaders Reframe, Not Retreat

When things don’t go as planned (and let’s be honest—how often do they?), resilient leaders don’t run. They reframe. They ask, "What can I learn from this? What does this moment make possible?"

Resilience is not something you’re born with. It’s something you build. And like any leadership skill, it’s shaped in those everyday moments—through reflection, supportive relationships, and small choices that align with who you are and who you’re becoming. 

I want to challenge you to take time with any of the following prompts to support your growth in resilience: 

• When was the last time I faced a situation where I didn’t have control? How did I respond—and what would I do differently now?

• What can I do or remember when things feel uncertain? 

• Who do I turn to when I need perspective, grounding, or encouragement—and how am I showing up for others in the same way?

Sheeba Varghese

Reminder to Take Care of Yourself This Week!

Chronic stress isn’t just a passing feeling—it can have real consequences on your leadership and your health. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of people regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress, and stress is a factor in 60–80% of workplace accidents.

Unmanaged stress can impair decision-making, increase emotional reactivity, and lead to burnout—not just for you, but for your team. Taking time to reduce stress isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership strategy.

Leadership Spotlight: Condoleeza Rice 

Condeleeza Rice is a woman who has been an example of a strong leader for many years. She is a woman of deep faith and has been a trailblazer in so many ways.

Condoleezza served as the 66th U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, becoming the first Black woman in American history to hold the position. Prior to that, she was the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor, playing a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy after 9/11.

A lifelong educator, she’s also a professor at Stanford University and currently serves as the Director of the Hoover Institution, where she continues to influence policy, leadership, and global affairs.

Condoleeza is outspoken about her belief in God and openly shares how her belief in God has shaped her leadership, helped her stay composed under pressure, and reminded her that she is part of something greater than herself.

“Faith teaches you that you are not always in control, and that you have to rely on something greater than yourself.” – Condoleezza Rice

Click here to learn more about her leadership journey: https://www.hoover.org/profiles/condoleezza-rice

Sheeba Varghese is a strategic partner for your talent development solutions and the author of Confidence, Clarity & Ease: A Guide For Emerging Leaders To Thrive. Her passion is to inspire and equip men and women to lead with excellence and authenticity within the spheres of influence that they are called to impact in life. The spheres may be in a home, on a team, in a classroom, among partners in a firm, or within management, to name a few.

Sheeba works with: 

Senior Leaders and professionals who want to develop stronger leadership skills, have impact, and move forward in their careers

Teams who want to work cohesively within their organizations

Coaches who want to renew or apply for certification with ICF

If you want to improve your leadership skills, transition from managing to leading, ensure your team is amazingly successful, increase your self-awareness, and progress your career, or aspire to be a masterful coach for your clients, then Sheeba would love to support you. She works with clients globally, both face-to-face, by phone, or by Zoom.

In her time apart from clients, Sheeba enjoys time with her husband, Santosh, and their 2 sons, Sam and Steven. She loves great movies, a good book, decorating, and dining at the wonderful restaurants in the Bay Area.