When I set out to launch Intentionaleaders in 2020, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Just as my plans were finalized, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. Every in-person training I had scheduled for the year was canceled. Life, in many ways, felt canceled.

I had to regroup quickly. Instead of workshops and face-to-face experiences, I shifted to publishing articles, creating an online membership, and learning how to train virtually across multiple platforms. I also pushed myself into one of the most exasperating professional challenges I’ve ever faced: launching a podcast.

The doubts were loud: Do I really have the expertise to do this? Who am I to speak to a broader audience? What do I know that isn’t already out there? I remember moments of overwhelming anxiety and frustration, even tears, as I wrestled with the technology and my own insecurities.

And yet, I did it. That podcast, though my audience is small, is one of the things I’m most proud of. Not because it made me famous or wildly successful, but because it represents resilient leadership in action: showing up despite fear, pushing forward despite self-doubt, and creating something meaningful that might help others.

That experience taught me that resilient leadership isn’t about avoiding hardship or pretending you’re fearless. It’s about endurance, adaptability, and the willpower to keep moving forward when plans, and sometimes your confidence, fall apart.

Why Resilient Leadership Matters

Today’s leaders face constant disruption: economic shifts, rapid technological change, and unexpected crises. Resilient leadership ensures you not only survive those challenges but thrive through them.

At its core, resilience is tied to emotional intelligence—the ability to understand and manage your own emotions while staying attuned to the needs of others. Leaders who build resilience create stability in chaos, model adaptability, and strengthen their team’s capacity to rebound.

Research shows resilience is a learnable skill, not a fixed trait. That means every leader can strengthen their resilience muscle through intentional practices.

5 Strategies to Develop Resilient Leadership

1. Reframe Setbacks as Growth

Self-awareness is the starting point of resilient leadership. When you notice your emotional responses to challenges and consciously reframe setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth, you not only strengthen your own perspective but also model constructive thinking for your team.

2. Strengthen the Resilience Muscle with Emotional Intelligence

Resilience is built like a muscle—through practice—and emotional intelligence is the weight you lift to strengthen it. Leaders who develop self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation are better equipped to anticipate challenges, respond with agility, and reflect on both successes and setbacks without being derailed by them.

By intentionally growing emotional intelligence, you not only build personal endurance and adaptability—you also create an environment where your team feels supported and empowered to do the same. If you want to take this work deeper, the Emotional Intelligence Mastermind is designed to help leaders strengthen these critical skills and apply them directly to their leadership practice.

3. Build a Culture of Resilience

Resilient leadership multiplies when it’s embedded into team culture. By acknowledging effort, celebrating adaptability, and recognizing how people uniquely experience change, leaders reinforce collective strength. Teams that feel seen and valued are far more likely to rebound from challenges together.

4. Protect Energy and Guard Against Burnout

Burnout is the enemy of resilience. Leaders must protect their own energy by setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and noticing early signs of emotional strain. Resilient leadership requires sustainable performance, and that means balancing drive with recovery. Learning emotional intelligence is a powerful way to become resourced to practice self-care and communicate your needs effectively, without hesitation

5. Model Resilience Authentically

Resilience spreads when it’s modeled. Leaders who are transparent about struggles, demonstrate empathy, and stay present during uncertainty create psychological safety for their teams. In resilient leadership, connection is the glue that allows teams to endure hardship without losing trust.

The Enduring Power of Resilient Leadership

Resilient leadership is not about having all the answers or standing untouched by adversity. It’s about cultivating the strength to adapt, the emotional intelligence to navigate uncertainty, and the courage to lead with authenticity even when the outcome is unclear.

Every challenge offers a choice: to shrink back or to grow stronger. Leaders who commit to resilience choose growth—not only for themselves but for their teams and organizations. They reframe setbacks, practice adaptability, protect their energy, and model the kind of steady presence that builds trust and inspires others.

Resilient leadership is a practice, not a destination. And the more intentionally you build it—through self-awareness, agility, acknowledgment, and connection—the more equipped you’ll be to thrive in a world where change is constant.

The call to action is clear: start today. Take one step toward building your own resilience muscle, and in doing so, you’ll not only elevate your leadership—you’ll empower those around you to rise stronger too.

Want to strengthen your own resilient leadership? Join the Emotional Intelligence Mastermind for tools, coaching, and community to help you lead with impact and resilience.