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Resilience, Resilience, Resilience

Written by: Andrew Neitlich

Article Overview: This article gives an overview of the importance of resilience, and how to develop it. For coaches, it suggests ways to help clients develop resilience.

Resilience, Resilience, Resilience

This has been a tough business week for me. As many of you know, I am not only a business coach and consultant, but also run a number of businesses.

In one of my businesses this week a potential lead investor backed out, a relatively key partner decided to terminate our relationship, and another key partner had a major personal crisis.

All of this has me shaking my head and wanting to scream.

Fortunately, I have a coach of my own. This week, all she did was let me vent, encourage me, help me see possibilities, and keep me from making rash decisions.

Perhaps the number one skill an executive can have -- especially an entrepreneur -- is resilience, the ability to bounce back in the face of tough circumstances.

The best business coaches help executives be resilient, without coming across as preachy or holier-than-thou. It is not easy to be compassionate and empathetic while also helping the executive tap into his or her source of strength. Nor is it easy to let someone vent, and just be there for him or her, being supportive during a tough time.

The top business coaches leave their clients in a state of seeing more possibilities, of finding new strength to keep on going.

There are a few ways to help clients be more resilient (or to be more resilient yourself):

First, see possibility. In the face of daunting challenges, it is important to remember the possibilities that you can create if you continue to move forward.

Second, shift conversations. Resilience expresses itself in our conversations. In times of complaint, cynicism, and negativity, shift to conversations for new ideas, action, accountability, and follow through.

Third, get support. Develop a support network or power base, and help your clients do the same.

Fourth, keep going even if you don't feel like it, even if your mind keeps throwing out negative thoughts. As one anonymous seer once said, "Thoughts are the mind's way of passing gas."

Fifth, have a way to burn steam. Work out, take up jiu jitsu, take a walk -- do what it takes to shift your state and get into a new state of mind.

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Article Tags: accountability, business coach, business coaches, business week, challenges, circumstances, conversations, cynicism, entrepreneur, lead investor, negative thoughts, personal crisis, possibilities, preachy, rash decisions, resilience, seer, steam, tap, top business



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