Proactive Resilience – Emotional Equations

As we head into the Northern Hemisphere winter and the Pandemic continues, I’ve written about the importance of Proactive Resilience, of preparing for the times when things feel and are tough.

I am reminded that Emotion can be thought of E-Motion, or “Energy in Motion”. Leadership is about people and about energy, simple as that. Resilience is closely linked to emotion and so energy.

So, as part of encouraging you to consider your own Proactive Resilience list and other preparations, today re-sharing a wonderful concept designed by Chip Conley, one that can bring both self-awareness and comfort at times we feel down or simply off-balance, Emotional Equations (I first wrote about this in this post from 2017 ).

Feel free to create your own equations (I’ve written several blogs with new emotional equations on this site), and for today, I feel that several of the equations from Chip on the chart above can be relevant for each of us at different times in the coming months.

For me a few that come to mind right away:

• Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness. We do live in uncertain times, so focus on what you can be in control of. If you do feel anxiety, perhaps that can be as simple as a breathing meditation. As a business leader, be open and vulnerable enough to talk to your people about the uncertainty you and the business face, then look to alleviate it with then focussing on the elements in your own equations where you do have power, where you can control variables and make choices from that place.
• Authenticity = Self-Awareness x Courage. Whether as an individual or for your business, the more you know who you are, the more authentic you will show up. This is then multiplied by how bravely you show up as your true self. Be yourself, be that bravely.
• Disappointment = Expectations – Reality. This is both valuable and tricky to find a balance. Set your expectations too high and you will always be disappointed but you may achieve. Set your expectations too low and you will avoid disappointing anyone but you won’t achieve anything.