Problems, setbacks and challenges are a part of life and a certainty in business. It’s important to put a structure in place that builds resilience in the face of problems. Without resilience you are more susceptible to having your results and your happiness at the mercy of circumstances which are always changing.

We all do and we all will encounter problems in our pursuit of sustainable success, whether you are a transformational leader of a growth-oriented company, a business development professional working with clients or seeking to advance or transition in your career. A person building a sustainable career or business continues to innovate, grow and thrive through the ups and downs of a changing world. You don’t want to be a flash in the pan.

Here are a few ways to be consistently resilient:

1. Think of your issues as challenges. Challenges bring out the best in you. Finding the solution to a problem is an exciting opportunity.

2. Expect setbacks and problems. Embrace them. After a brief period of being upset, remember that it doesn’t serve you or anyone else to stay upset. If you have something unexpected or unpleasant to deal with, prepare to gather the facts, and re-read item #1 in this blog.

3. Gather the facts. Take the time to really make sure you know precisely what you’re dealing with. Sometimes problems go away when we find out the simplicity of something missing or broken, that when replaced or repaired, does restore workability. For example, a client of mine once turned around a major pricing issue by recognizing that her company’s customers were more interested in bundled pricing than they were about component prices. She led the sales team to create new conversations to customize product bundles, which deepened the relationships with customers. The results include increased revenue, market share and profit.

4. Turn challenges into games. Be a leader with a spirit of sportsmanship. Your contagious optimistic attitude will inspire energy, innovation and teamwork. And have faith in the possibility of winning. You and your team are infinitely creative and resourceful. Empower yourself and your team in that confidence and you’ll see fabulous performance.

5. Be crystal clear about who will be responsible for what tasks in solving the problem. As you take the time to solve the problem thoroughly, don’t’ go it alone. Also, have an eye for, and conversations about, putting systems and structures in place to prevent the same issue from happening again.

There are additional emotional elements to being resilient, but it ultimately comes down to remembering that although you’ve had challenges in the past, you must be doing something right. Believing that you and your team will prevail goes a long way in good times and in tough times.

So what about you? What are you struggling with that you can handle better with a powerful attitude. How can you to overcome your next challenge in a way that is sustainable. What’s an issue you can convert into a winnable game?

If you’d like to discuss anything along these lines, give me a call – I’d love to explore any matter with you.