In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth writes:
“Look, when I started studying Olympians, I thought, ‘What kind of oddball gets up every day at four in the morning to go to swimming practice?’ I thought, ‘These must be extraordinary people to do that sort of thing.’ But the thing is, when you got to a place where basically everybody you know is getting up at four in the morning to go to practice, that’s just what you do. It’s no big deal. It becomes a habit.”
Not only is her book well worth your time, but the lesson from this quote will help any leader navigate a crisis. As we encounter a major setback we can be tempted to throw in the towel. After all, who needs the stress and pressure.
Duckworth doesn’t offer a roadmap on navigating a crisis. That would be impossible for each crisis is different and requires new ideas and strengths. But in this quote she gives us a key component to having the grit to stay in the fight.
Surround yourself with people who want to win. Not people who will complain and grumble when a storm hits. Gather individuals who share your tenacity to keep going and achieve the vision.
In the example that Duckworth uses, Olympians surround themselves with people who have the same work ethic. In their world, everyone gets up at 4am. Everyone does the reps. The person next to you is trying to set a world record. That keeps you in the game. It adds fuel to your fire.
This creates grit. Endurance bursts forth and will carry you. Why? Because others are in the fight. They believe in the cause. You seeing those people show up day in and day out helps sustain your ability to show up.
As the leader, you must be the first one to believe. You don’t have the privilege of complaining. One negative word from you results in a deflated and unmotivated team. If you were in the world of being an Olympian, you would need to be the first to show up to train.
The leader sets the tone and pace. Whether you believe it or not, your team watches every move you make and listens to each word you speak. They’re needing to know that you believe the company will get through the crisis or if you’re just spewing words to keep everyone calm until you find an escape hatch.
Your responsibility as a leader is to build a team that will sail through storms. Make it look normal that doubt is unacceptable. Complaining should not be tolerated. Hire people who encourage each other. You’re not looking for blind allegiance but undeniable faith in what is being achieved.
Leaders have grit. They endure. The storm may make a leader blink, but it never causes one to back down.
Creating Unparalleled Experiences,
Chris Adams
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