There is no doubt organisations are operating through increasingly challenging times (the impact of Brexit, recovery from the pandemic, increased employment costs, political changes, tariffs and global conflicts) with further disruption on the horizon. To succeed or even thrive in this volatile environment requires a different approach to leading.
Our Future of Leadership framework outlines why it is imperative to move away from traditional views of leadership. It challenges leaders to drive forward a purpose-driven organisation, move from expertise in line with the pace of change and to create followership, engagement and loyalty in an increasingly virtual world.
From our experience, we know that one of the core ingredients for any leader or leadership team is resilience. By definition:
“Resilience is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.”
As much as we can try to, the reality is that there is no escaping problems, trauma and issues – they happen to all of us and whether we like it or not they can’t be avoided. When looking at resilience it is about how we process, respond to and act on the challenges we are facing. By experiencing rejection, living through trauma, learning from mistakes and adopting a growth mindset you build resilience. These are not badges of honour and should not be seen as such or traded as if it is a contest, but resilience is needed to lead effectively.
That said, it should be recognised that we all have different ways of how we define difficulty and diverse capacities to cope. So, when there is no one size fits all, how do we effectively measure resilience in the workplace? We start by assessing these three capabilities:
- Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to how well we handle ourselves and our relationships. How do you influence other people unless you know yourself? How do you deal with rejection? What happens when you or those around you make a mistake?
- Decision making should be based on facts and not emotions. Can you find ways to move through or out of your problem? Can you leave emotion at the door to make the right decision?
- Adaptability to the environment that you are in or the people you are meeting.
So, what are some of the emerging trends related to resilience in leaders? Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends Report (2023) highlighted that only 23% of organisations believe that their leaders have the skills to navigate today’s disrupted and volatile environment. More recently, the 2025 research shows a disconnect emerging where leaders are introducing more dynamic and agile ways of working, but workers would favour more stability.
Here, we can support leaders to bridge that gap by assessing for EI, as research shows there is a consistent positive relationship between leaders’ EI and their leadership effectiveness. Unsurprisingly, leaders high in EI tend to adopt transformational styles more readily, inspiring and motivating teams towards better performance. Emotionally Intelligent leaders also achieve better business results and higher team satisfaction, given that individuals tend to be self-aware, empathetic, clear communicators, and can navigate conflict.
From a decision-making standpoint, leaders high on emotional intelligence are more skilled at recognising emotional biases in themselves and others, leading to more balanced and informed choices. For instance, during a crisis, they are likely to remain composed and measured in their thinking. Assets such as strong self-efficacy (confidence in their capabilities) and mindfulness, are linked to leaders embodying greater levels of resilience.
Given existing research consistently highlights the positive impact of resilient leaders – not only on business outcomes but on the motivation and engagement of those that they lead – Kiddy & Partners can support you to assess and develop leaders’ ability to demonstrate sound judgement, adaptability and emotional intelligence.