5 Ways to Build Real Leadership Resilience When the Odds Are Against You
As we step into a new week at Emerging Voices Unite, one truth resonates through every story, every conversation, and every challenge shared by our community:
Leadership resilience isn’t built when resources are abundant—it’s forged when you learn to lead with what you already have.
This week, our community leaned into that very question: When life, work, or leadership gets tight, what keeps us going—creativity or consistency?
From candid reflections on personal growth to stories of mentorship, discomfort, and perseverance, our Emerging and Top Voices showed us that even when the odds are stacked, authentic leaders don’t wait for ideal conditions—they play the hand they’re dealt.
How Do You Stay Resilient When Resources Are Limited?
We opened the week with a question that hit home for many of our Emerging Voices:
“When resources are limited, do you think resilience comes more from creativity or from consistency?”
Our fellow Top Voice Nikki Estes offered an honest answer that perfectly captured the spirit of authentic leadership:
“Both are needed—sometimes, I think it’s the consistency that gets us through the days we want to go back to our pillow, and others, creativity helps support the depleted feeling to reset with newness.”
And she’s right—research backs it up. According to the Harvard Business Review, resilient leaders blend consistent habits with creative problem-solving to recover faster and adapt better (HBR- What Leaders Get Wrong About Resilience).
Meanwhile, MarketMeMore echoes this balance in its piece, “AI & LinkedIn Strategies That Transform Learning, Visibility, and Growth”, noting that consistency builds trust while creativity sustains engagement—two sides of the same resilient coin.
Who Shapes the Way You Lead?
We also stirred up discussion with our second community question:
“Who has influenced your leadership style the most?”
Out of the four options—a boss or mentor, a family member, your own lived experiences, or a book/podcast—two answers stood out:
✨ A boss or mentor
✨ Their own lived experiences
That alignment reflects what leadership psychology confirms: real leadership is learned through modeling and experience.
- A study by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) found that 70% of leadership capability develops through lived experiences and direct mentorship.
- Similarly, MarketMeMore’s blog, “Lead Don’t Lurk: LinkedIn Strategies for 2025”, reinforces that leaders who share their lessons—mentors or not—create ripple effects that inspire others to lead with authenticity and confidence.
4 Stories That Prove Leadership Is Built in the Tough Moments
1. How to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone and Lead Bravely
“The one thing you learn is when you step outside your comfort zone and be uncomfortable, you see what you are made of and who you are.” — Sue Bird
Pamela Dukes, OLY reminded us that fear and discomfort are the birthplace of growth. In her Life Sized Podcast feature, she talked about breaking out of her comfort zone and silencing the inner voices that hold us back.
📌 Read or listen to Pamela’s full podcast to rediscover your voice and lead forward with purpose.
2. How to Keep Moving When Life Knocks You Down
“You’re being built for perseverance, not perfection.” — Nikki Estes
Through her deeply personal story, Nikki reminded us that leadership isn’t about flawless execution—it’s about persistence. When life hits hard, resilience means laughing when you can, crying when you must, and getting up again anyway.
👉 Read Nikki Estes’s full post to explore what it means to lead when it’s hard—and why that’s when it matters most.
3. What My Father Taught Me About Leadership
In a touching reflection, Krystal Speed, SPHR, Fractional Chief People Officer shared how her father’s legacy shaped her leadership journey. From joining her family’s IT business to learning the value of people-first leadership, her story captures how mentorship and lived experience intertwine to create lasting impact.
📊 Her story aligns with CCL’s data that experience-driven leadership produces better retention and organizational trust.
4. Four Steps to Avoid Burnout and Reclaim Balance
“You were never meant to carry the weight of the world alone; leadership isn’t about burnout—it’s about boundaries.”
Samantha Stewartz shared practical steps leaders can take to redefine responsibility and support themselves:
- Support yourself first.
- Do a responsibility audit.
- Identify needed support systems.
- Stay aware of old patterns.
Her message echoes MarketMeMore’s post, “Forget Full-Time Hires: How We Scaled Smarter with ~$10/hr Virtual Assistants”, which illustrates how sustainable systems—not overwork—drive long-term success.
How to Lead With What You Have — EVU Live: Ideas That Scale | Episode 6 🎥
Last October 7 at 10 AM ET happened a powerful EVU Live session featuring Ed McAndrew, a leader who’s mastered the art of turning limitation into leadership.
With over 34 years of experience in startups, ERP, and consulting, Ed’s story is proof that resilience and authenticity aren’t built from ease—they’re built from experience.
What You’ll Learn In the Episode:
- How to lead high-performing teams when resources are tight
- Why trust and empathy outlast quick wins
- How to turn constraints into creative opportunities
- The mindset that helps leaders grow even in scarcity
💡 Don’t miss this powerful conversation: Lead with What You Have: Playing the Hand Dealt in Business and Life
Conclusion: How to Play the Hand You’re Dealt 🃏
If there’s one theme that ties this week together, it’s this: Leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about persistence.
- Pamela showed that courage starts with discomfort.
- Nikki reminded us that perseverance builds strength.
- Krystal proved mentorship multiplies impact.
- Samantha demonstrated that boundaries sustain growth.
- And Ed will remind us that resourcefulness defines resilience.
As MarketMeMore’s “Three Game-Changing Trends in Health, AI & LinkedIn” notes, the leaders shaping the future aren’t those with unlimited tools—they’re those who adapt, innovate, and stay authentic when things get hard.
✨ Stay connected with EVU:
- Follow Emerging Voices Unite to catch weekly challenges, polls, and highlights.
- Subscribe to our Voices in Action newsletter → Subscribe Here
- Catch the replay of Episode 6 of EVU Live: Ideas that Scale last October 7 at 10 AM ET with Ed McAndrew.
- Connect with Ed McAndrew on LinkedIn to dive deeper into lean, efficient marketing strategies that turn limited resources into real growth.
So, as we close this week, remember: