Leading the Way When the Way Is Unclear

How we rise to a daunting challenge

Being mission-driven— someone who tries to make the world a better place for others—can feel overwhelming in today’s climate, as if we are struggling to stand upright against ever-shifting hurricane winds.

After all, every day seems to bring news of another crisis or seismic threat to what used to be called the world order. The same appears true on the national front—and, of course, the ecological.

From sectors ranging from the economy to politics, technology to the environment, order is out; disorder is in.

Some call it a time of “polycrisis”. Others of “permacrisis”. And still others a “s*hitshow”.

Add in the complexity and interconnectedness of modern life, and it can all feel a bit much to wrap one’s mind—let alone one’s mission—around.

And yet, the truth is we tend to grow from difficulties and wilt from too much ease.

Dr. Richard Tedeschi coined a term for this back in 1998. He called it “adversarial growth.” Dr. Mark D. Seery’s research into stress-induced growth has also found that overcoming challenges can foster well-being.

Stories of great leaders—and ordinary people—throughout history attest to this dynamic.

Consider the resourcefulness cultivated during the Great Depression, the sacrifice and unity demonstrated during World War II, and the adaptability we more recently learned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is not, of course, to suggest that difficulties always lead to positive growth. There are many variables. There is also a point at which stress, ill-managed, becomes unproductive.

Yet it is generally true that, like a diamond formed under pressure and heat, humans are likelier to discover what they can do when put to the test.

As the poet Horace put it 2000 years ago:

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which,
in prosperous circumstances,
would have lain dormant.

The vital question for us today then seems to be: What can we do to help elicit those talents in ourselves and others to advance our efforts to do some good in the world?

The answer I come to again and again and again is courage. I don’t mean the courage we believe we are or are not born with. I mean the courage we commit to developing, day by day, knowing it is, like any muscle, something that can be developed when we work it.

I’ve spent most of my adult life studying people who have learned to develop their courage—often in wildly unexpected circumstances. I’m now writing a book about this and would love to hear your story. Please drop a note below or here.

Warmly,
Lisa

P.S. Here’s a link to a download of a white paper on Leading the Way When the Way Is Unclear. If you’d like to chat about my program offerings, please book a discovery call here.