Resilience is the Work of Leaders
- Jennifer Anderson
- Dec 16, 2025
- 2 min read
In an era defined by accelerated and constant change, rapid AI expansion, uncertainty as the norm, and rising levels of leadership burnout, technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient.
In this environment, leaders are increasingly valued for their ability to:
Stay grounded under pressure
Make sense of uncertainty
Welcome and process human emotion - both their own and others’
Create space where none exists
This is why resilience sits at the heart of effective leadership.
Resilience is not something leaders have. It’s the outcome of a intentional practice.
Resilience is a way of leading, influenced by a way of Being.
Like any skill, resilience can be developed. Through intentional practice, every single one of us can train the nervous system to be more flexible, adaptive, and resilient (thank you, neuroplasticity).
When leaders understand how the human nervous system works, resilience stops being a vague aspiration and becomes a trainable leadership capability.
Training your nervous system allows you to lead with clarity instead of reactivity, to meet challenges with presence instead of pressure, and to create connection and resonance amidst chaos.
As I share in this series of short, “Nervous System 101” videos, this work doesn’t start with process, procedure, or team dynamics. It starts with you!
Nervous System 101
Explore short, practical reflections on resilience and leadership on my YouTube channel
An Invitation
It's time to up your game, Dear Leader.
If you are experiencing change fatigue…
If you feel the weight of responsibility as others look to you for stability…
If you know that pushing harder is no longer the answer…
This is your invitation to lead differently.
Strengthen self-awareness (I promise you, this is a lifelong practice).
Understand how your nervous system works and invest in training your whole nervous system - not just your intellect.
Learn to welcome emotion and especially, the uncomfortable ones.
Prioritize rest and invest in deliberate recovery.
When leaders build resilience, they don’t just survive the corporate chaos, they become the calm center that others can rely on.
Now, THAT is leadership that lasts.
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