Adversity: The Driver to Achieve Success

There is a unique leadership style that I developed along the way as an entrepreneur, especially from the experience of starting a company with just a few associates that grew into a large organization providing careers and opportunities for over 500 people. And this leadership style has been transformed further during challenging times of economic uncertainty. Leadership and strong team members are what enable a company to thrive versus just survive.

Leadership Versus Management: The Nuance of the Roles

I have been through a debt crisis, the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and many other challenges over the last several decades. I found it critical as a leader during these periods to maintain a team-first methodology. This approach nurtures a multitude of ideas that will ultimately solve issues. Team bonding, not blaming, is what solves challenges. This is accomplished through successful leadership, not just management.  

It is the nuance between leadership and management that makes an impact. Leadership is the next level of professional achievement. A leader not only puts the team together but builds a bond of respect. With this bond, the team then has a strong foundation and can act as a focused unit with the leader guiding objectives. 

In uncertain times, this is critical. Most of us have experienced moments when meeting goals may be a challenge or even unobtainable. An exceptional leader will accept responsibility for these unmet goals, then analyze the situation and quickly pivot to remedy the situation. 

To accomplish this, extensive collaboration with the team members must occur. Once the vision and strategy are determined, the leader builds consensus to drive the vision forward, making it a reality. Leadership, not just management, is necessary to be a thriving organization—especially during challenging times.

Investing in Your Most Important Asset: People

Hire great people then coach them. This will help develop the strongest team members that will complement the company and help drive objectives, especially during challenging periods. As a leader it’s my responsibility to nurture and coach so actions can be executed to accomplish goals.

Since professional growth occurs when experiencing adversity or even failure, having some of your team members who have experience with adversity provides a certain level of comfort in dealing with a constant stream of difficult challenges. The ability to adapt, to define solutions and stay focused will also help drive positive attitudes, ensuring organizational moral stays intact. The culmination of this: thriving not just surviving.

Experiencing Adversity: A Catalyst for Accomplishments

The entrepreneurial aspect of my career has exposed me to on-going adversity but developing and leading a trusted team has made all the difference in driving organizational success. I have been fortunate to create two financial businesses that ultimately reached over $1 billion in annual funding volume. A successful business model combined with a strong team was attractive to the Fortune 500 companies that ultimately acquired these organizations. I am a big believer that the adversity I experienced and the challenges my team surpassed were the drivers for long-term success. I believe any organization with strong leadership that invests in their people will thrive.