Emotional Fortitude
Recently, I sat in a board meeting in which the CFO read from a book on "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done"*. The book said that "emotional fortitude" is the most important quality in any leader who is expected to make company 'strategy' or 'direction' real. I really liked the sound of those two words and couldn't have agreed more. Looking at each executive present, I knew it would be the most important exercise they engaged in while making some difficult, yet necessary adjustments in the way the company did business.
I have mused over emotional fortitude every day since that board meeting. It is a characteristic that is truly more important now than you could ever imagine. As much chaos looms in the world and on the business landscape, it is the one thing we must hold on to - to know in our own hearts how important it is to not only stand firm in, but make sure we sustain, our own emotional fortitude. I realize how foundational it is for business leaders, for all of us, to know without a doubt that everything is going to be alright, no matter what.
Many of you have probably heard me speak about the two universal forces - fear and love. There are no others. We know all too well how fear shows up in our life. We shrink. We withhold information. We worry. We feed on drama. In the workplace, our productivity drops, our focus scatters and, often, "blaming" and "complaining" grow a loud voice. Love in the workplace? We don't speak much of love when it comes to work, but we recognize love in the workplace when we see respect, passion, acceptance, and caring in action.
Emotional fortitude significantly impacts both of these forces. If fear grips you in any way, it takes emotional fortitude to turn that fear into a fuel that reaps positive results. During both exhilarating and difficult moments in life, it takes emotional fortitude to "send out" consistently, conscious, and intentional loving responses in public, in private, at home, at work, and through interactions with other beings. It takes a great deal of emotional fortitude to make this most positively impacting choice.
What is emotional fortitude exactly? It's when you know what is right and true and, those deeply internal, emotional convictions are directly and, with growing consistency, supported by your words, your actions, and your behaviours. It is a place of certainty, clarity, and power. Here's the universal truth as the great poet Rumi wrote: "What we do must be what we love." It's a worthy truth to consider as business leaders - especially when it comes to emotional fortitude. What do we model at the workplace - as leaders and as employees?
For me, the term emotional fortitude creates the image of standing in the eye of the hurricane. Much power, force and chaos whirls around this center, but the eye remains simple and clear.
Whatever storm you find yourself in, do whatever it takes to be the eye of the storm. It will be from this place that you can see clearly and not get tumbled by all the chaos. I know you will also experience great strength.
What experiences in life have called forth your emotional fortitude and have called you to strengthen it?
* Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done"
Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan
ISBN 0-609-61057-0