7 Comments
May 22Liked by Chris Ayotte

Another on point article. Hard things present opportunities for growth, just as failure does. I also think it's important for leaders to share those experiences, so that others can learn from them. Lots of folks talk about vulnerable leadership - to me it means being comfortable with sharing (at the appropriate time/place) the really hard times and tools used to overcome them. If leaders make it all look easy, then it feeds the expectation that leadership should be easy.

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The point about sharing is so insightful. Lots of leaders "struggle well" and do make it look easy. A little more transparency would be of great benefit to many. Thanks for the continued support, Corinna.

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May 21Liked by Chris Ayotte

Great words of wisdom and reflection once again from a respected veteran. Well said Chris. Please keep up the great work. More people need to read this and be reminded that sometimes life is hard and requires tough decisions and real action, especially by those in leadership positions in our society. Thanks again.

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Always appreciate the feedback and the ongoing support, Nick. We all need reminders at times to get us back on track.

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May 21Liked by Chris Ayotte

Great article qui m’amène à plusieurs réflexions sur le leadership et la façon dont on fait face à l’adversité avec son équipe. Un article très opportun dans ma vie en ce moment.

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Merci pour le message, Sandra. Comme vous le savez bien, il est de loin préférable d’investir tôt et souvent dans la ténacité plutôt que d’espérer qu’elle apparaisse en cas de besoin.

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Chris, you draw many vital distinctions in this essay. Thank you for sharing.

One of the attributes of good leaders (in my view, and something that I aspire to) is to be multifaceted. A one dimensional leader lacks resilience, among other things.

There are different dimensions to toughness, but they do not negate or cancel out the reality that leaders must also be empathetic or compassionate.

Leaders who cannot manage the mental challenges of an emotionally charged conversation are going to be less impactful than those who can.

Leaders with mental toughness in a negotiation, tied with civility, will likely get better outcomes than those who compromise too early in the process.

I agree with you that leaders build their competence and character through practice. I we don’t do difficult things, often, than our skills and our emotional resources can atrophy. Keep leading the way! Thanks again for this essay.

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