Resilience isn’t just about grit or recovery. It’s about designing systems of emotional flexibility, shared leadership, and foresight so we don’t just bounce back - we evolve together.

In this episode, we redefine what resilience in leadership means. Instead of framing resilience as endurance or rebound, we explore how it is an ongoing dance of balance, emotional regulation, and system design. We begin with George Bonanno’s research, which shows that resilience is common, not exceptional, and challenges old assumptions about trauma and recovery. Then we dive into the work of Tugade & Fredrickson: how small moments of positive emotion act as recovery fuel, shifting physiology and cognition under stress. From there, we map resilience beyond individuals - through the lens of shared leadership, organisational systems, and cultural context, drawing on the work of Bowman, Shek & Wilkinson, and Gichuhi. We conclude by exploring emotional literacy - for those leaders who sense tension that no one else names. This episode is for anyone tired of oversimplified models and who wants to lead with depth, nuance, and presence.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why resilience isn’t exceptional - it’s often the norm under adversity
• The difference between recovery (bounce-back) and resilience (shape-holding under stress)
• How micro-moments of positive emotion accelerate biological recovery
• Why mindset (threat to challenge) matters for physiological resilience
• How leadership becomes more resilient when influence is shared
• What emotional labour and emotional literacy look like in real rooms
• Practices to nurture systems, teams, and selves that flourish under pressure

Useful Resources:

• Bonanno, G. A. (2004). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events?. American psychologist, 59(1), 20.
• Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient individuals use positive emotions to bounce back from negative emotional experiences. Journal of personality and social psychology, 86(2), 320.
• Bowman, A. (2022). Leadership and resilience: where the literature stands. Journal of Leadership Studies, 16(2), 33-41.
• Shek, D. T., & Wilkinson, A. D. (2022). Leadership and resilience: where should we go next?. Journal of leadership studies, 16(2), 50-55.
• Gichuhi, J. M. (2021). Shared leadership and organizational resilience: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 10(1), 67-88.
• Join The Foresight Leadership Podcast Facebook Group: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/theforesightleadershippodcast/)
• Book a call to work with Joseph: (https://bookings.foresightleadershipgroup.co.uk/#/coaching-services)
• Connect with Joseph on LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephwcooper91/)

Your Next Steps:

If this episode stirred something in you, take a moment to reflect: where in your leadership do you default to control rather than connection? I’d love for you to share that in the Foresight Leadership Podcast Facebook group, or send me a message. Also, check the show notes if you’d like to take the conversation deeper or explore working together.