Why We Need to Define Resilience in Leadership
Stephen Vaughan is a leadership development expert with over 20 years of experience. He specialises in designing & delivering bespoke programmes & coaching sessions & is due to complete his PhD, Resilience in Leaders, in 2025.
Resilience is a term we hear often, especially in the world of leadership. But what does it really mean? If you search for a definition, you'll find a wide range of explanations. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as "an exact statement or description of the nature, scope, or meaning of something." Science defines it as a phenomenon with specific characteristics. But when it comes to human resilience, especially in leadership, the meaning is shaped by history, culture, and personal experiences.
So why does this matter? Because when it comes to defining resilience in leaders, there’s no single, agreed-upon answer. And that’s a problem.
The challenge of defining resilience
For the past five years, I’ve been researching resilience in leadership, working with senior professionals across industries to understand what resilience means to them, how they use it, and whether it can be replicated.
What I discovered was both fascinating and frustrating.
If you look at the thousands of articles, books, and research papers on resilience, you’ll see a broad mix of definitions. Some focus on thriving and positivity. Others emphasize coping, adapting, or bouncing back. Some describe it as a personal trait, while others view it as a system or process. There are even those who define it in terms of overcoming stress, challenge, or adversity.
To make matters even more complex, resilience experts themselves have adjusted their definitions over time. In fact, when global resilience researchers gathered at a conference to unify a single definition, they couldn’t reach an agreement.
So, if resilience is such a critical skill for leaders one that impacts business performance and team success shouldn’t we have a clear, actionable definition?
A leadership-specific definition
Through my research, I found something surprising.
When I asked leaders, “What does resilience mean to you?” they responded with familiar terms: bouncing back, recovery, positivity, strength. But when I adjusted the question slightly to “What does resilience mean to you in the context of being a leader?” something changed.
Suddenly, their answers became more aligned:
Being a role model
Encouraging and motivating others
Leading the way with clarity
Staying calm and composed under pressure
Listening, thinking, and planning objectively
For the first time, I saw a pattern, a foundation for a leadership-specific definition of resilience. And now, I want to share it with you:
"A leader demonstrates resilience through self-belief and drive, while maintaining calmness and composure, to articulate a clear plan of action in any situation."
Why this matters for you
This definition isn’t just theory; it’s a practical guide. It gives leaders something tangible to work toward. When you focus on embodying resilience in this way, challenges become manageable. Setbacks become lessons. And no single obstacle feels insurmountable.
Every leader will express resilience differently, but striving toward this definition can elevate your leadership capabilities in any situation.
I invite you to reflect on this definition, share your thoughts, and join the conversation. Let’s redefine resilience in leadership together.
Read more from Stephen Vaughan
Stephen Vaughan, Leadership Development Expert
Stephen Vaughan is a world-class facilitator, executive coach, and MD of Fabric Learning. With a background in Professional Sports & Academics with now over 20 years of experience in Learning & Development, he specialises in designing & delivering bespoke development programmes for organisations ranging from small not-for-profits to large multi-national organisations all over the world. The majority of his work centres around Leadership, whether that be Executive Boards, High Potentials, or First Time Leaders, empowering individuals to achieve increased performances & results, deliberately encouraging a sense of fun, which makes effective learning a far more enjoyable experience. He describes himself as a Pracademic.
