Leadership is a full-body experience
Our nervous system is often the first to react under stress, yet the last part of us we consciously tend to. Our emotions guide what we say or don’t say. Our mindsets shape what we notice - and what we miss.
True resilience is not built in the mind alone.
It’s cultivated when the mind, heart, and body work together.
Mental Resilience
Mental resilience is supported by clarity, direction and focus. Clear roles, goals and priorities provide stability. However, clarity doesn’t mean certainty!
It’s also strengthened by balancing structure and flexibility - enough order to stay focused and organised, with enough adaptability to respond when things don’t go to plan.
And importantly, mental resilience is shaped by the mindsets we hold and the stories we tell ourselves. Are our mindsets empowering or limiting? Are our stories energising or exhausting? Do they limit us or open possibilities?
Mindset shifts that support resilience:
Becoming aware of our limiting mindsets and experimenting with more empowering ones can support resilience. For example, shifting from:
- "We can’t afford to make mistakes” to “Mistakes helps us learn and grow”
- “There’s no time to slow down” to “Slowing down helps us move forward better"
- “Pushing through is part of the job” to “Recovery supports impact”
Ultimately, what we believe influences how we lead - and how we recover.
Emotional Resilience
Emotional resilience grows through our ability to understand, express, and respond to emotions - our own and others’. It’s not just about staying calm; it’s about staying connected.
Like mental resilience, it begins with awareness. It deepens when we welcome the full emotional landscape, not just what’s easy.
Practices that support emotional resilience:
- Emotional Awareness - Naming what we feel and noticing its impact
- Emotional Expression - Creating space to speak honestly without fear of blame or shame
- Relational Trust - Built through everyday actions such as listening generously, responding with care, and honouring each other's experience
The stories we hold about emotions matter too.
Which of these shifts in stories could support you and your teams?
- “If I show emotion, I’ll seem weak” to “Sharing emotion helps us connect”
- “Tough conversations cause harm” to “Truth builds trust”
- “Discomfort should be avoided” to “Discomfort can deepen connection”
And just like clarity supports mental resilience, psychological safety supports emotional resilience - the kind of safety where people feel safe enough to show up fully, speak honestly, take risks, express emotions, make mistakes and stay in relationship, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Psychological Safety doesn’t mean feeling comfortable, it’s about feeling safe enough…
Physical Resilience
Physical resilience is shaped by how we recognise and respond to stress in the body.
Under pressure, our nervous system activates fight, flight, or freeze. This response is helpful short-term but draining if left unchecked.
Like mental and emotional resilience, it starts with awareness - then learning to regulate in the moment and regenerate over time.
Physical resilience isn’t about endurance, it’s about tuning in.
It gives us access to steadiness, presence, and vitality, so we can lead in ways that are sustainable for ourselves and those around us.
Practices that support physical resilience include:
- Body Awareness: Recognising stress signals like tension or fatigue
- Regulation Techniques: Grounding, breathing, and harnessing movement to return to calm
- Rest and Reset: Prioritising recovery to sustain energy and focus
We’d love to know—what’s one practice that’s been helping you return to centre? Share your insights on our linkedin page.
In our final blog of this series, we’ll explore how to embed resilience into the culture of how we work, relate, and lead - every day.
Photos by Laurenti Morariu and Rosario Janza on Unsplash
