Tempered Resilience Quotes

“There are books we can read, courses we can take, lessons we can learn through lectures and conversations. But the tempered, resilient leader is forged only in the process of leading that adds stress to the raw material of our lives. Which is why it is so difficult and feels so dangerous." -”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change

“Because a default response for most leaders is to immediately act, the discipline of learning to look, gain greater perspective, and understand the bigger picture in the midst of action is a critical skill both for wise action and for developing resilience. Maintaining one’s principles in the face of adversity create inner fortitude to carry on. But even more, perspective fosters a greater sense of purpose. Seeing the bigger picture and the dynamics at play enables us to make meaning and see patterns in what would otherwise be an anxious swirl of emotions and reactions. This is especially important when the necessary change work is overwhelming because the whirl of activity, energy, and even internal emotional reaction often triggers and flight or fight response that disrupts learning by distracting us with fruitless doing.”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change

“One of the genuine crises of Christian leadership today is how inward focused it is.”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change

“There are times when projecting a calm and confident demeanor is necessary to keep the trust of an anxious or doubting people. But if the leader must continually project solidity that they don’t feel, there is a tragic—and potentially soul-destroying—missed opportunity.”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change

“A tempered leader is formed in the act of leading, through reflection, relationships, and a rule of life, in a rhythm of leading and not leading.”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change

“Resistance is the key difference between management and leadership: Good management is usually met with a grateful response from those whom we manage. Leadership is often met with stubborn resistance from the very people we are called to lead.”
― Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change