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Overcoming Setbacks and Adversity. What do we mean by setbacks and adversity?. A setback is a single event or specific series of events that impedes your forward progress as an organization. Adversity, rather than a distinct occurrence, is more likely to be an ongoing unfavorable condition.
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What do we mean by setbacks and adversity? • A setback is a single event or specific series of events that impedes your forward progress as an organization. • Adversity, rather than a distinct occurrence, is more likely to be an ongoing unfavorable condition. • Setbacks and adversity each make different demands on a leader.
Why is it important to focus on overcoming setbacks and adversity? • To keep the organization moving forward. • To avoid discouragement and despair. • To keep staff/volunteer morale high. • To maintain standing in the community. • To add to your and the organization’s store of knowledge. • To enhance your development as a person and as a leader. • To maintain the organization’s faith in its leadership. • To keep the focus on your mission, and continue to serve or work for those at whom the effort is aimed.
When should you work to overcome setbacks and adversity? • In the case of a setback, action should usually be immediate, and geared specifically to reversing the situation, whatever it is. • In adversity, you have to move forward steadily, both to get the organization through difficulties and in order to overcome them.
How do you, as a leader, overcome setbacks and adversity? • Stay calm. • Communicate. • Take action. • Emphasize moving the organization forward • Accentuate the positive. • As leader, share the hardships of the situation with the rest of the organization. • Use the situation to build solidarity within the organization.
Continued… • Don’t be too serious. • Determine what went wrong, and use your analysis to fix the problem, if it’s within your control, or to get around or cope with it, if it’s not.. • Develop a strategic plan for coping with the situation. • Involve everyone in the organization in planning your coping strategy. • Ask for help from outside the organization if you need it...and sometimes even if you don’t. • Point out the learning that came out of the situation. • Keep the big picture always before you. • Don’t let up.