Still Standing: Leadership, Resilience, and the Road Ahead
Lately, I’ve been asking myself: Now what?
Maybe you’ve been asking it, too.
There’s a lot shifting around us—policies, economies, ideologies. It’s easy to feel like the ground is moving beneath our feet. But in the midst of it, I keep coming back to a poem I first read years ago: If by Rudyard Kipling that begins…
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too.”
This line feels particularly relevant now. Because leadership isn’t about being unfazed—it’s about staying grounded in who we are, and why we do what we do, even when things are uncertain.
In that spirit, here are a few reflections I hope serve you as you lead through the “now what” moments:
1. Revisit the Road Behind You
When uncertainty clouds your perspective, look back—not with regret, but with gratitude.
Think about what you’ve built. The resilience you’ve shown. The quiet wins that didn’t make headlines but shaped who you are. Maybe you were the first in your family to graduate from college. Maybe you’ve carried teams through challenges most never saw. Those moments matter. They’re proof that you’ve found a way before—and you will again.
This is also a time to reconnect—with old mentors, former colleagues, even peers you’ve lost touch with. Or maybe it’s time to invest in a mentor or mentee relationship. We learn so much if we’re just curious enough to listen.
2. Reconnect with Why You Started
Sometimes our path shifts. What we do may evolve—but the why often stays rooted.
For me, that “why” has shown up in different roles: as a lawyer, an entrepreneur, a coach. But it always comes back to one thing—making an impact and helping others grow. Your purpose doesn’t have to be tied to a job title. It’s the thread that runs through everything you touch.
3. Make Room for What’s Next
When the way forward is unclear, we get to imagine new ways.
Uncertainty invites creativity—if we make space for it. That might mean investing in your own growth. Taking a course, picking up a new book, or giving yourself time to reflect and reset. Innovation doesn’t always start in the boardroom. Sometimes it starts in quiet moments, when you let yourself wonder: What if we tried this differently?
If you’re looking for thought-provoking reads to help guide you in this moment, here are a couple I highly recommend:
The Strategic Power of Hope – Harvard Business Review
A powerful reminder that hope isn’t passive—it’s strategic, and it’s necessary.
How to Lead During Uncertain Times – McKinsey & Company
A smart take on how bold leadership often emerges in the face of ambiguity.
And if you want an example of real-world resilience, here’s a story worth reading:
👉 Why Some Companies Grow Amid Uncertainty — and Others Don’t - Harvard Business Review.
My hope—and my prayer—is that you won’t let the weight of the moment make you forget how far you’ve come or how much capacity you have for what’s ahead.
You’ve done hard things before. Keep going.
– The Hinton & Company Team