Many professionals have faced a myriad of experiences in their professional and personal lives that have helped them cultivate a degree of leadership fortitude. Today, I want to share a story about the resilience and strength built through mental toughness and the fortitude to endure challenging situations.
Once upon a time, I was working in telecommunications, managing a bustling store. One fateful day, a system upgrade went awry, causing a significant portion of our subscriber base’s phones to be turned off. Imagine the chaos: doctors unable to receive critical calls, lawyers missing vital client communications, and parents frantically searching for ways to contact their children. The severity of the situation was immense, with some phones remaining inactive for as long as 30 days. This crisis stretched on for six arduous months, with no solid solutions in sight.
As the store manager, I found myself at the epicenter of this storm. Despite the overwhelming challenges, I developed an unwavering sense of leadership and mental toughness. Each day, from the moment we opened until we closed, I stood by my team. Nights, weekends, every single day for six relentless months, I was there. I took on the worst escalations, handling the most irate customers, and facing each crisis head-on.
The pressure was immense, and the turnover rate skyrocketed across the industry. Yet, in my location, not a single employee left. My team and I forged a bond through those trying times, a bond built on mutual respect, loyalty, and shared hardship. The resilience we developed together was profound, and to this day, many of those team members remain dear friends and colleagues.
As I am helping recruit leadership and professionals for businesses, one question stands out during my candidate interviews: “Walk me through the most challenging situation you’ve faced in the last two years and how you approached it.” This question reveals so much about a person’s ability to fight through challenging situations and their loyalty to see things through to the end.
Now, in my role at Injano, I am looking for candidates who exhibit the following qualities:
- Loyalty to their employer through the good times and the bad.
- The ability to own the problem and take responsibility for finding solutions.
- The strength to remain emotionally in check under pressure.
- A mindset that avoids placing blame on their employers, focusing instead on constructive action.
My experience with hiring comes from a long history of business ownership and corporate leadership. This background has given me a keen insight into identifying those who will not only help their employer achieve remarkable results but also possess the grit to stand by their teams through both the highs and the lows.
At Injano, we specialize in identifying and recruiting elite sales talent who embody resilience and unwavering dedication. If you’re looking to build a team that stands strong in the face of adversity and drives your business forward, let’s connect. Together, we can create a powerhouse of professionals ready to lead with integrity and mental toughness.
