How do I unlock "anti-fragility mode?"

Professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a next level scholar. When I read about the concept of antifragility, I was simultaneously blown away and completely enthralled.

What is the opposite of fragile, Taleb asks? A first guess might lead us to believe that it is something that is durable or resilient, but that is not correct. The opposite of fragile is antifragile, a word that previously was not part of our english language.

Antifragile is the property of becoming stronger or thriving in situations of stress, shock or uncertainty.

What a beautiful quality to possess, especially in times like these.

This is what enabled me to lead mission-critical teams at an international bank during the financial crisis. This is what helped me navigate both the creation and dissolution of several fast-growing organizations. And this is what will serve me well during this global pandemic.

When things are at their worst, how can I be at my best?

There has been a call for the last several years that the world needs more leaders, particularly leaders who have been putting in the work. This call wasn't to help drive record profits. This call wasn't to grow organizations when capital was cheap and the world was pleasant.

The call for leaders who have been putting in the work is exactly for times like these.

The leader who can maintain their composure, who can separate what they can control from what they can't, who have confidence in their ability to navigate the uncertainty, is the one that we are all ready to follow.

How we show up for each other, for our clients, for our colleagues, for our friends and family, and for strangers during these times is the mark of a true leader. It's time to unlock new levels of antifragility and become even better not despite all of the uncertainty around me, but because of it.