A person asked me what it takes to be an effective leader. What is one thing they could learn or adopt or apply to become a good people manager. This person is looking to grow their career, and driven. I suggested that to get what they want, they would need to learn about anti-fragility.

Most leaders struggle to build strong teams because they concave to stress, don't know how to operate when they don't know where they are, and can't cultivate a sense of equanimity when the going gets tough. In those moments, it doesn't matter if you can make people "feel good", it doesn't help if you "start with why", or if you "inspire your team to go from good to great." The problem is that you don't know how to destroy muscle so that it can be built back stronger - you don't know how to be anti-fragile.

Anti-fragility is the convex of being a scientist and an artist. It's being willing to fail, it's also being willing to be curious, try something new, be robust, and persevere. And, you can do that while being human!

So how to do that with a team? How to do that as a leader? As a person?

I believe the first step is acceptance.

Taking what's being thrown at you, and leveraging it to advance your way forward. All the things that make art art - improvisation, creation, being in the moment, and doing the work.

If you can do that for yourself, you can help others do that for them.

Anti-fragility sounds like a leadership buzzword... and perhaps it is. But if it helps, why not?!