By Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt (she/her),
Bishop’s Associate in Southwestern Texas Synod
In a world marked by chaos, trauma, and turmoil, resilience has become essential. But resilience is more than survival—it is the ongoing practice of growth, adaptation, and discovering strength along life’s journey. Last August, at the Global Leadership Summit, I heard organizational psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Tasha Eurich speak about this very truth in her book Shatterproof.
Dr. Eurich explores what it means to be resilient in a world that feels increasingly fragile. Rather than offering quick fixes or surface-level positivity, she grounds her work in research, case studies, and practical tools to help leaders navigate disappointment, burnout, failure, and unexpected change. Her central claim is that resilience is not about “bouncing back” to who we were before hardship, but about growing forward with greater self-awareness, clarity, and courage.
Dr. Eurich challenges the myth that strong leaders are unshakable. Instead, she shows that the most effective leaders are those who cultivate deep internal self-awareness—an honest understanding of their values, triggers, strengths, and blind spots—while also practicing external self-awareness—how their behavior impacts others. She outlines actionable strategies for managing rumination, reframing setbacks, and aligning decisions with core values. Throughout, she emphasizes that resilience is a skill that can be developed, not a personality trait bestowed on a select few.
As a Deacon and a leader in the church, this book shifted how I understood both vocation and leadership. In church work, we often spiritualize endurance—if faithfulness means pushing through exhaustion or conflict without acknowledging our own limits. Shatterproof invited me to see that tending to my emotional and psychological health is not self-indulgent but faithful stewardship. Eurich’s insistence on honest self-examination resonates deeply with our Lutheran theology of confession and grace. We are free to tell the truth about ourselves—not to shame ourselves, but to grow.
The book also reframed how I accompany congregations and leaders in times of transition and uncertainty. Rather than rushing toward solutions or trying to restore a past version of the church, I have learned to help leaders pause, reflect, and discern what this moment is teaching them. Resilience becomes less about institutional survival and more about Spirit-led transformation.
Ultimately, Shatterproof changed me by grounding my leadership in intentional self-awareness, courageous truth-telling, and hope rooted not in control, but in growth. It reminded me that faithful leadership is not about being unbreakable—it is about being honest, adaptable, and anchored in grace. So, I invite you to reflect on these questions:
- Where might God be inviting us to grow rather than simply “bounce back”?
- What would it look like for us to practice resilience rooted in grace rather than fear?
- What does it mean to trust that God works through, not around, our fragility?
If you want to hear more about Shatterproof, here are a couple of recordings to listen to:
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