How to Be More Resolute
Key Takeaways
- People with resolute personalities push through resistance and stand their ground.
- People of all personality types may want to call upon the resolute mindset when they need to protect their time, resist the influence of others, or defend their ideas.
- You can practice being more resolute by recognizing the thoughts standing in your way, setting goals, and practicing.
- Practice having more resolve by being OK with disagreement and discomfort, discovering the value of stubbornness, and staying on message, among other tips.
In any given situation, we have many options for approaching it. We don't always realize this, because we react first from our natural tendencies. Sometimes those instincts are a good fit for the situation at hand. At other times, adopting a different mindset may be more appropriate.
Learning about and gaining comfort in a variety of mindsets allows you to expand your emotional intelligence (EQ). You can navigate your day with more emotional agility, rather than reacting to situations only with your first instinct.
Resolute definition
“I stand by my beliefs.”
People with resolute mindsets project confidence and speak up about problems. They don’t give in when pushed toward something that doesn’t sit right. It’s (usually) not about getting their way for the sake of getting their way. Instead, it’s about believing in themselves and not caving just because someone else is louder.
Source: Everything DiSC Agile EQ
Resolute people believe it’s their responsibility to communicate their ideas clearly so people know where they’re coming from. They realize a bit of tension and disagreement is OK, or even good. Their comfort is less important than doing justice to their ideas.
People with resolute dispositions tend to have high standards and push back against flawed reasoning. They are willing to tackle obstacles that might hold others back, moving forward to accomplish their goals. They have the ability to view a setback as an opportunity, while others might deflate.
Resolute is one of the eight Agile EQ mindsets, and tends to align with DiSC® CD and DC styles.
What needs drive the resolute mindset?
The mindsets that we reach for most often are the ones that support our deepest social and emotional needs. The actions and dispositions of resolute people are often driven by needs such as:
- competence
- independence
- influence
- control
- meeting high standards
- making progress
Benefits of a resolute mindset
All teams need someone who will get things done and get them done right. Whether or not the resolute mindset is one that comes naturally to you, calling upon this mindset helps you:
- stand up for your beliefs
- advocate for your needs
- persist through challenges that might otherwise threaten your goals
- maintain confidence in your perspective, even when others cast doubt
- speak up when there’s a problem, even if it causes discomfort
- project a confidence that gives courage to others
- refuse to settle when you know something can be better
- keep a project moving forward, even when there is ambiguity
Calling upon the resolute mindset when appropriate has benefits for people of different DiSC® styles.
If you are an i style or S style, you may be tempted to yield to others in tense situations. You do this even if you know you’re right, or you feel strongly about an issue. Your instincts are telling you that backing down will help maintain relationships or restore harmony.
But your views matter as much as anyone else’s. You owe it to your ideas and beliefs to speak up, even if it is uncomfortable for you.
Being resolute when it is needed doesn’t just benefit you, but your team as well. Doing so can:
- prevent small issues from ballooning into something bigger
- help stave off the resentment of the unheard
- ensure things get done the right way
- contribute to healthy team dynamics and balanced power
In addition, projecting confidence and clarity is a gift you can give anxious coworkers in high-stress times.
Limitations of a resolute personality
We all rely too much on our first instinct, rather than choosing the best attitude for each situation. If you get stuck in the resolute mindset, you might:
- become overly stubborn or competitive
- dig your heels in to retain power
- refuse to back down out of a desire to be right or to “win”
- become so inflexible that you alienate colleagues or cause them to shut down
- fail to consider facts or opinions that contradict your own
- project dissatisfaction
- miss out on a better opportunity or approach because you’re so intent on holding your ground
- focus so much on your goal that you close yourself off to warning signs when something is wrong
Situations that may call for being more resolute
Say you are a naturally receptive person who is pitching a new idea to your team. You’ve done your research and know it’s a good idea. However, when you bring it up, your colleagues start brainstorming their own, different ideas.
You might need to adapt to how the situation is progressing by choosing the resolute mindset. From this mindset, you can still agree that other viewpoints are important. But you’ll be better able to stay on message and advocate for your idea.
You may need to show resolve when:
- defending your ideas
- protecting your time
- standing up to strong personalities
- initiating critical feedback
- resisting the influence of others
- preventing small issues from ballooning
- pushing toward the finish line
- fighting for change, especially when you’re in the minority
How to be more resolute
Being a more resolute person can be a challenge for different reasons for the various DiSC styles. So, the approach for growing this competency should be different as well. Each Agile EQ report (see sample) is heavily personalized based on a person’s DiSC style and their effort meter for each mindset.
Some S styles, for example, may not need a lot of energy to stretch into the resolute mindset. (In other words, their effort meter is green in their Agile EQ profile.) But for others with the same placement on the DiSC model, it may take a great deal of effort. Agile EQ has customized goals and action steps for each learner.
Recognize your thoughts
Becoming more resolute starts with identifying and overcoming thoughts like:
- I don’t want to appear rude or selfish.
- If I give in, things can go back to normal.
- I’m not going to fight this because I want to be a team player.
- It’s not worth delaying things to address this.
- I’m sure this will work out fine.
- It’s not worth rocking the boat.
Set goals
The next step is to set goals. The Agile EQ report lays out beginner, intermediate, and advanced goals for each respondent. The desired results may be things like:
- I stand behind my opinions, even if others disagree.
- When appropriate, I know how to be stubborn without threatening my relationships.
- I’m fairly willing to say no to extra tasks when my to-do list is full.
- In most meetings, I tend to believe I’m as capable as anyone else there.
Start practicing
How do you get there? The Agile EQ report has concrete action steps for each level. Like any skill, it gets easier with practice. Some general tips for being more resolute:
- Be OK with disagreement. Let yourself hover in that uneasy space.
- Don’t change your position just to escape tension, even though changing it might still happen.
- Stay on message.
- Stand behind your opinions, even the unpopular ones.
- Speak up about problems, even if it costs time and causes discomfort.
- Discover the value of a little stubbornness.
- Challenge undermining thoughts that make you question your competence and abilities.
Showing resolve may be quite uncomfortable to you at first. Mindsets don’t change overnight. However, you’ll likely be surprised at how practicing even small steps toward becoming more resolute will influence your interactions. Simply knowing that there are choices beyond your default response—even if they are difficult for you—opens up new possibilities that can be very empowering.
Posted 01/21/2014, Last Updated 12/26/2024
