Magic in the Room #53: Unlocking EQ – Showing Resilience

April 27, 2021

Resilience is the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. But what does it take to develop resilience? In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke, Hannah, and Chris discuss the need for hope, purpose, grit, reflection, and self-care in developing resilience. People with resilience make a bigger impact on the world and attract people to their cause.

Chris begins the episode by asking his co-hosts, would you rather work for a leader who was a great visionary storyteller or a likable leader? Having worked with very nice people who were terrible leaders, Hannah would always choose someone that would show her the vision, tell the story, and capture her imagination. Chris is also someone who wants to embrace the power of positive potential and be inspired by a leader.

 

In our  EQ series,  the hosts have also explored the importance of being self-aware in different situations to overcome various challenges. But how does resilience help us thrive and improve rather than just survive? And what does resilience mean to you? For Luke, it’s about hope, and people who have hope will always continue to move forward.

 

Having a vision and a clear picture of what success looks like combined with a growth mindset will help drive you forward. But as someone who understands that challenge is a part of the journey, Luke advises it’s not so much that we choose an easy path or a hard path. It’s what type of hard path we want to take. Luke shares how resilience is all about hope and a mindset where the challenge can be positive.

 

For Chris, resilience can be the ability to build character or strength through times of discomfort. Hannah also shares how for her; resilience is the time that it takes you to recover from a setback. It’s the ability to keep going or get back up, no matter how many times it takes. It can be a willingness to embrace conflict and challenge and bumps in the road as they come.

 

Resilience can be the perseverance that transcends and helps you to keep doing your thing. But it requires high levels of commitment in many areas. For example, when performing at a very high level that demands a lot of your focus, attention, strength, and stamina, resilience can also be about being aware of what it takes to restore and rejuvenate your energy.

 

Resilient leaders build resilient teams and organizations. But it can be a complex topic to navigate around in the workplace. It’s important to remember that resilience will occur naturally when we are authentic but difficult when we are not. As the world begins to open back up, how are you ensuring that your organization will be more resilient?

 

If you want to start a conversation about this or any of the topics that we have explored in the EQ podcast episodes, please message Chris, Hannah, and Luke at  info@purposeandperformancegroup.com.

 

Magic in the Room #199: The Power of Mattering

By Sarah Whitfield • April 7, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke Freeman, Hannah Bratterud, and Chris Province dive into the concept of “mattering,” inspired by Zach Mercurio’s work, and explore why it is a foundational driver of engagement, performance, and culture in organizations. They challenge leaders to move beyond assuming people matter to actively ensuring individuals feel that they matter by being valued and by contributing value to a shared purpose. The conversation highlights how mattering differs from belonging, why it cannot be replaced by perks or efficiency, and how leadership behaviors like attention, recognition, and presence directly shape whether people feel seen, heard, and understood. Through examples ranging from workplace dynamics to broader societal trends like social disconnection, they argue that disengagement, conflict, and even poor performance are symptoms of a mattering deficit. Ultimately, they position mattering not as a soft concept, but as a measurable, actionable leadership responsibility that underpins trust, resilience, and long-term success.

Magic in the Room #198: The GUEST Experience

By Sarah Whitfield • March 3, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke, Hannah, and Chris explore how the concept of mattering transforms customer experience through their practical GUEST framework. Building on the idea that people thrive when they feel noticed, affirmed, and valued, they argue that exceptional service is not just about efficiency or technical competence, but about intentionally designing experiences where guests truly feel significant. They unpack the five elements of the GUEST model: Greet with empathy, Uncover needs, Express gratitude, Share names, and Teach benefits. They show how each step reinforces belonging and loyalty, whether in a 30-second interaction or a 30-year relationship. The conversation highlights the difference between service and hospitality, the power of recovery when mistakes occur, and the leadership responsibility to embed mattering into culture rather than leaving it to chance.
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