Melissa Franks | Stop Freezing, Start Pivoting: The Leader’s Guide to Resilient Decision-Making

In this compelling episode, seasoned fractional COO and business strategist Melissa Franks shares her unique perspective on developing resilience in leadership through what she calls "strengthening your resilience muscle." Drawing from her 20+ years of operational excellence, including her journey from administrative assistant to CEO of a $350 million business, Melissa reveals how resilience is fundamentally about problem-solving and adapting to our rapidly changing world. She introduces her powerful basketball analogy, where leaders must learn to "plant their pivot foot" when original plans don't work out, then look up and assess the ever-changing landscape around them to determine their next right move. This framework helps leaders avoid the paralysis that often comes with unexpected challenges and instead maintain momentum through uncertainty.

Melissa dives deep into practical leadership strategies for building resilient teams, emphasising the critical importance of vulnerability, observation, and creating psychological safety. She shares a memorable story about publicly apologising to her team after making a major procurement mistake, demonstrating how authentic leadership builds trust and encourages innovation. The conversation explores how successful leaders must transition from doing everything themselves to becoming facilitators who leverage the collective strengths of their teams. Melissa argues that at the executive level, leadership becomes fundamentally "a people business" focused on developing, coaching, and growing individuals rather than hands-on operational work. Her insights offer actionable guidance for leaders navigating today's complex business environment while building organisations that can thrive through change.

 

Connect with Melissa:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissafranks/

Website:  https://www.melissafranks.com/

 

 

##########

 

If you are looking for a Blueprint to help you and your business manage uncertainty, deal with failure and navigate change then reach out to Julian at: julian@julianrobertsconsulting.com

 

You can buy my book "Weathering the Storm: A Guide to Building Resilient Teams" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DFTYN2Y2

 

##########