Resilience, Identity, and Leadership: Women of Faith and the Power of an Internal Locus of Control
As the director of a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women of faith in leadership, I am eager to introduce this series on resiliency and identity. Recognizing resilience not just as the ability to "bounce back," but as a deeply rooted strength cultivated by faith, purpose, and self-perception, is crucial for women stepping into transformative leadership roles.
Resilience, as defined by Luthar, Cicchetti, and Becker (2000), is "a dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity." For women of faith, this adaptation is often connected with spiritual beliefs and practices that affirm their inherent worth and purpose. In many faith traditions, identity goes beyond individual traits and includes a transcendent aspect—being created intentionally, called to serve, and sustained by hope.
A key psychological factor that influences resilience is the internal locus of control, a term introduced by Julian Rotter (1966). An internal locus of control refers to the belief that individuals have influence over life events, rather than seeing outcomes as mainly determined by external forces or fate. Research consistently shows that people with an internal locus of control are more likely to adopt proactive coping strategies, stay motivated during setbacks, and display stronger leadership skills (Lefcourt, 1991).
For women of faith, developing an internal locus of control does not diminish trust in divine providence. Instead, it strengthens the belief that faith empowers rather than inhibits. As Viktor Frankl (1984) noted, finding meaning is vital to endurance. When women base their identities on spiritual purpose, they often gain the courage to act decisively, even in overwhelming circumstances.
Consider these reflective questions as you explore your relationship with resilience:
How does my faith shape my sense of agency in challenging situations?
How do I assign success to my choices and actions instead of just external factors?
How can I build my internal locus of control while staying grounded in spiritual trust?
Over the coming weeks, this series will showcase stories of resilient women leaders, draw on research from positive psychology and leadership studies, and provide practices to help you integrate faith, identity, and resilient action.
Together, we can reshape what it means to lead with both conviction and adaptability.
~~~
References
· Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man's Search for Meaning. Washington Square Press.
· Lefcourt, H. M. (1991). Locus of Control. In J.P. Robinson, P.R. Shaver, & L.S. Wrightsman (Eds.), Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes. Academic Press.
· Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562.
· Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1–28.t all begins with an idea.