KerryOn: Resilience for the Unexpected Times

In 2024, my husband, Gardner Lepp, and I were working with colleagues from the University of Sydney to add the concept of “resilience” into one of our existing class sessions. This was a topic that students consistently requested in leadership courses because it would benefit them during stressful situations. Plus, it was a great opportunity to practice the daily activities that help build our own resilience: workout, walk in the woods, write in a journal, meditate, and spend time with loved ones, just to name a few. I’m not going to get too academic on you; suffice to say, we designed a pre/post assessment to capture students’ perceptions when in challenging or demanding pursuits and how they overcome barriers. The objective was to help prepare them during unexpected times that happen to all of us throughout our lives.

Gardner and I co-taught this resilience session 158 miles apart – our classrooms connected via Zoom. During a break in the class, a student approached him at the front of the large classroom and presented two plastic objects. “Dr. Lepp, I made these slugs for you. They represent you and Dr. Fierke. The one with the headband is her. I made these for you because slugs are super resilient creatures.” That student was absolutely right, not only about me wearing headbands every time I teach, but also about the resilient slugs! Slugs can survive in the harshest conditions – wet, dry, freezing – they slime, they persevere. That was the lesson we wanted our students to take away: that no matter the stress in life, the test ahead, the difficulty, they know what actions to take to persevere.

Last week, we taught our resilience session together again for the second and final time. In fact, it was our last time teaching together in the college – We found out the previous week that Dr. Lepp’s position was eliminated. We shared this news with our students, who were both shocked and saddened to hear he would no longer be one of their instructors. Little did we know the resilience session we created the previous year would provide valuable tools for a very real-life challenge.

So …. We continue to practice what we teach. We take daily walks in the woods, we meditate, we spend time with loved ones, and we write daily in journals each evening. Plus, now that the snow is gone and Gardner has more time at the moment, the bike has emerged from the garage. These preparations have helped us remain resilient during this time of the unexpected in our lives.

Now, you’ll have to excuse me while I sign off. I’ve got to lace up my shoes, the woodland trails are calling – I have some resilience I need to build.

Special Note: Throughout the years, I have taught, presented, and published with Gardner and I admire how he connects with his audience. He has an amazing story-telling ability to inspire people toward new thoughts, new feelings, and personal growth through creative, critical interactions. I look forward to continuing our collaborative work together, this is just the beginning...

To see our scholarship visit: z.umn.edu/FierkeGoogleScholar

KerryOn Questions

- Are you prepared for the unexpected when it happens in your life?

- How can you overcome the barriers and obstacles to developing your resilience?

- What is one thing you can do TODAY to build your resilience?

The Kerry behind KerryOn

My name is Kerry K. Fierke, Ed.D. (pron. Fear-Key) I have a unique combination of skills and experience – decades of fast-paced corporate experience in Fortune 100 companies and large health care organizations, combined with the academic rigor of a highly ranked research university. My focus is supporting others to create their own path to leadership development, lifelong learning, and a unique leadership legacy. Take a moment to focus on leadership, then KerryOn!

To see all KerryOn's and other leadership stuff, visit www.kerrykfierke.com.