Why You Don't Want To Be Resilient
In business, not all companies are built the same—especially when stress hits. Some break. Some bend. And a rare few actually get stronger. That’s the difference between being fragile, resilient, and anti-fragile.
Fragile Companies
A fragile company is overly dependent on things going just right. One key employee leaves, and everything stalls. A surprise expense arises, and cash flow has issues. These businesses often:
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Lack documented systems
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Rely on heroic effort over repeatable processes
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Avoid conflict or feedback
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Operate reactively rather than proactively
When pressure comes, fragile companies break.
Resilient Companies
A resilient company is better. It can take a punch and keep going. Systems are in place, and setbacks don’t spell disaster. Resilient companies:
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Recover from challenges
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Have some redundancy in people and processes
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Learn from failure
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Stay steady under pressure
Resilience is valuable—but it still implies survival...
Anti-Fragile Companies
An anti-fragile company goes a step further: it actually gets better...it thrives on pressure and change. These businesses see change and pressure as opportunity for growth. They:
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Adapt quickly and evolve through feedback
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Solve problems proactively...before they really become problems
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Encourage autonomy
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Innovate in uncertainty
Think of anti-fragility like a muscle: the more it's tested, the stronger it gets.
Why This Matters
Markets shift. The economy changes. People leave. Technology evolves. If you want long-term success, your company can’t just survive change—it must be strengthened by it. That means building a culture, structure, and mindset that welcomes challenges as opportunities.
Start by shoring up the fragile parts. Then build in resilience. But don’t stop there. Design your business to become anti-fragile. That’s how you turn stress into strategy and setbacks into a competitive edge.
Need help? Give us a call. That's what we do!
Ryan Giles
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