Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast #374: Lessons in Resilience During a Government Shutdown

Date: December 11, 2025
Host: John Maxwell
Co-Hosts: Perry Holley (Maxwell Leadership Facilitator and Coach), Chris Goede (Executive Vice President, Maxwell Leadership)

Episode Overview

This episode takes a practical look at how leaders can apply the principles of resilience in real-world scenarios, using the recent U.S. government shutdown and its wide-reaching travel disruptions as a case study. Co-hosts Perry Holley and Chris Goede discuss their personal experiences during the shutdown and frame the conversation around Valerie Burton’s “Rules of Resilience,” sharing insights on how to manage oneself and influence others in times of unexpected crisis. The episode stresses that resilience starts with self-leadership and highlights transferable lessons for leaders managing teams through disruption.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Context [00:09–02:51]

• Chris and Perry set the stage by reminding listeners that leadership influence starts with self-leadership, especially during crisis.
• They clarify the focus is not to compare hardships but to extract universal leadership lessons from recent, relatable experiences.
• The foundation for the episode: Valerie Burton’s “Rules of Resilience,” which Maxwell Leadership has also developed into corporate training.

2. Travel Disruptions as a Resilience Test [02:56–06:30]

• Perry recounts his story: a long-awaited family trip to see grandchildren is suddenly upended by last-minute flight cancellations due to the prolonged government shutdown.
• Describes the scene at the airport—“seemingly normal adult human beings screaming at gate agents”—highlighting varied human responses to stress.
• Chris shares his own experience: pivoting late at night to drive five hours after flight cancellations.

Quote – Perry Holley [03:55]:
"I'm not the only one affected. Matter of fact, a lot of the screens are blinking red. Cancel, cancel, cancel."

3. Rule 1: Expect the Unexpected [07:12–07:54]

• Leaders must anticipate that plans will go awry and treat disruption as a “normal part” of leadership.
• Recognizing unpredictability helps frame setbacks constructively.

Quote – Chris Goede [07:12]:
“We plan as leaders, we want it to go smooth, but we know that the plans are probably not going to go the way that we intended.”

4. Rule 2: Choose Thoughts That Strengthen You [07:55–09:16]

• The way we mentally label setbacks influences resilience—viewing crises as absolute disasters versus opportunities shapes our response.
• Reframing thoughts, applying gratitude, and avoiding victim mentality are key.

Quote – Perry Holley [08:22]:
“Your thoughts can fuel your resilience or drain it… it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you handle what happens to you.”

5. Rule 3: Focus on the Vision, Not the Obstacle [09:17–11:21]

• Maintain attention on the ultimate goal, not just the blockage in the path.
• Both hosts share how quickly identifying alternative options (rental car, rescheduled flights, etc.) allows progress toward the end vision.

Quote – Chris Goede [11:21]:
“If you focus on the obstacle, you'd have driven to the airport and argued with the flight people… No, what are my next options to solve it?”

6. Rule 4: Control the Controllables, Accept the Rest [12:11–13:15]

• Leaders waste energy fighting what’s out of their hands; focus should stay on actions and attitudes within their influence.
• Letting go of unchangeable factors clears the mind for problem-solving.

Quote – Perry Holley [13:03]:
“If you're trying to control things you can't control, your resilience is going out the door because you're really wasting energy.”

7. Rule 5: Rally Your Resources [13:15–15:59]

• Bringing together available people, knowledge, and assets to solve the problem.
• Both hosts highlight the creativity and strategic connections (e.g., frequent flyer status, special lines) that help navigate chaos.

Quote – Perry Holley [15:04]:
“Now you have a clear mind to think, what are my resources? Who, what, what can we start working on?”

8. Rule 7: Don’t Pretend, Don’t Defend [15:59–17:34]

• Honesty about difficulty builds trust and fosters better solutions—pretending everything is fine or defending a frazzled attitude only compounds the problem.
• Vulnerability, humility, and authenticity create calm ripples within teams.

Quote – Perry Holley [16:00]:
“Pretending everything was fine would have really been dishonest. And defending my frustration would have just made it worse...”

9. Rule 8: Find the Opportunity in the Challenge [19:16–20:35]

• A tough rule in the moment, but the ability to pivot to gratitude and look for new possibilities is vital.
• Quoting John Maxwell: “Every setback is a setup for a comeback.”

Quote – Chris Goede [20:05]:
“When the challenge happens, look for what’s now possible.”

10. Rule 9: Know When to Grit, Know When to Quit [20:35–21:53]

• Resilience requires wisdom: discerning when to persist and when to cut losses and adapt.
• Grit needs to serve the vision, not simple stubbornness.

Quote – Perry Holley [21:46]:
“You grit with wisdom, not stubbornness.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Perry Holley [03:55]:
  “Everybody on the plane started paying attention like, whoa, we've been hearing about this could happen, but now it's happened.”

• Chris Goede [11:21]:
  “What are the backup plans? Right. What are, what are different alternate routes and what are creative opportunities?”

• Perry Holley [17:08]:
  “If I can stay calm and keep my resilience high, it's going to flow through the family.”

• Chris Goede [22:01]:
  “Resilience isn't about staying strong. It's actually staying very adaptive.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro & Setup: [00:09–02:51]
• Travel Disruption Stories: [02:56–06:30]
• Rules of Resilience Introduced: [07:12–07:54]
• Choosing Strengthening Thoughts: [07:55–09:16]
• Vision vs. Obstacle: [09:17–11:21]
• Control Controllables: [12:11–13:15]
• Rally Resources: [13:15–15:59]
• Vulnerability & Transparency: [15:59–17:34]
• Finding the Opportunity: [19:16–20:35]
• Grit vs. Quit: [20:35–21:53]
• Closing Leadership Takeaways: [22:01–End]

Summary of Leadership Takeaways

• Resilience is Adaptability: True resilience is about adjusting to the unexpected, not just being tough.
• Calm is Contagious: Teams model their emotional responses on their leaders.
• Every Disruption is a Learning Opportunity: Use obstacles as “scavenger hunts” for new solutions and growth.
• Don’t Fake Positivity: Authentic, vulnerable leadership builds trust and grounds effective decision-making.
• Wisdom over Stubbornness: Know when to push forward and when to pivot or pause.

Final Thoughts

By using the lived experiences of sudden, large-scale disruption, this episode translates abstract ideas about resilience into daily leadership practice. The conversation is candid, practical, and filled with humor and humility. Leaders are reminded that while they cannot control circumstances, they can always choose their thoughts, focus, behavior, and influence on those around them.

For more on resilience and the "Five Levels of Leadership," listeners are encouraged to visit maxwellleadership.com/executivepodcast for additional resources, guides, and to connect with the hosts.