How Leadership Experience Builds Resilience: A HAPHE Perspective

When we think of leadership, we often picture titles, responsibilities, or positions of authority.

Veronica - University of Bath Maths & Economics Having 'HAPHE on my CV was a big help'

At HAPHE, leadership means something different: it’s about choosing to connect with others in ways that diversify your emotional energy. Leading a group, organising an event, or simply bringing people together is not only good for your CV, it’s a practice in building resilience.

Leadership as emotional diversification

Students who step into leadership naturally shift their focus outward. Instead of investing everything in one relationship, one grade, or one dream, they invest energy into guiding a group, solving problems, and creating shared experiences. This spreads their energy across multiple people and activities, which creates buffers against trauma and anxiety when life changes.

For example:

• A student who is solely invested in academics may crumble after a poor grade.

• A student who balances academics with leading a society will feel disappointment, but they’ll still have a role, a team, and a sense of value beyond that one grade.

The resilience cycle of leadership

1. Taking initiative – builds confidence in facing uncertainty.

2. Working with others – spreads energy across different connections.

3. Learning to adapt – develops the ability to pivot when plans change.

4. Seeing impact – reinforces that self-worth is not tied to one outcome but to many small contributions.

This cycle not only strengthens emotional resilience at university but creates habits students carry into adult life.

Why employers value leadership

Employers are searching for young people who can adapt and guide others through change. Being a founder or leader signals that you’re not just occupying a role—you’re someone who sees challenges and builds solutions. That mindset is rare, and it’s highly desirable in a world where organisations are constantly shifting.

A HAPHE leadership story

We’ve seen students who once tied all their energy to one friendship or dream pivot into leadership roles. By creating HAPHE Teams or running wellbeing events, they discovered that spreading their energy into leadership reduced anxiety, boosted confidence, and gave them a network of support they never expected.

Some HAPHE activities may also qualify for Impact Awards financial recognition for students whose efforts make a measurable difference on their campus.

The takeaway

Leadership isn’t just about guiding others—it’s about safeguarding yourself. By diversifying where your energy goes, leadership reduces the chance that one setback becomes overwhelming. In the HAPHE philosophy, it’s one of the clearest ways students can build resilience against trauma and anxiety while shaping a healthier, more balanced campus.

Change begins in small circles. See how HAPHE began and spread, and explore how prevention builds resilience.

 Learn to recognise triggers of student trauma, and discover how to start your own HAPHE team on campus.

 Every conversation can spark a movement — yours might be next.