By inspiring large numbers of people to take sustained action, leaders can turn a cause into a social movement with everyone working in concert to achieve a specific change. Cultural and societal norms do not shift easily, however, so painstaking efforts are required to move them incrementally to a place where the desired change can actually take place–in policy, legislation, behavior, etc. But what happens to a social movement’s supporters when progress seems slow or when they think all their efforts have been undone?

I’m thinking, of course, of two currently high-profile social movements–one aimed at protecting a woman’s right to an abortion, the other seeking additional measures to control guns–that some social movement leaders see as having experienced setbacks. Though I won’t debate the merits of any strategies or positions related specifically to these issues, we can keep them in mind as examples when discussing how social movement leaders should respond to inevitable setbacks.

Setbacks occur when individuals see others’ personal values (usually with which they disagree) being applied as policy and/or feel their power is threatened. After all, we know that fear is a powerful motivator. What I want to stress, however, is that viewing a setback as a devastating event is a shortsighted approach to dealing with anger and disbelief. A setback can be a turnaround opportunity.

Social movement leaders should view any setback as a prime opportunity to take stock and reset in certain areas to strengthen community.

1. Reset milestone opportunities for supporters.

Though much is written about the need for leaders to be agile, those directing social movements can unintentionally get laser-focused on the end goal and their most vocal supporters. Even in the face of federal- and/or state-level setbacks, agile leaders must help their movement understand contextual opportunities, areas of growth, and what deliberate actions they must take as next steps.

The first thing the movement wants is a plan of action, so provide one. To rebuild cohesive cooperation and support from your audiences–a real need being expressed by social movement leaders, based on a private research project I’m working on–leaders need to create meaningful milestones that supporters can achieve and celebrate. Leaders also should analyze data on their current supporters and how the movement is reaching them, then identify new audiences to engage with new entry-level milestone opportunities.

2. Reset barriers to entry.

Perceived big setbacks will generate attention among a lot of people who didn’t realize they supported your position before. You don’t know them, but the setback has fired their anger and desire to make a difference. How do you ensure that they see a place for themselves in your movement? How do you sustain their passion? The answer relates back to resetting milestone opportunities for your audiences. These potential supporters are still a few steps away from being activists in the traditional sense, but they could quickly find meaning in reaching the milestones you set for them. Asking them to signing a petition or call elected officials or donors can help inspire armchair activists while allowing your movement’s traditional activists to keep working on the ground.

3. Reset what you think about the opposition.

When you’re resetting or reestablishing a new norm, as social movements often do, you’ll always have opposition no matter what generation you’re engaging with. As one interviewee told us, the first thing to understand is where your opponents see their own priorities. Sometimes social movement leaders incorrectly assume that the loudest opponents or the ones we disagree with the most caused the setback they suffered. Yet often, it’s the opponents we never meet who have the most influence–the ones in the middle and center-right. Use the pause imposed by the setback to gain a deeper understanding of your opposition and pay special attention to those who stand right or left of center who see merits in both arguments. These are the individuals who likely are still in the formative stages of their opinions and decisions and potentially can be persuaded to support your cause.

A setback does not have to be a defeat. A great social movement leader can turn a setback into a launchpad for a bigger, more committed and more inclusive community that can have a broader, deeper, more lasting impact on a social issue. This is not the time to stay discouraged or frustrated. This is the time to do the work that will enable you to come back stronger than ever.

Derrick Feldmann (@derrickfeldmann) is the founder of the Millennial Impact Project, lead researcher at Cause & Social Influence, and the author of The Corporate Social Mind. See Derrick’s related articles in Philanthropy News Digest, “Nurturing a community for the greatest impact” and Creating symbiosis between marketing and advocacy.