Strategies for Building Resilience

A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 1 9

Purpose

This workshop is designed to strengthen your individual and organizational capacity to survive, adapt, and grow through chronic stresses and acute shock experiences.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore tactics, tools, and take-aways to build personal and organizational resilience.

• Examine individual and organizational responsibility for building resilience.

• Develop your own personal resilience plan.

Building Resilience

What is Resilience?

Personal Resilience

The capacity of humans to survive, adapt, and grow, no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.

Organizational Resilience

The capacity of organizations to collectively deliver their mission, and be even more effective, through challenging circumstances.

The ability to bounce back from adversity, to overcome and work through challenges, and to use those times to learn, grow, and break through in order to thrive versus just survive.

- Graham, Cuthbert, Sloan; Lemonade: The Leader’s Guide to Resilience at Work

Personal and organizational are often inseparable

Acute Shocks

Chronic Stressors

How Does Resilience Show Up?Appreciative Inquiry Discussion

Share an example of personal or organizational resilience that has inspired, encouraged or impressed you• Was it related to a chronic stressor or an acute shock?• What was the benefit of resilience? • What contributed to the person or organization recovering

and/or growing from the adversity?

How often is your resilience tested?

How often have you experienced… Constantly4

Frequently3

Occasionally2

Rarely1

Never0

1. Events that alter your life path2. Stress that impacts you physically 3. Instability of basic needs4. Hurtful interactions with others 5. Little control over your quality of life6. Unsafe or unhealthy situations7. Uncertainty about the future8. Disregard for your contributionsTOTAL =

Where are you on the continuum?

0 – Low 16 – Medium 32 – High

These are a few examples of experiences that test our resilience. It is not an all-inclusive list.

Perspective is important

TACTICS FOR PERSONAL RESILIENCE

Be Kind To Yourself

Process Your Feelings

Let Go What You Can’t Control

Seek Support From Others

Tactics to Build Personal Resilience

Addressing the immediate …

Prepare for Likely Changes

Take Care of Your Body

Accept the New Normal

Act On What You Can Control

Tactics to Build Personal Resilience

Preparing and caring for your body and spirit …

Likely Change Potential Impact What I Can DoMy metabolism will slowdown as I age

I could gain weight and be at risk for new chronic health conditions

Manage my diet and increase my exercise

Automation is changing the way my job will be done in the future

My role may be very different than it is now –or not be needed at all

Learn more about the new technology and build skills.Look for a new occupation

I will have a new boss soon who will not know me or what I can do

They might not appreciate my value

Proactively measure and communicate my value.Manage my expenses

Readiness Builds Resilience

• Anticipate likely (realistic) changes • Consider potential impacts – avoid “awfulizing” • Prepare to apply your capabilities to manage them

TACTICS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE

Share Information

Demonstrate Competence

Provide Support Resources

Practice Empathy

Tactics to Build Organizational Resilience

Foster Community

Engage in the Path Forward

Build Capacity & Capability

Plan For Continuity

Tactics to Build Organizational Resilience

Communications are clear, consistent and compelling

Productive work continues

Sense of “team” is fostered

Power/turf are not issues

Morale is a focus of leaders

Change shows improvement

people will feel informed, engaged and empowered

improvements gain momentum

people can lean on each other

management gains credibility

people increase commitment

people become excited

Tactics to Build Organizational Resilience

If… Then…

Personal Resilience Self-Assessment

Through adversity, how often do you… Always4

Usually3

Sometimes2

Rarely1

Never0

1. Process your feelings2. Seek the support of others 3. Be kind to yourself4. Let go of what you cannot control5. Act on what you can control6. Take care of your body7. Accept the new normal8. Prepare for likely changes TOTAL =

How strong is your practice of personal resilience? Place an X on the line.

0 – Low 16 – Medium 32 – High

Resilience is a skill that can be developed with practice. Think about experiences across your life. What is your general practice when you go through adversity?

Strengthening Your Personal Resilience

Actions I will take1. Process your feelings

2. Seek the support of others

3. Be kind to yourself

4. Let go of what you cannot control

5. Act on what you can control

6. Take care of your body

7. Accept the new normal

8. Prepare for likely changes

Based on your self-assessment results, select up to 3 areas you want to strengthen.What actions will you take to build each resilience practice?

Organizational Resilience Assessment

Through adversity, how often do your leaders… Always4

Usually3

Sometimes2

Rarely1

Never0

1. Demonstrate confidence and competence2. Practice empathy3. Provide support & development resources4. Provide clear, honest, timely information5. Invest in talent capacity & capability6. Engage people in shaping the path forward7. Plan for continuity8. Foster a cohesive communityTOTAL =

How strong is culture of resilience in your organization? Place an X on the line.

0 – Low 16 – Medium 32 – High

Resilience is an cultural characteristic that can be strengthened through intentional acts of leaders. Think about experiences in your organization. What practices are common when the organization goes through adversity?

Ways I will strengthen my organization

1. Demonstrate confidence and competence

2. Practice empathy

3. Provide support & development resources

4. Provide clear, honest, timely information

5. Invest in talent capacity & capability

6. Engage people in shaping the path forward

7. Plan for continuity

8. Foster a cohesive community

Strengthening Organizational Resilience

Based on your assessment responses, select up to 3 practices your organization needs to demonstrate more consistently. What actions can you take to build a stronger resilience culture.

Tools and Take-Aways

Developing capacity to proactively navigate both

routine and extraordinary life challenges

GT Resilience Resource Group

http://sdie.gatech.edu/resilience-employee-resource-group

A FEW GOOD READS

ONLINE RESOURCES

• Positive Psychology Program

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/category/resilience/

• Posttraumatic Growth Research Group, Department of Psychology UNC Charlotte

https://ptgi.uncc.edu/

• International Business Continuity Institute

https://www.thebci.org/knowledge/search-knowledge.html

• 100 Resilient Cities Project

http://100resilientcities.org/cities/atlanta/

Building Resilience Together

Organization• Sharing information• Listening to concerns• Engaging people• Providing learning

experiences• Providing resources• Recognize and reward

progress

Individual• Seeking information• Sharing concerns• Getting involved• Seeking new knowledge

and skills• Use resources fully• Encourage and celebrate

successes

THANK YOU!COMMENTS/QUESTIONS?