Bouncing forward, not back:discovering and developing resilience skills for ourselves and the workplace

What is resilience, anyhow?Three definitions, from three fields

An engineer’s view

A psychologist’s view

An ecologist’s view

The connections

A visual metaphor: absorption of outside stressors without collapse

Traits of resilient individuals

Qualities of resilient systems

Resilience for individuals

Resilience is the process by which we successfully adapt to difficult or challenging life experiences

It is something we do (an active state) rather than something we have (a passive state)

It is something that we can learn and develop throughout life, and, to a degree, it is wired into us

It is not something that occurs in isolation

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If everyone is so resilient, then why are we all so anxious?

Chronicle of Higher Education, 5/10/2013

Characteristics of resilient people

Optimistic and realistic; forward thinkers

Problem solvers

Connected

Able to adapt; ability to influence outcomes

Can you make your own luck?

Locus of control, as defined by psychologist Julian Rotter: “Briefly, internal versus external control refers to the degree to which persons expect

that a reinforcement or an outcome of their behavior is contingent on their own behavior or personal characteristics versus the degree to which persons expect that the reinforcement or outcome is a function of chance, luck, or fate, is under the control of powerful others, or is simply unpredictable” (Rotter 1990).

External locus of control = luck, fate, or outside forces are likely to determine the outcome of a situation

Internal locus of control = individual can initiate an action to influence the outcome of a situation

Becoming more resilient peopleStrategies to develop resiliency

Health and well being (do the things that work for you!)

Be physically activePractice mindfulnessEat wellGet enough sleepMaintain your social ties

Reflection: what is one thing you will commit to doing to improve or maintain your health and well being?

Problem solving skills

Use your creativityUse your analytical abilityUse your practical knowledge

Reflection: Which is your area of strength in problem solving? Which area would you like to develop?

Build your inner strength:

Self-esteem Reflection: what are three things you like about yourself?

Self-confidence Reflection: Replace your negative self talk with a supportive

statement.

Self-concept (who are you?)

Reflection: Write down five attributes or characteristics that best describe yourself.

Develop high level resiliency skills!

Make the glass half fullPractice gratitudeWalk a mile in someone else’s shoesChoose how you will react

Reflection: Which of these skills would you most like to strengthen for yourself?

Talent for serendipity

Look for the silver lining

What can be learned in a difficult situation?

Reflection: Think about challenges you’ve experienced in some facet of your life. What did (or could) you learn?

Thinking systematically

Multiple ecological, social, economic, and other systems intersect in our lives

Systems, like individuals have the ability to “…absorb disturbance and still retain basic function and structure” (From Resilience Thinking – Brian Walker and David Salt. Island Press: 2006)

Characteristics of resilient organizations

Awareness Diversity Integration Self-regulation Adaptive

Building resilience at the organizational level

Workplace is an ecosocial system

Efficiency is a fine line

Build trust and develop leadership skills

Open to change

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Resilience thinking is… about understanding and embracing change, as opposed to striving for constancy.

From Resilience Thinking – Brian Walker and David Salt. Island Press: 2006

How resilient is your organization?And how will you find out?

Zimmerman Library fire – April 30, 2006

Road to recovery

Creative output

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

- attributed to Winston Churchill

Selected bibliography

Books:

Rodin, J. 2014. The Resilience dividend. New York: PublicAffairs.

Siebert, A. 2005. The Resiliency advantage. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

Walker, B. and D. Salt. 2006. Resilience thinking. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Articles:

Blum, D. 1998. Finding strength: how to overcome anything. Psychology Today 31(3): 32- .

McMurtrie, B. 2013. Bouncing back may be tough, but so are we. Chronicle of Higher Education 59(35): B13-B15.

Oaklander, M. 2015. Bounce back. Time 185(20):36-42.

Siebert, A. 2006. Develop resiliency skills. T+D 60(9):88-89.

Questions and comments?