Creating Communities of Resiliency

Bryan Hiebert

Presentation to

Risk and Resiliency:

Leading and mentoring for Change

Centre for Leadership in Learning

October 14, 2004

Faculty of EducationDivision of Applied Psychology

2

Overview

• What is resilience?Resilience comes in people

• Some environments are more easy to be resilient in than others

• Leaders are responsibility for creating an environment conducive to being resilient

2

3

What is resilience?

The ability to bounce back (recover) when hit with unexpected demands out of out of the blue

Take things in stride

4

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors• Environmental contexts• Person-environment transactional process• Internal resiliency factors• Resilience process• Adaptation and reintegration

5

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors

Intensity- DemandNature

- Coping Resources- Coping Resources

- Consequences

Appraisal

DEMAND

6

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors• Environmental contexts• Person-environment transactional process

Intensity- DemandNature

- Coping Resources- Coping Resources- Consequences

Appraisal

DEMAND

Demand Coping

Demand

Coping

7

Avoid self-blame

8

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors• Environmental contexts• Person-environment

transactional process

resilience outcome adapt well to stressful situations

9

Perspective is Important

10

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors• Environmental contexts• Person-environment transactional process• Internal resiliency factors

Self-efficacyPeoples’ beliefs in their ability to control their

own functioning + control what occurs in the environment

11

Kumpfer (1999) Resilience Model

• Stressors• Environmental contexts• Person-environment transactional process• Internal resiliency factors• Resilience process

Secure attachment Leads people to form positive perceptions

about self and the world Develops in social interactions

12

Resilience model

Active Coping

Resilience• Secure Attachment • Self-efficacy

Stress

FlexibilityAdaptability

13

Say NO! to zero tolerance

Zero

A little tolerance is a good thing

Tolerance

14

Watch your perspective

15

Creating Resilient Communities

• 3 factors are predictably difficult to deal withIntense and unpleasant demandsUncertainty (about outcomes)Ambiguity (regarding expectations)

• Not all demands are reasonable

16

Watch out for the band wagon

17

A Starting Point

All things To all peopleAll the time

is

All over

18

Creating A Positive Climate

• Say something nice to colleaguesEvery day

• Warm fuzzies or cold pricklies?• Message seen is stronger than

message spoken• Need to model what we are trying to

accomplish• Walk the Talk• Create slogans to keep a positive focus

19

Slogans to sustain a positive focus

• No one can insult you

Without your permission• I am lovable and capable• Stop Psychosclerosis

(hardening of the attitudes)• I will not should on my self today • Change is inevitable

Growth is optional

20

Learn to roll with it

21

Resilient

Communities

for Students

22

Student Realities

• 80+% of grade 10 students aspire to university

• 50+% of grade 12 students plan to attend university

• 20+% of grade 12 students plan to attend college or tech school

• 40% of students 18 - 21 attend post-secondary education

• 50% continue on to their second year• 50% change area of study

23

Many return to formal education later

• In Calgary, the average age of 1st year trade apprenticesfire fighter recruits police officer recruits

• is 27years old

24

Resilient Communities for Students

• Career Pathways

One example to help promote

relevance for students

25

What is Career Pathways?• Aligned curriculum from junior high to

post-secondary, includes:AcademicsFine & performing arts International languagesCTS programming InternshipsPortfolio developmentTransitional opportunities

• Intended to foster student career development

26

Career Development is …

• the life-long process of managing learning, work and transitions

• in order to move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future

• Career / Life Planning• Developing a vision for your life

27

Basic Career Development Principles

• Multi-potentiality• Career self-concept• Planned happenstance• Opportunity awareness

----------

28

The “High 5” (+1)

A Changing Theme For Career Development

1. Change is constant2. Focus on the journey3. Follow your heart4. Keep learning5. Access your allies

+

6. Believe in yourself

29

Why do this?

30

In numerous studies…

• National studies• Studies of Calgary junior and senior

high school students• Most frequent and intense worry• #1 cluster of student-reported needs

Concern about the future• What do I do after high school?

31

When students are involved as partners in their learning experiences …

• Greater academic achievement • Reduced drop-out rate & lower absenteeism• Reduced student alienation• Reduced bullying and harassment• Reduced incidence of smoking and drinking• More positive school climate• Greater satisfaction with school• Students report school experiences as more

relevant and better preparation for the future• Students indicate that the quality of their

education is better

32

Resilience-related outcomes

• Many of the processes and outcomes connected with Career Pathways address factors involved in fostering resilience.

• It works the same way for students and teachers and administrators, and …

33

Creating Resilience: Who’s job is it?

• It’s a leadership job to create a healthy work environment

• Model the goal – set a good example• Jump on mistakes

OR jump on successes• It’s often easier to seek forgiveness that

to get permission

34

2 key factors for motivation

• The goals must be valued (valuable)• The goal must be perceived as

achievable (achievable)• The people in charge need to model

Marketing accomplishmentsSupport self-care initiatives

Actually, everyone needs to model this and support it,

and encourage it

35

Collaboration … (A brief aside)

Just because people are working on a common project, doesn’t make it

• a partnership

or• a collaboration

36

Collaboration?? …

For example:• Let’s get together and work on this

project• I know how to do it• We’ll do it my way• You can help• We’ll be working on it together

37

Collaboration is …

Group think

• Let’s work together on this, and • figure out together what it is we want to

do, and • how we will attempt to do it together,

and • decide together how we will evaluate

success.

38

A New Approach to Leadership

• If it goes wrong,say “I did it.”

• If it goes sort of OK,say “we did it.”

• If it goes really wellsay “you did it.”

• Reduce “Look at me, look at me.”And replace it with “Look at us” or better yet, “Look at them.”

39

Creating Resilience: Who’s job is it?

• It’s a leadership job BUT don’t wait for your boss

• Learn how to train your bossApproach your boss with solutions,

not problemsStroke your boss, what goes around

comes aroundYou can make a difference in YOUR

emotional climate

40

Control and Choice• Lobby for structural changes• Some people always will feel they

have no control• Many teacher feel that the clocks are

controlled downtown• Perhaps consider ditching the clock?• Demands gravitate towards competence

(so be prepared or be less competent)• Basic assertiveness helps keep balance• Develop a resilient

personal and professional identity

41

Keep your priorities on track

42

Summary: Tell them what you told them

• What is resilience?Resiliency comes in peopleHow do you contribute to your own resiliency?How do you interfere with it?

• Some environments are more conducive to being resilientWhat have you done to make your

environment more resilient?

• Creating a resilient environment is a leadership responsibilityHow have you helped others be more resilient?How have you encouraged your boss to do

more to foster resiliency?

Creating Communities of Resiliency

Bryan Hiebert

Presentation to

Risk and Resiliency:

Leading and mentoring for Change

Centre for Leadership in Learning

October 14, 2004

Faculty of EducationDivision of Applied Psychology