by LAURA LESTUS , CAS
The Liberty Group
Guest Post BUILDING RESILIENCY
It ’ s so much more than a buzzword . Resiliency is the key to one of the biggest problems companies and their leadership face today : successful change .
If we have learned anything in the past year and a half , it is that working on the resiliency muscle is not a one-time training session but should be a large part of our company culture . The ability to be able to bounce back , persevere and finish a task , no matter how difficult it is , facing the situation head-on and come out a winner is the ultimate goal .
How confident are you feeling today ? How confident do you think each member of your team is feeling today ? I often ask myself “ Am I doing everything I can to lead my team competitively into the future ?” That is a heavy load to carry for those of us who thrive on the success and development of others .
More recently , consistent training and continuing education often get pushed down the list of priorities because let ’ s face it , in our industry , so much is out of our control , so this is why we need to dominate what we can control !
Our world throws curveballs at us every day . It ' s ever-changing and often leaves us feeling defeated at times . If we want to survive , scratch that , I mean to thrive in our personal and professional lives , we have to intentionally focus on what will help our teams develop the skills to not just adapt and manage change but drive the change !
Developing a Resilient Team
My brother and I grew up in a single-parent household where my mother never worked less than two jobs at a time to support us . My brother was special needs and required quite a bit of additional care , as he was in a wheelchair from the age of 8 . I truly believe I developed my own resiliency by seeing what a resilient person looks like firsthand .
I feel like resiliency is something that should be a major focus for the development of leaders and their teams . If we have learned anything in the past year and a half , it is that working on the resiliency muscle is not a one-time training session but should be a large part of our company culture . The ability to be able to bounce back , persevere and finish a task , no matter how difficult it is , facing the situation head-on and come out a winner is the ultimate goal . That is not an easy task if you are not a naturally resilient person .
So , what can we do to help develop a resilient team ? The good news is , resilience is not something that you either have or don ’ t have , it can be taught .
In navigating change , resiliency is required because it helps people handle the inherent pressure that change brings , uncertainty and setbacks . Leaders need to build their own reserves and resiliency in support of their mental and physical health .
As a leader of your team , you can start by gaining greater self-awareness .
Identify your own gaps in resilience . To start , employers can recommend individuals take the proper steps to take care of themselves . Developing a resilient mindset starts with taking care of your mind and body . When we commit to getting adequate sleep , exercise or movement , spending time on activities that bring us joy , and practicing gratitude , we ’ re better able to cope with challenges or roadblocks in life and at work .
In navigating change , resiliency is required because it helps people handle the inherent pressure that change brings , uncertainty and setbacks . Leaders need to build their own reserves and resiliency in support of their mental and physical health .
Now that we have begun the work to remain resilient as leaders , we can help our team on a path of resiliency by consistently providing the following :