Resilience, or the continued pursuit of goals despite adversity, is an important issue for organizations, because adversity is inevitable in people’s lives and careers. We all face personal adversities, ranging from the daily stresses of balancing work and home roles to experiences of job loss or the death of a loved one, as well as societal stressors, such as a pandemic or increases in televised, racialized violence. In the face of these challenges, resilience is essential.
What Leaders Get Wrong About Resilience
It’s not a fixed personality trait. It’s a state any employee can attain — with enough organizational support.
June 17, 2022
Summary.
Resilience is important for all employees, but they shouldn’t be left to navigate adversity on their own. Instead, organizations must create an environment for shared responsibility around resilience. First, leaders must understand whether their thinking falls into two traps: maintaining that resilience is a personality trait some workers have and others do not; and stigmatizing the real emotions employees have when they face challenges. Then, leaders should ask themselves three questions: Can the adversity employees are experiencing be reduced or removed? Are all employees experiencing this adversity in the same manner? And, what role can I play in supporting employee resilience?