According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.” It seems we’ve blinked and 2020 has almost (key word here- “almost”) become a distant memory. While we are still living with and navigating a lot of the aftermath of the Pandemic, the Time Bubble seems to have swooped us all in and popped just as quickly as we got in. So much happened over the course of that time and so many quick decisions had to happen. We didn’t always have as much time as we would’ve liked to adjust to all of the uncertainty, Regulations, demands, and still trying to figure out what our teams, customers, and businesses needed.
With all that going on, we’d be the last to say or pretend that Burnout isn’t a thing or that it’s not ok to not be ok sometimes. What we are saying is that we are more capable and resilient than we often realize or give ourselves credit for. We’re now at a time where we need communication, collaboration, Community, Agility, Empathy, and resilience more than ever before. APA noted that “Psychological research demonstrates that the resources and skills associated with more positive adaptation (i.e., greater resilience) can be cultivated and practiced.” We believe that’s absolutely true, as we’ve seen it in practice with the most resilient and adaptable of organizations and teams. In fact, APA gives us some hope as well in sharing that “A number of factors contribute to how well people adapt to adversities, predominant among them:
- the ways in which individuals view and engage with the world
- the availability and quality of social resources
- specific coping strategies”
So what else does it take to get there and stretch our Resiliency Muscles? It takes knowing our businesses, customers, and teams enough to make the right decisions at the right time, and to be flexible and adaptable when change is needed. It takes having an appropriate Strategy and the proper support and resources. We love this Gallup image on how Leaders should be thinking about disruption and uncertainty to ensure they are resilient. We encourage you to read the full article. It’s extremely insightful and gives all organizations something to think about, no matter what stage you’re at. We must begin to reimagine different ways of doing business, as well as attracting, engaging, and retaining talent, and re-envisioning our Leadership Vision and Strategies.
The Future of Work is here and that includes the expectations that our teams have of us. Part of that is having Empathy as Leaders. Take a pause to sense what your team is needing and adapt to those needs- to have the conversations that need to be had. No, you won’t be able to do everything that comes your way in requests, but listening is free. Active Listening is best, and goes a long way to building Psychological Safety in the organization. Along the way, it’s also important to give yourself and others Grace in the Race. Pausing for reflection and to consider the decisions we’re making is one of the important pieces to building our Resiliency Muscle. And remember that you are capable of amazing things!
Around the Corner
This segment is dedicated to where we are out and about in our Communities and what’s happening. Let’s take a look at what’s going on this month:
Are you joining us again this year for Safety Connect with Safeopedia?
Last year, we talked about Impactful Leadership for the Future of Work. This year, we’re focusing on HR and Safety Partnerships and how to building sustainable Partnerships for the Future of Work. We’ll be discussing how HR and Safety can join forces to support and impact the Employer Brand and build a Sustainable Safety Culture in the organization. We will explore what may be holding your Partnerships back, ways to break down internal Silos, techniques to cross-collaborate and effectively on-board employees, and strategies on how to navigate when the stakes get high.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Corner
This segment is dedicated to celebrating, commemorating, and honoring all things (not just events) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). It also offers considerations for supporting your teams and Communities.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month
- Disability Awareness Month
- Indigenous People’s Day (U.S.)
- Diwali
- Yom Kippur
- Filipino American History Month