How to build resilience

How to build genuine resilience: it’s an understandably hot topic. Overwhelmed leaders and managers can have a surprising impact on the wellbeing of their workforce – and the success of the business. Constant disruption from sources like working conditions, employment law updates, relocation or company transformation can be destabilising. The drivers behind change may be progressive and future-facing but the practical issues they present today may be far from comfortable. Add to this the uncertainties of market shifts and political climate and it’s no wonder that as many as 50% of managers feel burned out.

Let’s change the lens

Change is inevitable and there’s no way to have a significant influence on the wider environment we work in, so what’s the answer? We believe it lies not in avoiding or minimising change but shifting the narrative from resistance to normalisation – but this won’t happen by chance. If you’re serious about safeguarding your people, retaining your talent and enhancing performance across the board, intentional action is called for. Understanding how to build resilience starts with laying the right foundations and identifying where you can sew the seeds of adaptability so everyone thrives.

Culture matters

What’s at the root of resistance to change? Very often it’s risk aversion. We question the consequences of our decisions and actions because they could have huge implications. But we know that in order to make the creative and innovative leaps we need to stay ahead and relevant happen in psychologically secure places, so these risky steps are essential to success. There are times when standing still means falling behind, so a mindset shift may be called for. What if we were to:

• Quit a fire-fighting mentality and adopt a culture of continuous learning. Every challenge is an opportunity to take on new aptitudes, discovering the talents we didn’t know we had.
• Seek out places where risk aversion may be holding us back.
• Flip the narrative and normalise change as part of business as usual, not just something to manage reactively.

This attitude forms a core part of how to build resilience: by creating a learning-first, opportunity-rich culture that embraces change as a constant. Think – how much more could we achieve?

Confidence matters

Genuine confidence sits at the heart of resilience and trickles down as well as self-doubt does. With this in mind, intentional training can build the flexible but robust backbone your organisation needs to survive whatever the weather. Bear in mind that:

• Being a skill, not a trait, confidence is something we can deliberately develop.
• Confidence and flexibility go hand in hand. A lack of both breeds a culture of control where perfectionism and fear of failure can become entrenched.
• Meanwhile, adaptability flourishes where people know they are valued for bringing their own individual combination of skills, background, personality and experience to the table.

Change-ready leaders matter

If managers and leaders need practical skills to foster their resilience and that of their teams, is a one-off workshop enough? Probably not. An ongoing strategy, on the other hand, is sure to build strength from within because resilience is a collective effort. In this kind of atmosphere:

• Coaching skills become more important than ever.
• Empathy comes into its own, balancing the needs of the individual in a realistic way with the needs of everyone.
• Vulnerability and self-reflection are modelled from the top down.

Learning how to build resilience in leadership means supporting those in charge with repeatable, embedded behaviours that strengthen the whole system – not just quick fixes.

Your training room matters

Cultural, mindset and skillset shifts don’t happen overnight and sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. But from our experience, we know that developing a ‘have a go’ learning environment embeds the kind of self-confidence that builds resilience. In other words, one of the best places to reprogram undue risk-aversion is in the training room. That’s why when we were called in to help a client with their training delivery and facilitation skills, we modelled this kind of atmosphere from the off. It wasn’t just about learning and development; we were keen to foster feedback, listening and observational skills too. Developing the right mix of theory and practical tips, course materials, and actionable plans completed the picture. In other words, it’s not just about what you teach, it’s how you teach it. The knowledge gets passed on along with the culture in which it was taught.

Resilience isn’t a cushion; it’s a catalyst

It’s time to replace resist and recover with anticipate and adapt. In talent-rich and high-performance organisations, the opportunities lie in building cultures where confidence and change co-exist. The leaders who normalise change today are the ones who will retain talent, trust and the competitive edge tomorrow. Resistance and confidence skills can be embedded through the way they’re delivered, which is why you can seed both by being intentional with your learning and development style. This is the kind of work we love: from talking to you about what you need, designing development that has impact, facilitating highly engaging and meaningful workshops, through to producing materials, training your trainers and following up to make sure you achieve the long-term success you’re looking for. Drop us a message to organise a call with Kerry. Want to hear more from us?  Sign up to our bi monthly Breakfast Bites Image: christina-wocintechchat-com-34GZCgaVksk-unsplash