Building Resilience: Thriving in the Corporate World

Resilience, the term refers to the capacity of a person to bounce back from adversity or setbacks or thrive during times of change or challenge. It is not a fixed trait of a person rather it grows as a result of ‘learnable’ behaviors with outcomes that interact to make you and your group less vulnerable to stress. Whether you’re dealing with the acute stress of sudden challenges or the chronic stress of daily life, simple daily actions can increase your resilience.

Indeed, we are all resilient to some extent and it is also a fact that we can become even more resilient at times when it requires. A wealth of research points to four factors that help people, groups, and organizations to become more agile and effective under times of stress. The acronym REAL serves as a mnemonic which refers to Relationships, Efficacy, Affect, and Learning.

Relationships: We are far more resilient when we are engaged, supported and motivated with and by others. Our ties to others make us stronger, happier, more creative and even more resilient to challenges.

Efficacy: Believing that we make a difference, that we have control and that our actions matter, also builds resilience. Efficacy is about having goals and aspirations and the confidence that we can reach them.

Affect: Positive affect means when we experience positive emotions such as happiness, joy, optimism, satisfaction, gratitude, peace, and humor then our bodies got relaxed, our physical stress including blood pressure decreases. Positive affect makes us more creative and better able to find solutions and cope with stress.

Learning: When we learn lessons, meaning and peace in our traumas, injuries and stress then we are better able to move on, understanding that we have grown, matured, and strengthened as a result of the challenges we have faced.

Why Resilience?

Resilience is something which you need to protect from bad mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. It can help you deal with things that increase the risk of mental health conditions, such as being bullied or having trauma. Thus, resilience can help you cope well especially in a condition when you have mental health issue.

When you have resilience, you harness the inner strength that helps you rebound from a setback or challenge, such as a job loss, an illness, a disaster or a loved one’s death. If you lack resilience, you might get stuck on problems or feel like a victim. You might feel burdened or turn to ways to cope that aren’t healthy, such as drug or alcohol use, eating disorders, or risky behaviors.

Resilience won’t make your problems go away. But resilience can help you see past them, find ways to enjoy life and better handle stress. If you aren’t as resilient as you’d like to be, you can learn skills to become more resilient.

What are the types of Resilience?

The word resilience is often used on its own to represent overall adaptability and coping, but it can be broken down into different types:

1. Psychological resilience: psychological resilience as the ability to mentally cope with or adapt to uncertainty, challenges, and adversity. It is sometimes referred to as “mental fortitude.” People who exhibit psychological resilience develop coping strategies and skills that enable them to remain calm and focused during a crisis and move on without long-term negative consequences, including distress and anxiety.
2. Emotional resilience: Emotionally resilient people understand what they’re feeling and why. They tap into realistic optimism, even when dealing with a crisis, and are proactive in using both internal and external resources to get through. They are able to manage external stressors and their own emotions in a healthy and positive way.
3. Physical resilience: Physical resilience refers to the body’s ability to adapt to challenges, maintain stamina and strength, and recover quickly and efficiently. It’s a person’s ability to function and recover when faced with illness, accidents, or other physical demands. Healthy lifestyle choices, connections with friends and neighbors, deep breathing, time well spent to rest and recover and engagement in enjoyable activities all play a role in physical resilience.
4. Community resilience: Community resilience refers to the ability of groups of people to respond to and recover from adverse situations, such as natural disasters, acts of violence, economic hardship, and other challenges to the group as a whole.
5. Business resilience: Business resilience is the ability of an organization to quickly adapt to disruptions while maintaining continuous business operations and safeguarding people, assets and overall brand equity.
6. Organizational resilience: Ability of an organization to anticipate, prepare for, respond and adapt to incremental change and sudden disruptions in order to survive and prosper.
7. Operational resilience: Ability to deliver critical operations in the face of disruption.
8. Cyber resilience: Ability of an organization to enable business acceleration by preparing for, responding to, and recovering from cyber threats. A cyber-resilient organization can adapt to known and unknown crises, threats, adversities, and challenges.
9. Supply chain resilience: Ability to respond quickly to operational disruptions through flexible contingency planning and forecasting – from material sourcing to logistics and the final delivery of products and services.

How can an individual build their resilience in the workplace?

By developing a variety of effective strategies that reduce vulnerability and susceptibility to stress such as;

• Understanding the basic elements of resilience
• Practicing Mindfulness
• Developing mental agility
• Taking regular breaks from work
• Positivity
• Emotional Insight/Intelligence
• Spirituality
• Balance/Work Life Balance
• Reflection

Tips for building resilience in the corporate world

1. Practice self-care: Taking care of yourself is the foundation of resilience. This includes getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in physical activity. Self-care also involves setting boundaries and taking time for yourself to recharge and refocus. By prioritizing self-care, employees can reduce stress, boost their energy levels, and improve their overall wellbeing.
2. Focus on what you can control: It is important to understand that there will always be situations and circumstances that are beyond our control. Instead of dwelling on these things, focus on what you can control, such as your attitude and approach to the situation. By focusing on what you can control, employees can reduce stress and improve their resilience.
3. Embrace change: Change is inevitable in the corporate world. Embracing change, rather than resisting it, will help you to be more flexible and adaptable in the face of adversity. By embracing change, employees can see new opportunities and find creative solutions to the challenges they face.
4. Cultivate a positive attitude: A positive attitude can help you to see challenges as opportunities for growth and development. Focus on the good in every situation and look for ways to make the best of it. A positive attitude can help employees to maintain perspective and to see the silver lining in difficult situations.
5. Seek support: Building resilience is not something that can be done alone. Seek support from colleagues, friends, and family when you need it. Having a strong network of support can provide you with the encouragement and motivation you need to push through difficult times. Additionally, seeking support can help employees to build their resilience by learning from others and sharing their experiences.
6. Learn from failure: Failure is an inevitable part of life, but it is also an opportunity for growth and learning. When faced with failure, take a step back, reflect on what went wrong, and use this experience to improve for the future.
7. Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment and focusing on what is happening right now. This can help you to stay calm and focused in the face of adversity and maintain perspective.

Develop a growth mindset: Having a growth mindset means that you believe that your abilities and qualities can be developed through hard work and dedication. This mindset will help you to approach challenges with a sense of determination and confidence.