This mega management buzzword is bandied around almost as much as resistance. The story for resilience is that it can enable your change to succeed.
We don’t disagree that resilience is an asset and can improve experiences of those who ‘have it’. If you want to help your organisation become better at change, the ability to weather the storm, roll with the punches etc. to have resilience when things feel off can really help you navigate change with a bit more confidence.
But there are myths that sit around what it actually means ‘to be resilient’. Resilience is not about accepting whatever happens blindly. Nor is it about “bouncing back” to how you were before the challenge or disruption occurred *as soon as possible so nobody notices*.
Resilience is about perseverance and problem-solving, being able to engage and make progress despite the setbacks and pressures. Resilience isn’t about super positive happy change joy. Being ridiculously positive even when things are exploding around you, isn’t being resilient, that’s being in denial. Resilience is about seeing paths through, finding a way forward and accessing the support you need to make that progress.
So where does the resilience magic come from?
Resilience is often pitched as a ‘you thing’, where it’s your responsibility and your fault when it’s missing. But we think it’s more of a team sport. Because resilience is not about you escaping a situation unharmed, but to enter into a change open to what’s on the table, able to learn and make progress, in the best possible way based on your circumstances.
The change wouldn’t be instantly easier/better if you were more resilient.
You do not go on a course to get sheep dipped in resilience.
Resilience needs to be nurtured, supported and encouraged. And one of the best ways to do that? With other people. Surround yourself by people and opportunties that can help that happen, that can help you learn and grow. Create this support infrastructure within your change and your people, give them the chance to be resilient and benefit from collective resilience of their friends, peers and colleagues. That is the resilience magic.
First Published in the Everyday Change Playbook November 2018