Developing a Resilient Team

Resilience is the ability to be adaptive, intentional, actionable in the face of difficult circumstances. Resilience helps leaders move forward, identify opportunities, and remain optimistic even when they’re faced with turbulent or uncertain circumstances. A Zenger Folkman survey of 500 leaders revealed that resilient leaders were also viewed as the most effective – making resilience a vital leadership competency.

Psychologists have studied resilience for years, and contrary to popular belief, we’ve found that resilience isn’t a static personality trait that you either have or don’t. Rather, it is a process that can be taught, learned, and cultivated. Many people believe that they can never change or that their brains are fixed in some way. However, in reality, our brains are able to adapt, depending on decisions that we make intentionally. You may have heard of the term neuroplasticity. Simply put, it refers to your brain’s ability to continuously change throughout your life.

By shifting what you focus on, your brain will create new neural circuits to support new perspectives and behaviours over time. These new neural pathways are strengthened with repetition. The concept of neuroplasticity is important not only in building a growth mindset, but it also supports the fact that your capacity for resilience can be enhanced with intention and practice.

As a leader, you’re also in a prime position to guide your team towards developing resilience as a practice. Identifying self-awareness practices, embracing authentic personal disclosure, combined with relevant coping strategies, will allow you to model resilient leadership.