We’ve recently seen a huge increase in development activities that seek to build resilience, and help people develop the skills and strength to cope during difficult periods. This sounds like a worthwhile focus for development, especially right now, right? Yes, with caveats…
There is a danger that the drive to build resilience is being used as the Mother of all sticking plasters, and the only solution to increasing work demands without much assessment of the causes of our injuries. Over the last 6 to 8 months, this sticking plaster has seemingly evolved into a full-size cast, accompanying crutches and the added security of an emergency ambulance waiting outside just in case we finally crumble.
There is a danger that the drive to build resilience is being used as the Mother of all sticking plasters, and the only solution to increasing work demands without much assessment of the causes of our injuries…
We know that regardless of intent, employees will interpret an organisation’s developmental activity in a myriad of ways, and the drive to build resilience is no different. At best, a focus on building resilience will be seen as a way to help people through difficult times. To equip them with the skills they need to cope in very challenging environment, deal with the pressure, recover from setbacks and generally ensure they are better able to look after themselves. At worst, and where the focus is solely on resilience building, it can also be viewed as placing all the emphasis on the individual to cope with whatever is being thrown at them, often with little reference to any attempts to minimise the bombardment.
I want to make clear that I am not suggesting that building resilience isn’t a fine and worthy topic for development – it absolutely is. But we must also ask what we can do to move to a mode of operating that places less emphasis on individual coping using ever more elaborate first aid kits, and more on making sure we try and minimise the need for emergency care in the first place? Developing people on individual resilience can only get you so far, and is also likely to result in a spiral of demands and expectations along the lines of ‘well, they coped okay with that, so let’s try some of THIS…’
Any behavioural habit (resilience and wellbeing included) has an environment factor. In what ways is the environment prompting a lack of resilience is just as valid a question as whether our teams have the skills to support themselves when high levels of difficulty are unavoidable.
In what ways is the environment prompting a lack of resilience is just as valid a question as whether our teams have the skills to support themselves…
But, the moment we assume that increased pressure, emergent crises, long hours, and being in the trenches is inevitable, it becomes a ‘default mode’ that is difficult to break out of. Perhaps the solution is to ensure that any drive to build personal resilience goes hand-in-hand with an organisational commitment to at least seek out ways of working that might reduce the burden on our people, rather than increasing it…?
For more information, please contact Mike Thackray at mike.thackray@oecam.com