Conflictual relationships, financial difficulty, injustice, … these likely situations are all sudden and unpleasant changes. Depending on the degree of “trauma” experienced by individuals, their level of resistance in the face of obstacles varies. In addition, other factors come into play in the development of resilience and thus help reassure those who wish to develop this aptitude. Increasingly sought after by companies, these benefits are numerous both for managers and for society. What advantages can be gained in the workplace, and how can you develop (or strengthen) your resilience? These are the questions we will answer below!

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Resilience: favorable conditions for its development

Shock, the trigger of resilience

Resilience refers to the ability to adapt, to keep living, and to progress after a shock. Most often, the pain of the event is such that, depending on the individual experiencing it, small professional and personal hassles are not very problematic. This situation causes a new or somewhat altered vision of life, allowing them to gain perspective.

Take the example of the health crisis which, for most of us, came as a surprise and led us to rethink some of our habits (diet, relationship with digital, relationship with loved ones, remote work, etc.). Few people expected to remain in lockdown for one month and 25 days. For many, it was a shock, and for some, a way to develop new habits and skills, including resilience.

Optimism in all circumstances

When the feeling of having hit rock bottom is felt, resilient people develop an optimistic outlook. While the probability of success is low, those around them emphasize the difficulties, and obstacles are numerous, they continue to believe in the success of their project. Keep fighting again and again, and not stop at the obstacles encountered—these are the actions they take. In the end, they deploy a new philosophy in which failure is seen as a lever for improvement.

Thus, an employee whose proposals are rejected in 5 consecutive calls for tender will continue their efforts and keep their enthusiasm. These events, which might at first glance be perceived as discouraging, will for them be ways to learn, improve, and win the much-desired tender!

Emotion set aside when necessary

This ability leads resilient people to accept situations that others do not agree with. The latter sometimes react instinctively and may let themselves be overwhelmed by their emotions. As for resilient people, thanks to their perspective, they can experience negative feelings less intensely and be proactive.

If one of your clients behaves improperly, or a colleague criticizes your personality, or a supplier forgets to contact you, annoyance, sadness, loss of concentration, and a drop in productivity may arise! Your resilience will allow you to hear what is being said, take constructive comments into account, and move past irrelevant information.

What are the benefits of being resilient at work?

A skill to develop in order to be happy

The more we develop it, the more our conflict management at work improves. By facing problems more calmly, they adopt a mindset that sometimes makes them happier. Let us note, however, that the concept of happiness requires a minimal foundation of self-confidence beforehand, as well as a capacity to trust others. Perhaps you have colleagues who are truly supportive in complex situations? They may push you to surpass yourself, help you put things into perspective, or bring you good humor, so that your resilience gradually grows stronger.

A crucial quality for a manager

A manager is expected to meet a wide variety of objectives, the most complex being to lead their teams toward the success of a project. Yet this depends not only on proper execution but also on the performance of their team members. Many factors they do not control come into play, and this is what makes their mission more strategic and interesting. If they show resilience, they may inspire others, who, struck by their positivity, will take them as an example.

Support for creating a good living climate

Certain situations are experienced more positively by these individuals. Indeed, thanks to letting go, periods of tension can be perceived with “manageable” stress, and therefore lead to better concentration and sleep than in non-resilient people.

Boost your resilience: an aptitude everyone can acquire

Through experience

Experience is an essential factor in resilience. It could be associated with older people; however, it is not so much related to age as to life experiences and difficulties encountered. The greater these have been, the higher the probability of developing resilience.

Thus, some frontline fighters, concentration camp survivors, and people who have lost a loved one have, despite themselves, become more resilient than those who experienced comfort during those conflict periods. As with everything, personal history, not necessarily chosen, therefore influences one’s capacity for resilience. But rest assured, you can choose to work on it!

Through regular training

Whether you are naturally determined or wish to become so, one thing is certain: resilience is learned, it is developed! And for that, everything depends on your mindset. By conditioning yourself to continue your efforts even when the moment is difficult, the situation will eventually become less unpleasant.

Top-level athletes are the perfect example: while fatigue is present, pain is intense, and defeat is likely, their perseverance is visible. Paradoxically, surrounding factors push them to stop, but they continue their actions. How do they do it? Thanks to regular training with the goal of being fully ready on the big day. Their resilience even becomes a help in winning their title. Certainly, their skills count for a lot, but without their resilience, they could not have achieved it.

Let us cite the example of Clarisse Agbegnenou, a French judoka who won, on July 27, the gold medal in judo at the Tokyo Olympics in the women’s under-63kg category. While her victory today represents a great reward, her joy was less present a few years ago when she was going through a period of depression. Fortunately, she managed to get back on her feet, train, and become an Olympic champion!

Through visualizing failure as an avenue for improvement

The adopted philosophy also has a lot to do with it. For individuals developing this aptitude, failure is not an end in itself but a means to improve. They set progressive goals, allowing them, on the one hand, to follow a clear direction and, on the other hand, to evolve gradually. The Kaizen method, known as small steps, can be suitable here. The idea then is to congratulate yourself, as well as others, for the small victories achieved.

Thus, resilience is a major ally for facing delicate situations, accepting change, and encouraging perseverance. Moreover, if you are familiar with the change curve theory (defined in a previous article on Booklet), resilience might make you think of the last stage: acceptance. Indeed, on this curve, there are 5 phases that individuals most often experience following an unexpected event: denial, anger, awareness, resignation, and acceptance. During this last phase, new habits take root and one’s view of the past finally becomes positive!