Insights 7: Building resilience for tough times

Thoughtful quotations:

“To build resilience, a person should reframe the way they view their stressors”    

“The ability to adapt and find resilience is a skill that is learnt through practice, just like leadership” Safeeya Mohammed

Context for reflection:

Although the initial thesaurus definitions for resilience include “toughness” or “strength”, others suggest flexibility, pliability, elasticity, rubbery.

The word resilience is widely used in crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is indeed a time where leaders are required to make tough decisions. Leaders must “stand strong”. This is true yet the real skill is in our ability to adapt quickly and with maximum effect. To “reframe our stressors”. Reframing involves clarifying our stressors in positive language that helps us and our teams move forward. It helps us reduce the language and face of drama.

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has made tough (dare I say unpopular decisions) decisions that have impacted all of us. Whilst some will argue whether the decisions were right, the fact is, he made the tough calls and stood firm. But he did so following listening to and hearing various diverse constituencies. In hearing, he has forged cooperation and compliance at many levels. Cooperation, that many of us would have thought impossible prior to Lockdown. The process has been inclusive in a country with a complex mix of diverse players that prior to COVID were often incredibly adversarial and fractious.

A question for you:

• Where do you have to show toughness and be strong? 

• Who do you need to hear when making important decisions? How do you deal with the hearts and minds, when dealing with sensitive and emotional decisions?

• How do you show a process of “reframing and adapting” to what you have heard?

Drafted in all humility as I continue my journey of discovery. It is indeed challenging, with so much to remember and learn.

Andrew Pons

References:

Google, Africa women leaders conference, May 2020

Urban, H, Life’s Greatest Lessons, First Edition, Fireside, 2003

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