Resilience goes beyond the individual experience – it’s also about environment and teams

Resilience goes beyond the individual experience – it’s also about environment and teams

 

Summer is in the air, the Raptors are going to the NBA finals for the first time in history, and as you think about the bright summer days with all they mean to you and those around you, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on a key element that impacts resilience—teams.

 

When I’m asked to speak on resilience, the focus is sometimes on individual, team and or systems and organizations. No matter what my focus is, I always touch on all 3, because all 3 are key. And the audiences I work with often include leaders in their organizations, who both lead teams and are part of teams, both formally and informally. The team context is often their strongest opportunity to influence overall resilience.

 

I recently read a fascinating article from Harvard Business Review – “The Power of Hidden Teams”—which highlights how most engaged employees work together in ways companies don’t even realize.

 

This article points to the magic that is already occurring in our workplaces and how our traditional perspective may not allow us to see it. The same is true for resilience-building strategies, whether they reside in our actions or our mindset. These strategies make a material difference in our overall ability to go through challenges, but we often forget or fail to consciously apply them. If we step back, we’ll be able to see these actions and make them happen more, creating an upward spiral in our resilience – and that of the teams we contribute to.

 

Take a look at points 1-5 for key strategies on how to build the best teams in your own workplace.

 

Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier is a bilingual practicing psychologist and experienced senior leader with the rare combination of PhD and MBA. She helps individuals and organizations increase health and performance via her psychology practice and workplace mental health advisory and as a leadership resilience keynote speaker. Connect with Marie-Helene on drmhpelletier.com, LinkedIn and Twitter.