If an organization wants to be prepared for a crisis, then it must create a culture where its employees can thrive.
When employees are thriving, they are fully engaged and ready to face a crisis head-on. They feel like they have more control over outcomes and are more invested in finding solutions.
When we are thriving we’re much more proactive than reactive, influencing how things turn out, rather than being victims to any given crisis.
When bumps in the road occur – and they will – the wheels don’t come off. There isn’t a constant threat of collapse. Thriving employees see challenges – not obstacles. They don’t give up easily because they have faith in their abilities and the courage to act.
It’s a kind of confidence that is infectious. And it is a sure sign of a resilient organization.
Don’t let crisis get the best of you
As I’ve discussed before, it’s far too easy to let a crisis overwhelm us. But if you are thriving, then you have an ability to see past “what is” to “what can be.”
You see the glass as full of opportunities and you’re increasingly confident that you can figure out a way to take advantage of them. You know you can’t get through the crisis alone, and reach out to engage your family, friends, team, and needed experts for support and collaboration.
The best part is that your energy resonates beyond you to others and your positive perspective encourages others around you.
You own your destiny
When you thrive you own your destiny. And that gives you momentum and motivation to keep fighting. Even when the road is rough, you know you’re going to be okay.
And because you have that confidence you aren’t afraid, ashamed, or too proud to bring others in and share some of the glory. This makes it easier for others to join you and become equally invested in your success as allies.
Your Resilience is infectious
Your resilience is at its greatest level when you are thriving. It is part of your normal operating mode and guides your approach to addressing crises. You aren’t waiting for a crisis to escalate before deciding what to do in order to get through it. More importantly, others will see your inspirational leadership and come together behind your common purpose.
Navigating Your Way to Thriving
During a crisis, moving back and forth between the stages of internal crisis response is expected. At any given point, you may find yourself bouncing between the Victim Stage, Settled Stage, or Surviving Stage.
To navigate your way to the Thriving Stage, it takes intentional focus and a commitment to developing both personal resilience and a culture of organizational resilience before a crisis hits.
