The lens through which you view today’s reality colors the lens through which you see and realize your future. #ResilienceReady
Debbie Downer. Gloomy Gus. You know them. You don’t want to be around them. Their perspective on everything is hopeless and helpless. The negativity is like dead weight constantly pulling you down.
Perspective is vital to achieving resilience, not only during a crisis or when navigating change, but also when your organization is thriving. As a leader, your Perspective directly influences your team. They will look to you for how to handle a situation. A positive, growth mindset fuels increased morale, employee commitment, higher productivity, less turnover, and more!
Shift Your Perspective
Perspective, the first principle in the Resilience Ready framework, is where your path to thriving begins. This three-part series is dedicated to how to build a resilience-producing Perspective and begins with the first step of self-awareness.
Step 1: Enhance Your Self-Awareness
Five Crucial Areas of Self-Awareness
What do I know about myself, and how does that drive my reaction and response to a challenging situation?
1. Personality and Behavioral Style
Understanding your personality traits and behavioral preferences can provide clues about your attitudes and beliefs and how you most comfortably approach various situations. Personality and behavioral assessments, such as DISC, Hogan, MBTI, and others, are excellent resources for gaining these insights.
2. Core Values
Whether personal or organizational, core values are a set of beliefs, principles, and standards that show what is important to you. Personal beliefs influence decision-making consciously and unconsciously. These core values become guardrails defining what is right and assisting in crisis response. When the members of your team and organization apply shared values that drive the culture, it guides everyone regarding decision-making and behavior.
3. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is at the core of achieving personal effectiveness and interpersonal effectiveness with others. EQ is pivotal in evaluating needs and choosing appropriate leadership approaches. Leaders with high EQ create inclusive environments, enhancing employee engagement and collaboration.
4. Experiences
Whether positive or negative, past experiences influence decision-making, interactions with others, and how you respond when faced with a challenge. Memories or lessons learned from those experiences can impact your immediate reaction. You have to consider how to effectively use your reflections from these past experiences to influence a positive Perspective and resulting constructive outcome.
5. Authenticity
Authenticity, rooted in self-awareness, builds trust. In times of uncertainty and change, authentic leaders guide with stability and reliability, earning the trust of teams seeking guidance in turbulent times. Authentic leadership is closely tied to self-awareness with your leadership style. Alignment of personal values with organizational values fosters authenticity.
Leaders who are more self-aware are armed with the kind of positive, growth mindset that empowers them to navigate challenges with Resilience.
In my latest episode of “GGG Unleashed: Better Leaders, Better Workplaces,” we are joined by Col. Charlie Davis, a retired military leader with three decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Army and U.S. Intelligence Community. His fascinating clandestine and leadership experiences, are a testament to the importance of Perspective to building resiliency. Take a listen: https://vivianblade.com/podcast/
As organizations face an ever-changing landscape, resilience is not just an asset; it’s a strategic imperative. The Resilience Ready framework empowers leaders to weather the storm and emerge stronger, more adaptable, and ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. It’s time to lead with resilience and shape the future of work.
