and create momentum towards what it is that we are trying to
achieve. Negative experiences can derail us and promote destructive
self-talk.
Dr. Fred Luskin’s research suggests that 90 per cent of the approximate
60,000 thoughts that we have each day are repetitive.
The language that we use to describe who we are and how we are
feeling contributes significantly to how we perceive ourselves and
what we believe we are capable of doing, being and achieving. Selftalk
is how we make our emotions real. Improving the language
that we use with ourselves will promote positive thinking patterns
and impact our self-efficacy.
For organizations, providing constant (versus yearly) positive
and applicable feedback can help to build an employee’s efficacy.
Further, intentional recognition, appreciation and access to
learning and development opportunities are strategies that organizations
can incorporate to positively develop their employees.
HOPE
Dr. Charles Snyder discusses hope as integrating agency and pathway
thinking to goal-oriented thoughts. Having agency involves
the motivation to pursue our goals and pathway thinking is the active
development of strategies to accomplish the goals that we are
motivated to pursue. Hope is fostered by establishing a tangible
goal that is important to the individual and promotes the creation
of various strategies to accomplish it. Identifying milestones can
help to provide encouragement and build momentum towards realizing
the goal.
Creating approach-oriented goals (versus avoidance-oriented
goals) is a key strategy that can have a positive impact on employees.
Reframing the language that we use in developing our goals
can help us to be both future and solution-focused. Identifying
pathways on how one can accomplish their goals (“How can I do
this?” versus “Can I do this?”) provides a platform for individuals
to establish a direction and generate solutions. An individual’s belief
in their ability (self-efficacy) to realize their goals is critical to
hope.
OPTIMISM
Optimism encourages us to consider how we view obstacles, setbacks
and challenges, and how we explain the causes of those
situations. Dr. Martin Seligman discusses the “3 Ps” (permanence,
personalization and pervasiveness) as essential to understanding
optimism. Those who are optimistic view setbacks as temporary,
externally driven and situation specific. Those who are less optimistic
view the same type of situation as permanent, internally
driven and global (impacting all areas of their life).
Deconstructing and realistically challenging the narratives that
we’ve created about the obstacles that we face is an effective approach
to developing optimism. Creating an inventory of obstacles
and setbacks faced and overcome over the past six months to two
years is a useful strategy to help establish a record and proof that
the challenging situations encountered were temporary versus
permanent.
RESILIENCE
Resilience requires developing positive adaptation processes to
help overcome the challenges that we face and using positive experiences
to build confidence in our strengths and abilities. In addition
to creating an inventory of obstacles that we have overcome, creating
an inventory of our recent achievements is a valuable exercise
that promotes self-efficacy, hope and optimism, which improves
our resilience. It also generates momentum for further wins.
Being resilient involves flexibility to bounce back from challenging
situations. Contingency planning is an important practice that
can ease the impact of negative experiences that we may encounter.
Being open to different ways of accomplishing a task or goal
promotes resilience.
CONCLUSION
Being resilient is a powerful capability. It promotes positive thinking
patterns and a greater understanding of ourselves and what
we believe we can achieve. The components of PsyCap work together
and empower us to realistically challenge our assumptions
and behaviours that may be derailing our growth. Focusing on the
language that we use, developing tangible goals that incorporate
agency and pathway thinking, developing inventories and contingency
plans are all ways that we can nurture and foster resilience
among ourselves and within our organizations. n
Dr. Rumeet Billan is the president and CEO of Viewpoint
Leadership.
personal development
BEING RESILIENT IS A
CAPABILITY THAT CAN BE
DEVELOPED, MEASURED
AND MANAGED.
30 ❚ AUGUST 2017 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL