To build resilient individuals is one thing, but building resilient teams is another thing (a very valuable thing!). Let’s first start with you. You can’t create resilience within a team if you, yourself, are not resilient, as a leader.
What is a resilient leader? A resilient leader can “sustain their energy level under pressure, to cope with disruptive changes and adapt; they bounce back from setbacks; they overcome major difficulties without engaging in dysfunctional behavior or harming others”.
Here are some ways you can exhibit and cultivate resilience as a leader:
Ask for help
One of the scariest things to do, regardless of your title or who you are, is to be vulnerable. Asking for help and being vulnerable will help you improve your resilience and will make others feel safe doing the same.
Acknowledge your bad days
Some days are tougher than others, even if you’re somebody who is always convincing yourself that everything is awesome (if you don’t get the reference, click here). You might feel like you need to put on a façade for your team, but truth is, you’re a human and it’s okay to show that! When your team sees you acknowledging that tough days are tough, they will be more apt to open up as well.
Talk about your passions
If you’re passionate about fishing, or love coaching your daughter’s basketball team, or are crazy about cooking, talk about it. Showing that you have interests outside of work will allow your team to feel like they can do the same. Strive to create an environment where a healthy work-life balance is not only accepted but encouraged.
Put your people first
At work, your people want to feel valued, and they need to feel psychologically safe. When they feel these things, they will be able to perform better in stressful situations individually and as a team. Even if there are slight consequences as an organization, your people should always be put first.
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Now that you have the tips on how to create resilience within yourself, how can you build resilience within your team?
Remove roadblocks
The Foundations for Team Success include trust, communication, expectations, and opportunities. The absence of any of these pillars will lower alignment, engagement, and performance, while increasing conflict and stress. As a leader, cultivate an environment that minimizes any roadblocks in the way of resilience.
Lead with questions
You are a leader, not a teller. Instead of leading with a telling nature in conversations, lead with questions. This helps others feel heard, valued, and empowered to do their best work. You may know the answers to the questions you ask but ask them anyways because you will be able to hear and understand other perspectives.
Create psychological safety
Psychological safety within your team will lead to more cohesion, creating a better chance for resilience. Google conducted a study and found that the most common factor in productive teams is psychological safety, which means it should probably be a priority of yours!
Foster social connections
The thing about work is that… work needs to get done in order to make progress, reach goals, and be successful. What happens when we put our heads down and work hard, is that we tend to isolate ourselves so we can better focus. While that’s sometimes good and necessary, it can be damaging if it becomes consistent behavior. Social support systems are the “most important factor in creating resilient and productive teams”, so make sure you encourage your team to interact with each other and build those relationships.
Role model resilience
Use the tips mentioned above and show your team how to be resilient individuals.
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If you want some guidance in building your resilience as a leader or as a team, chat with a CoreCounts Consultant about the options we have for team training!
