Resilience as a Tool
Lucy Bronze made headlines after the England Lionesses won the Euros when she revealed that she had played the final with a fractured tibia (shin bone) in her right leg. Her resilience was described as “unbelievable” by the team coach, Sarina Wiegman, and we agree – the pain must have been indescribable, but she adapted and continued.
People often refer to the need for ‘resilience’, so we thought we’d provide some insight in today’s Virtual Coach feature.
Resilience is defined as:
“The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness”
So, resilience is the ability to recover from adversity and keep momentum in the face of difficulty. It’s not about avoidance, but about responding to challenges in a way that fosters growth and learning.
We believe it’s more than simply leaning into the discomfort though. For resilience to be effective, it surely must also be about keeping our heads up and looking for efficiencies, being agile enough to alter course if the ‘brick wall’ isn’t relenting, being adaptable to the changing landscape.
In our personal lives, resilience helps us:
- Manage stressors and anxiety: By appreciating that desirable outcomes often contain discomfort along the way, we develop coping strategies to help us along the journey
- Build stronger relationships: High levels of resilience often help us to communicate better and maintain perspective, allowing us to work collaboratively and respectfully through the challenging parts of relationships
- Grow through adversity: Challenges almost always lead to personal growth, deeper self-awareness, and renewed purpose
In the workplace, resilience is a key ingredient for:
- Adaptability: Resilient employees are far more likely to embrace change and stay nimble and positive during uncertainty
- Problem-solving: Being resilient helps us to approach setbacks with creativity, persistence, and perspective
- Leadership: Resilient leaders inspire confidence, foster trust, and guide teams through the tough times
Develop your personal resilience by:
- Re-framing challenges as a call to step in, learn, and grow
- Practicing self-respect and care when things get hard or don’t go to plan
- Identifying the strengths of those around us, calling on them when times get tough
- Taking the time to reflect and strategise through coaching
Resilience doesn’t mean going it alone or pretending everything is fine. It means facing reality with courage, leaning on others when needed, and believing in our ability to grow through whatever comes our way. And like most things, it gets easier with practice! Let us know how you get on!
