Improving Performance and dealing with change

Improving performance and dealing with change is related to levels of resilience at an individual, team and organisational level.

What is Resilience?

Resilience as a term can refer to bounce-back ability, clear thought or a successful attitude in the face of adversity. Arguably highly dependent upon thought processes and mind management, developing resilience on a personal level and, within an organisation, can boost business and personal success in addition to helping us to cope with the stresses of modern life.

Personal Resilience
With regards to personal resilience and developing an affinity for working under pressure, there are a number of prevalent ideas about the phrase. The American Psychological Association for example defines resilience as the ability to adapt in the face of adversity, trauma or tragedy.

In our continuously changing environment, coping with the stresses of modern life on a daily basis, adapting to almost incessant changes around us, both in the workplace and personally, remaining professional and keeping pace with increasing demands and competition are all components that the idea of resilience encompasses.

Those individuals attributed with resilience as one of their qualities are perceived as confident, clear-headed, proactive, organised and often possess high-energy.

Organisational Resilience
Strength in the face of adversity and an ability to cope or even thrive in tough conditions is a quality of a  resilient culture. Responding well to a single or one-off event it is not, rather a continuous anticipation and adjustment to external factors and internal changes that could otherwise hinder an organisation, its functionality or its success.

Why is Resilience Becoming More Important?
In the world of work, it’s not hard to notice that increased demands are now placed on workers for less financial and personal gain. Bonuses are reducing, the job market is more competitive, salaries are lower yet the cost of living is higher. Developing resilience both in business and on a personal level is bumped to the top of the “To Do” list.

Current Economic Climate
Let’s not beat about the bush, it’s not good! With a struggling economy there comes struggling companies and fewer opportunities; more rejections when job hunting coupled with a constant murmur of lay-offs and others questioning your value and position. A low resilience to these very real issues can result in a massive upset to your positive psychology.

Greater Expectations
We are now expected to give more for less. With 24/7 technology now sitting in everyone’s pocket, innovative technologies have rendered us accessible all day, every day. Who needs sleep? We have caffeine for that. Who needs to take a break when you can take your mobile complete with emails, call facility, sat nav, BBM, social media platforms, apps, schedules, diaries and reminders with you wherever you go. It’s even possible to get mobile phone signal on some sections of the London Underground now!

Stress & Burn Out
Following on rather poignantly from the above point, is an increase in stress. An inevitable consequence for some, burning out in an attempt to keep up with a rapid pace of change for those with people-pleasing personalities, is only going to become more of an issue. It already astonishes us how much money companies lose and how much time off work is needed to be taken due to stress and exhaustion. As well as costing the companies, it costs the NHS which in turn costs us, a vicious circle this just might be?

Resilience programmes have had fantastically proven positive results in breaking out of this cycle.

Our approach is to build “Performance on Purpose”, by focusing not just on healthy eating and exercise (physiological) but also on the way people think (mental toughness), how they feel (emotional intelligence) and how to play to the strengths of personality. We believe it is the combination of all four aspects and the development of these that will have an impact on performance.

QED delivers effective programmes for organisational, leadership and personal resilience. Using advanced psychological tools and methodologies we develop companies, teams and individuals to encompass and use effectively, those characteristics mentioned above that a resilient person or company possesses.