Resilience has become an indispensable quality for leaders and effective collaboration. That’s because resilience enables us to overcome challenges, recover from setbacks, and successfully lead our teams through change. In this blog article, you’ll learn about the 7 pillars of resilience and get practical tips for your everyday (work) life.
What is resilience?
The term resilience means elasticity or toughness, as does the Latin word resilere, which means “to bounce back”. Accordingly, resilience is generally defined as the ability to withstand external stresses.
So what does this mean in concrete terms? It does not mean that resilient people are automatically immune to all adversity. However, they do have the ability not only to cope with unforeseen situations, crises, turbulence and challenges, but also to emerge strengthened from them and see them as an opportunity for further development.
While in physics the term resilience is used to describe an elastic substance that returns to its original state on its own even after severe deformation, for people it is a matter of restoring physical and psychological balance after severe stress or negative experiences.
The 7 pillars of resilience
The first pillar refers to your attitude. It’s not about talking yourself up or seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Rather, it is about your optimistic, positive attitude towards life, with which you basically assume the good and perceive the positive aspects – even in difficult situations.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) Observe yourself, pay attention to your thoughts and words and always try to direct them into positive, solution-oriented and future-oriented formulations.
2) Additionally, a gratitude journal can help you to be more aware of the positive aspects: For example, take a few minutes each evening or Sunday to jot down 3 things you are grateful for. This can relate to your personal life, your job, or even yourself.
3) With your team, harness the power of “Motivational Monday” for a motivational start to the work week. In a short meeting (or as part of your existing meeting), everyone can share something positive, appreciate someone, or similar.
The second pillar relates to your sphere of influence, because you have to accept what cannot be changed. It often seems easier said than done, but we all catch ourselves thinking thoughts like “If only I had…” or “If only we had…”. This makes it even more important to accept the past and all the things we can’t influence and to direct our power to those aspects we can actively shape.Leaders21 Impulse:
It takes time and patience – and distance. Try to create a distance between you and the situations you can’t change in order to accept them better. At the same time, focus your strengths and energies on the things that lie ahead.
Whether as a team or for yourself, wrap up such issues together and “officially” by saying goodbye to that situation or circumstance. Figuratively speaking, we mean that it should not just be swept under the rug, because then there is a high risk that the issue will become a conversation again at the next opportunity.
Do not focus on the problem and the analysis of the problem, but on the solution! We tend to focus on the problems and examine the culprits, although it is not important. Much more relevant is the development of a solution, targeting the desired state and directing resources towards it.Leaders21 Impulse:
For you and your team it is important to see the problem as a starting point and to develop a solution. The challenge is on the one hand not to analyze the problem further and on the other hand not to fall into the excuse trap. Solution orientation means to think creatively and innovatively and to be ready for new things.
To reduce your “it can’t be done” thoughts, the miracle question often helps: Imagine a miracle happens overnight and when you wake up tomorrow, the problem is solved. What is different now? How can you tell that the miracle has happened?
On the basis of this wishful thinking or wishful solution, you can derive the way there more easily.
The fourth pillar is not about suppressing your emotions or actions, but about consciously controlling and regulating them. This is important in order to have your own needs or impulses under control and to react appropriately, especially in stressful situations.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) You will be able to regulate yourself better if you balance yourself and clear your mind regularly. Whether it’s sports, a walk, breathing exercises or meditation, you need to find your personal source of strength and take care of your emotional balance.
2) Seek active exchange with people you trust to talk openly about the situation and your emotions. Most of the time, conversation and a change of perspective helps.
3) If your cell phone battery goes dead, you recharge it. How do you recharge your batteries? Take a glass of water as an example and think about which activities empty your glass (= take away energy) and which fill your glass (= give energy).
You make many decisions in your life and must also accept the consequences. In connection with this, you also take responsibility for your own thoughts, emotions and actions, because you have it in your own hands. If you make the conscious decision to plant a tree in your garden today, you have to reckon with the consequences: Roots, shade, foliage, etc. You can’t blame anyone else later for any negative effects.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) Be the pilot of your own life and take the control! The following reflection questions can support you: What is my part in this? What can I do better? What can I learn from it? Does what I am doing help me or harm me?
2) Leave the so-called victim role and be a creator! Admit mistakes and make sure that you learn from them or avoid them in the future. Make sure you communicate clearly and use the first-person perspective to share your decisions or opinions.
3) Require your teammates to also make clear “yes” or “no” decisions in order to be self-directed. Similarly, refrain from blame and create a safe space for ownership, openness, and learning.
We humans are herd animals and not made to go through life alone. We need social relationships, because isolation can permanently damage our physical and mental health. That’s why you should surround yourself with a wide variety of people who enrich your life. Especially in a professional context, it is important to understand that a good team culture has a positive effect on everyone’s performance and success.Leaders21 Impulse:
Whether private or professional, digital or analog, take time to cultivate your relationships! At work, you can do this through coffee talks or regular 1-on-1 meetings. As a team, joint lunches or a monthly activity can also help.
In general, of course, show a genuine interest in the exchange and the relationship: Don’t just take your time, but actively listen, build trust.
The 7th and last pillar is about your future orientation. Resilient people steer towards the future, new opportunities and possibilities – regardless of their past. Their visions, values and goals give them the necessary orientation and focus. Based on the previous pillars, it is important to constantly reflect, learn and develop in order to shape your own future.
Leaders21 Impulse:
Focus on the future and ask yourself questions like “Why are you doing what you are doing?” or “What is your intrinsic motivation?” Have your team also answer these questions to write personal goals and motivate themselves.
Furthermore, there are some questions that can support you in shaping your future: What do I want my next months/years to look like? What contribution do I want to make in this world? What would I have to change in my life to be satisfied? ..
Strengthen your resilience!
You develop your resilience outside your comfort zone – you grow with your tasks, so to speak. It is usually situations that overwhelm us, that seem unsolvable and make us doubt. Don’t bury your head in the sand, instead act proactively and in a solution-oriented manner.
Use the tips and exercises of the 7 pillars to actively strengthen your personal resilience and that of your team. Because resilient teams master every challenge and go strengthened into the future. You want to go one step further: Develop yourself as a team and your skills via our Leaders21 platform. Here, it’s not just about content, but above all about practice-oriented, sustainable further development!
In today’s dynamic and fast-paced world of work, resilience has become an indispensable quality for leaders and effective collaboration. That’s because resilience enables us to overcome challenges, recover from setbacks, and successfully lead our teams through change. In this blog article, you’ll learn about the 7 pillars of resilience and get practical tips for your everyday (work) life.
What is resilience?
The term resilience means elasticity or toughness, as does the Latin word resilere, which means “to bounce back”. Accordingly, resilience is generally defined as the ability to withstand external stresses.
So what does this mean in concrete terms? It does not mean that resilient people are automatically immune to all adversity. However, they do have the ability not only to cope with unforeseen situations, crises, turbulence and challenges, but also to emerge strengthened from them and see them as an opportunity for further development.
While in physics the term resilience is used to describe an elastic substance that returns to its original state on its own even after severe deformation, for people it is a matter of restoring physical and psychological balance after severe stress or negative experiences.
The 7 pillars of resilience
- Optimism
“Stay positive and trust in yourself.”The first pillar refers to your attitude. It’s not about talking yourself up or seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Rather, it is about your optimistic, positive attitude towards life, with which you basically assume the good and perceive the positive aspects – even in difficult situations.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) Observe yourself, pay attention to your thoughts and words and always try to direct them into positive, solution-oriented and future-oriented formulations.
2) Additionally, a gratitude journal can help you to be more aware of the positive aspects: For example, take a few minutes each evening or Sunday to jot down 3 things you are grateful for. This can relate to your personal life, your job, or even yourself.
3) With your team, harness the power of “Motivational Monday” for a motivational start to the work week. In a short meeting (or as part of your existing meeting), everyone can share something positive, appreciate someone, or similar. - Acceptance
“Accept what cannot be changed.”The second pillar relates to your sphere of influence, because you have to accept what cannot be changed. It often seems easier said than done, but we all catch ourselves thinking thoughts like “If only I had…” or “If only we had…”. This makes it even more important to accept the past and all the things we can’t influence and to direct our power to those aspects we can actively shape.Leaders21 Impulse:
It takes time and patience – and distance. Try to create a distance between you and the situations you can’t change in order to accept them better. At the same time, focus your strengths and energies on the things that lie ahead.
Whether as a team or for yourself, wrap up such issues together and “officially” by saying goodbye to that situation or circumstance. Figuratively speaking, we mean that it should not just be swept under the rug, because then there is a high risk that the issue will become a conversation again at the next opportunity. - Solution Orientation
“Turn problems into opportunity.”Do not focus on the problem and the analysis of the problem, but on the solution! We tend to focus on the problems and examine the culprits, although it is not important. Much more relevant is the development of a solution, targeting the desired state and directing resources towards it.Leaders21 Impulse:
For you and your team it is important to see the problem as a starting point and to develop a solution. The challenge is on the one hand not to analyze the problem further and on the other hand not to fall into the excuse trap. Solution orientation means to think creatively and innovatively and to be ready for new things.
To reduce your “it can’t be done” thoughts, the miracle question often helps: Imagine a miracle happens overnight and when you wake up tomorrow, the problem is solved. What is different now? How can you tell that the miracle has happened?
On the basis of this wishful thinking or wishful solution, you can derive the way there more easily. - Self-Regulation
“Find your balance between activation and regeneration.”The fourth pillar is not about suppressing your emotions or actions, but about consciously controlling and regulating them. This is important in order to have your own needs or impulses under control and to react appropriately, especially in stressful situations.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) You will be able to regulate yourself better if you balance yourself and clear your mind regularly. Whether it’s sports, a walk, breathing exercises or meditation, you need to find your personal source of strength and take care of your emotional balance.
2) Seek active exchange with people you trust to talk openly about the situation and your emotions. Most of the time, conversation and a change of perspective helps.
3) If your cell phone battery goes dead, you recharge it. How do you recharge your batteries? Take a glass of water as an example and think about which activities empty your glass (= take away energy) and which fill your glass (= give energy). - Responsibility
” Self-responsibility instead of blame.”
You make many decisions in your life and must also accept the consequences. In connection with this, you also take responsibility for your own thoughts, emotions and actions, because you have it in your own hands. If you make the conscious decision to plant a tree in your garden today, you have to reckon with the consequences: Roots, shade, foliage, etc. You can’t blame anyone else later for any negative effects.Leaders21 Impulse:
1) Be the pilot of your own life and take the control! The following reflection questions can support you: What is my part in this? What can I do better? What can I learn from it? Does what I am doing help me or harm me?
2) Leave the so-called victim role and be a creator! Admit mistakes and make sure that you learn from them or avoid them in the future. Make sure you communicate clearly and use the first-person perspective to share your decisions or opinions.
3) Require your teammates to also make clear “yes” or “no” decisions in order to be self-directed. Similarly, refrain from blame and create a safe space for ownership, openness, and learning. - Relationship Building
“Pay attention to your private and professional network.”
We humans are herd animals and not made to go through life alone. We need social relationships, because isolation can permanently damage our physical and mental health. That’s why you should surround yourself with a wide variety of people who enrich your life. Especially in a professional context, it is important to understand that a good team culture has a positive effect on everyone’s performance and success.Leaders21 Impulse:
Whether private or professional, digital or analog, take time to cultivate your relationships! At work, you can do this through coffee talks or regular 1-on-1 meetings. As a team, joint lunches or a monthly activity can also help.
In general, of course, show a genuine interest in the exchange and the relationship: Don’t just take your time, but actively listen, build trust. - Shape the Future
“Take the initiative proactively.”The 7th and last pillar is about your future orientation. Resilient people steer towards the future, new opportunities and possibilities – regardless of their past. Their visions, values and goals give them the necessary orientation and focus. Based on the previous pillars, it is important to constantly reflect, learn and develop in order to shape your own future.
Leaders21 Impulse:
Focus on the future and ask yourself questions like “Why are you doing what you are doing?” or “What is your intrinsic motivation?” Have your team also answer these questions to write personal goals and motivate themselves.
Furthermore, there are some questions that can support you in shaping your future: What do I want my next months/years to look like? What contribution do I want to make in this world? What would I have to change in my life to be satisfied? ..
Strengthen your resilience!
You develop your resilience outside your comfort zone – you grow with your tasks, so to speak. It is usually situations that overwhelm us, that seem unsolvable and make us doubt. Don’t bury your head in the sand, instead act proactively and in a solution-oriented manner.
Use the tips and exercises of the 7 pillars to actively strengthen your personal resilience and that of your team. Because resilient teams master every challenge and go strengthened into the future. You want to go one step further: Develop yourself as a team and your skills via our Leaders21 platform. Here, it’s not just about content, but above all about practice-oriented, sustainable further development!
