Korean proverb says
“The deeper the waters are, the more still they run”
We’ve teamed up with Letitia Van der Merwer from inavit iQ Learning to give you 3 key components that resilient people share in turbulent times. Let’s get your rivers running real deep and help you ride out this wave.
Resilience in times of uncertainty
More than 30 years of research into the nature of highly resilient individuals created a clear understanding of human resiliency. Experts are convinced that resilient individuals share many characteristics. Below are 3 key components that you may want to consider in dealing with tough times.
Facing down reality
A common believe is that resilience stems from an optimistic nature. It will be true only as long as it doesn’t distort your sense of reality. In extremely adverse situations, rose-coloured thinking can actually spell disaster. Facing reality is gruelling work and can indeed be unpleasant and emotionally wrenching. When you truly stare down reality, you prepare yourself to act in ways that allow you to endure and survive extraordinary hardship.
Searching for meaning
The ability to see reality is closely linked to the second building block of resilience, the propensity to make meaning of terrible times. In his book, Man’s search for meaning, Frankl writes that he succeeded in rising above the sufferings of the moment: “We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed”. There was a pivotal moment in the camp when he developed meaning therapy. He became disgusted by how trivial and meaningless his life had become and he realised that to survive, he had to find some purpose. He imagined himself giving lectures after the war on the psychology of the concentration camps and he created some concrete goals for himself.
Ability to improvise
The third building block of resilience is the ability to make do with whatever is at hand. The ability to “bounce back” is a key concept of resilience. In a society rich with instant gratification this ability to make the best of what you have will serve you well
Dr Letitia van der Merwe is the Managing Director of inavit iQ learning. Her areas of specific expertise include learning and development, leadership, customer centricity and project management. Her career encompasses experiences from a wide range of Leadership, Human Resources and Organisational Development projects and interventions in the private and public sector as well as in the world of consulting.”
inavit iQ are hosting 3 hour interactive virtual workshops called the SenseMaking Series which will help you to think through challenges and issues you are facing now and into the future. Take part in one or all of the 14 programmes in this Series and define not only our personal futures but also the future of business and society as we know it. Let’s get you on track to tackle challenges and issues you are facing now and into the future!
