What factors support the implementation of resilient communication strategies in social institutions?

What is Resilience?

Resilience is a rather new construct, and it has gained massive attention since the early 1970s. In a world full of digital evolution, online interaction, environmental and natural disasters, and emotional vulnerability, resilience is a trait that is needed more than ever. Resilience is the capability to positively adapt to adversative, traumatic, and distressing conditions. Resilience is a highly desirable trait in a person but this is not just a trait. It is also a significant element of effective leadership.

Resilience and leadership?

Leaders tend to experience stress and pressure from various resources, including team management, fast pace change, and competition, and adaptation to new technology. However, a resilient leader preserves through the tough times and maintains integrity in the face of distress. Resilient leaders help their people manage challenges and adapt to the changing situation. Resilient leadership is a highly effective strategy in developing resilient organizations and institutions. Social institutions and organizations are in a dire need of such leadership so that they don’t get disappear in the sea of new organizations. Only institutions with resilient leaders and team members can survive in this readily changing world.

What is Resilient Leadership?

Basically, resilient leadership is

• strategic thinking (proactive)
• change oriented
• adaptation oriented
• performance-oriented
• emotionally intelligent
• willing to learn new skills
• eager to gain new knowledge
• Collective in its approach to leadership

Resilient leadership can sustain an organization’s or institution’s competitive advantage over time using the ability to deliver excellent performance as per current goals and effectively change and adapt to the rapid and turbulent ups and downs of the market and evolution of the technology.

How to adopt resilient leadership?

A resilient leader never fails to support his team member and organization in the time of adversity, and a person can develop resiliency by conscious lookout for the situations and reacting mindfully and attentively. Following are a few strategies that a person can adopt to become a resilient leader.

• Develop self-consciousness

You should be mindful of your own physical and psychological response in case of stress and know how to deal with your inner reactions.

• Remain focused and organized

Scheduling your day, staying ahead of deadlines, and having a clear task and responsibility assign to all team members is essential.

• Learn from mistakes

Everything is about perspective. In case of failure, before diving into the sea of guilt and regret, adjust your perspective. Focus on the experience, learning, and knowledge you gain from this setback.

• Be practical in defining goals

Sometimes, setting your standards too high is the reason for failure, be mindful of this situation.

• Indulge every member in the project

Don’t try to do everything yourself, this is not a quality of the resilient leader. Involve every member and assign every team member a task according to his strength.

• Respect intercultural differences

Intercultural competence is an important characteristic and in this time of cultural diversity, every person should possess this trait.

• Eat, sleep, love, and don’t forget to exercise

Maintain a routine and schedule. Stay active physically and be productive. Give time to your family and you will definitely be more present in your workplace. Resilient leadership is not an alien concept and it is much more needed than ever in the current growing and proliferating sea of new organizations and institutions.