How does your resilience measure-up?

In our earlier blogs, you’ll find that we explain the key research-based components of workplace resilience. (If you haven’t already bookmarked these for future reference, we’d encourage you to do that now – find the first part here and the other useful read is here).

In order to make progress, it’s important that you and your leaders reflect on your own circumstances. By doing so, you’ll help identify the opportunities to better harness your abilities to become more resilient.

Why self-reflection matters

This short reflective exercise helps you reflect on your strengths and potential priorities. Once completed, we encourage you to share it with your peers. Where did your answers differ or complement each other? What are the next steps that you can identify to achieve progress?

Take the test

Below, we’ve identified key personal traits that help leaders become more resilient. For each of these, consider two questions – how well do I do this, and is this a priority for me? As a final step, assess how invested you are in improving your ability in these different areas.

Trait 1 – Being emotionally intelligent

This involves being able to identify, understand and manage your own emotions, as well as pick-up on the emotional cues of your peers or team.

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 2 – Having the ability to put things into perspective

Do you have the ability to see the bigger scheme of things? Putting things into perspective ensures you can accurately identify the difficulty of the challenge faced.

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 3 – Building a supportive social network

Having a network that can be relied upon as a sounding-board helps you share ideas and support your ability to effectively problem solve.

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 4 – Cultivating optimism

Having an optimistic approach requires you to balance your internal critic. It ensures you have confidence that the challenge you face is temporary – and you can influence the outcome.

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 5 – Maintaining clarity and focus

How successful are you at identifying your priorities? Do you have the ability to avoid being overwhelmed and perceiving everything as being urgent and important?

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 6 – Gaining a strong internal locus of control

A strong internal locus of control involves understanding that, regardless of the circumstances, you have some options and some control. This enables you to avoid a reactive stance where you respond to what the world throws at you (which is an external locus of control).

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Trait 7 – Exhibiting strong foundational habits

Consider your foundational habits – do you prioritise achieving restorative sleep, regular exercise and sensible nutrition?

• How well do I do this?
• Is this a priority for me?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being top priority), how important is it to improve my ability in this area?

Building resilience creates better leaders

By gauging the responses to these different qualities, you and your leaders are able to quickly identify where your focus should lie when it comes to strengthening resilience. For other insights when it comes to thriving in times of challenge, download our free agile leadership resource now. Developed by our Mantle leadership experts, you’ll find it full of practical research-based advice.