Studying the concept of resilience is a personal topic for me. I am no stranger to my share of trauma and struggle and, while sometimes it may feel like I am the only one trying to make it our unscathed, I realize that most certainly is not the case. My research and personal work have been primarily in building resilience in personal relationships; however, the recent launch of a brand-new business has shifted my focus to professional resilience.
The entertainment service business I run with my fiancé/partner is heavily based in technology which led me to an article in BizTech Magazine written by Senior Editor, Lily Lopate, entitled “Women in Tech Discuss Resilience.” The article centered around the CDW’s Women in Tech Leadership Forum where women leaders in the tech industry gathered to discuss the surge of women in leadership positions in the tech industry, the shift that got them there, and what they expected in the future. This year’s forum topic was resilience.
Participants were first asked to define resilience and what it meant for women today. The answers were quite telling. The overall arching theme to defining resilience revolves around remaining adaptable during difficult times. That adaptability, according to Stephanie Hagopla, Vice President at host company, CDW, includes keeping your “core values” in mind and being mindful to show care for others during these times. It is not enough to merely “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” but rather we should all strive to use our strengths to help us and others make it through tough times. It is about the collective, not the individual. Leave no one behind. Brenda Dennis, formally from Cisco, adds that resilience asks us to “stay curious”. For Dennis, that curiosity in resilience proposes we use our communication skills to listen and learn, asking probing questions along the way to foster creative problem-solving. For her, teamwork makes the dreamwork. Two other tactics mentioned were being resourceful and having a “growth mindset”.
When discussing how to achieve resilience, the first piece of advice involved not taking failure personally. Of course, this is easier said than done; however, it is a valuable lesson. It is hard to create strategies to recover and bounce back from setbacks unless there is a shift in focus. It should be noted that resilience, once thought to be a quality one is born with, can be cultivated. This starts with what the forum experts referred to as “The Three Rs”: resiliency, resourcefulness, and reaction. First, resiliency must be developed through repetition. Resiliency is built through choosing to make it a habit, focusing on harnessing inner strengths and maintaining confidence in an ability to make it through tough times. Second, resiliency encourages seeking out solutions and/or finding new ways to tackle issues instead of just doing things “the way they’ve always been done”. Lastly, reaction urges us to learn to embrace uncertainty as a natural occurrence, so we be better equipped to handle complications.
Resilience is about more than just being able to persevere through adversity. Rather, resiliency involves a set of skills that are often developed through experience. In our textbook, Positive Communication in Health and Wellness, Pitts and Socha note the Virtues and Character Strengths in Positive Psychology. In reading Lopate’s article, the comments from tech industry leaders referenced several of those listed in the textbook table. Curiosity and perspective fall within wisdom, persistence within courage, citizenship and leadership within justice, forgiveness and self-regulation within temperance, and hope within transcendence (Pitts et al., 2013). The forum provided a solid foundation on how fostering resilience allows us to turn times of challenge into opportunities for growth.
Resources
Lopate, L. (2023, May 5). Women in Tech Discuss Resilience. BizTech: Technology that Drives Business. https://biztechmagazine.com/article/2023/08/women-tech-discuss-resilience
Pitts, M. J., & Socha, T. J. (2013). Positive Communication in Creating Healthy Lives, Healthy Relationships, and Healthy Institutions. In Positive Communication in Health and Wellness (10th ed., pp. 6)., Peter Lang.
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