Day 1 Task -- How to Bounce Back from Adversity -- by Joshua D. Margolis (extracts)
Whatever your initial reaction, however, the challenge is to turn a negative experience into a productive one - that is, to counter adversity with resilience. Psychological resilience is the capacity to respond quickly and constructively to crisis... But resilience can be hard to muster for many reasons. Fear, anger and confusion can paralyze us after a severe setback. Assigning blame rather than generating solutions is an all-too-human tendency. Worse yet, those to whom we turn for councel may offer us exactly the wrong kind of advice.
Further in the article Mr. Margolis assumes that each of us has a
distinct, conistent pattern of thinking about life's twists and turns - a pattern, he says, of which most of us are largely unaware... We believe, he says, that managers can build high level of resilience in themselves and their teams by taking charge of how they think about adversity. Resilient managers move quickly from analysis to a plan of action (and reaction). After the onset of adversity, they shift from cause-oriented thinking to response-orieted thinking, and their focus is strictly forward. (только вперёд!)
We've identified four lenses through which managers can view adverse events to make this shift effectively.
Control. When a crisis hits, do you look for what you can improve now rather than trying to identify all the factors - evn those beyond your control - that caused it in the first place?
Impact. Can you sidestep the temptation to find the origins of the problem in yourself and others and focus instead on identyfying what positive effects your personal actions might have?
Breadth. Do you assume that the underlying cause of the crisis is specific and can be contained, or do you worry that it might cast a long shadow over all aspects of your life?
Duration. How long do you believe that the crisis and its repercussions will last?
Managers should consider all four to fully understand their instinctive responces to personal and professional challenges, setbacks, or failures...
Further on Joshua Margolis offers us a developed approach to dealing with hardship - what he himself calls 'a resilience regimen.' He continues that by asking a series of pointed questions, managers can grasp their own (and their direct reports') habits of thought and help reframe negative events in productive ways. With the four lenses as a guide, they can learn to stop feeling paralysed by crisis, respond with strength and creativity, and help their direct reports do the same.
Further in the article Mr. Margolis assumes that each of us has a
distinct, conistent pattern of thinking about life's twists and turns - a pattern, he says, of which most of us are largely unaware... We believe, he says, that managers can build high level of resilience in themselves and their teams by taking charge of how they think about adversity. Resilient managers move quickly from analysis to a plan of action (and reaction). After the onset of adversity, they shift from cause-oriented thinking to response-orieted thinking, and their focus is strictly forward. (только вперёд!)
We've identified four lenses through which managers can view adverse events to make this shift effectively.
Control. When a crisis hits, do you look for what you can improve now rather than trying to identify all the factors - evn those beyond your control - that caused it in the first place?
Impact. Can you sidestep the temptation to find the origins of the problem in yourself and others and focus instead on identyfying what positive effects your personal actions might have?
Breadth. Do you assume that the underlying cause of the crisis is specific and can be contained, or do you worry that it might cast a long shadow over all aspects of your life?
Duration. How long do you believe that the crisis and its repercussions will last?
Managers should consider all four to fully understand their instinctive responces to personal and professional challenges, setbacks, or failures...
Further on Joshua Margolis offers us a developed approach to dealing with hardship - what he himself calls 'a resilience regimen.' He continues that by asking a series of pointed questions, managers can grasp their own (and their direct reports') habits of thought and help reframe negative events in productive ways. With the four lenses as a guide, they can learn to stop feeling paralysed by crisis, respond with strength and creativity, and help their direct reports do the same.