Resilience Through Change and Crisis

Adapted from Managing at the Speed of Change

Angie Boisselle, OTR, ATPJuly 8, 2012

Changes of the Individual

•Women balancing a job and family

•Fluctuating job market, corporate reorganizations, higher productivity demands

•Divorce rate, marriages, health issues

Changes of Technology

•Shift from typography to technology

•Communication is instantaneous

•Information is growing at a dizzying speed

•“Shelf-life” of facts is diminishing

http://gizmodo.com/5813875/what-happens-in-60-seconds-on-the-internet

Global Change

•Advances in genetic engineering and medicine

•World population has increased demands on natural resources

•Political and Economic power is shifting for countries of the North Atlantic Ocean

•Faster modes of transportation

•Terrorism

RESILIENCE

Capacity to absorb high levels of change while resulting in minimal dysfunction

Shift from victimization to empowerment

Crisis of Change

•Two orientations of change: danger and promise for opportunity

•The Chinese symbol for “crisis” depict this paradox

危機

Danger-oriented People

• Threatened by change

• Lack sense of purpose and vision

• Difficult to reorient themselves to unexpected change

• Think logically and orderly

• Use denial, distortion and delusion as defense mechanisms

• Reactive rather than proactive

Opportunity-oriented People

• Strong life-vision

• Realign their sense of purpose when change occurs

• View life as a constant shift creating new opportunity

• View disruption as adjustment period

• Know when to ask for help

• Self-sufficient but have nurturing relationships

• Prepared to see the paradox

5 Characteristics of Resilience

• Security and self-assurance based on viewing life as opportunity (Positive)

• Clear vision of what they want to achieve (Focused)

• Flexibility when responding to uncertainty (Flexible)

• Structured approaches to ambiguity (Organized)

• Proactive with change rather than act against it (Proactive)

Continuum of Resilience

Type OType D

Low High

Low High

Positive

Life should be sequential & orderlyUnmet

expectations=conspiraciesChange is uncomfortable &

should be avoided

Life should be multi-faceted

constant shift of variablesUnderstands paradox

Focused Lacks overarching purpose/vision

Embraces purpose and vision

Flexible Change is mysteriousLow tolerance for ambiguity

Change is manageable

Organized

Lost with confusing information

Cannot change prioritiesFails to ask others for help

Needs a short time to recover

Understands underlying themes

Recognizes the need for help

Proactive

Unable to recognize coming change

Strictly adheres to operating style

Does not take risks

Sees changes as inevitable and necessary

Reframes situationsInvests energy in problem

solving

Last Thoughts• We only show some attributes not all

• Don’t hold yourself or anyone up to “walk on water.”

• Everyone has Type D and Type O attributes

• Our life experiences are reflected by what we believe is true in regards to change

• There is nothing wrong with resistance to change. It’s a natural, healthy response

• Given the need to control, Type D is just as legitimate as Type O responses in given situations

• Problems arise when Type D becomes habitual and predetermined

Resource

Conner, D (1993). Managing at the Speed of Change. Villard Books: N.Y., ch. 1 & 14.