Do you ever notice there’s a run on avocados? Or that every restaurant you visit has guacamole on their menu? Sometimes life’s like that; a new topic comes along and everyone’s asking for it. For us that avocado is Resilience Training! Of late, the phone rings frequently and email inquiries arrive daily asking “how can we improve resilience in the workplace?”. But why is Resilience so popular now? Let’s take a look at what’s going on in the world around us and how its creating a momentum for greater resilience training in the workplace. We’ll explore what’s happening on the national, organizational and individual level, drilling down to the essential undercurrents that are stirring up stress and discontent. Then we’ll consider what to do about it.
On the national level, recent events in security, politics, and the greater environment have been troubling to many households. Watching the nightly news can expose us to stories of tragedy and destruction that chip away at our core “good feelings”. Similarly, on the organizational level many government groups are experiencing funding cuts and downsizing. The remaining employees feel the uncertainty and the overwhelm as they have to take on additional tasks once handled by their former colleagues. On the individual level, the overall stress takes a toll. Working parents may be alarmed about finances, crime, and child care all in the context of trying to juggle busy work and home lives. All in all, it makes for a troubling time for the individual. Too much stress, too much overload, too much overwhelm.
In the midst of all these factors, Resilience Training is like a beacon of hope. With it’s emphasis on the whole person, strengths and resources, Resilience Training helps employees access tools to remain optimistic, buoyant and upbeat. Who wouldn’t say more of that please. So pass the Avocado’s would you, they are good for us.