For an inanimate object resilience is like elasticity: the ability to return to its original form after being bent, compressed, or stretched.  A rubber band is resilient; a coffee cup that is dropped, spilled and broken is not.

Similarly, for a person resilience is the ability to grasp, assimilate and move forward from a disruption or change.  Instead of returning to the original form like the rubber band, a resilient person is his same self but with the new information incorporated into the way he is and works.   

The place you bounce back to when you are resilient is called your “Center.”  Similar to a center of gravity, the Center is grounded and balanced.  It is a state of calmness and clear thought that influences how you handle change, emotionally and behaviorally.  Getting back to Center can occur naturally over time, but is achieved more rapidly when taken on as a deliberate activity.

The speed at which this re-centering occurs is the measure of resilience. Developing this ability and speed is the critical factor in bouncing back after a downturn or setback.

Your personal resilience determines how well you handle changes in your life and also how well you yourself change.  The greater your resilience, the higher your threshold for ambiguity and stress. As you increase your resilience you are able to handle more and more change at the same time.

Growing resilience in others and in your organization will determine the organization’s ability to handle change, and the employees’ ability to take on your change initiative. As a change agent, the ability to cope with change yourself is crucial.  Once you have mastered resilience, you can help those around you build their capacity to re-center and improve their own resilience.

There are five avenues for mastering resilience that you can develop:

Mental Resilience includes the psychology of perception and reactions.  One way to build mental resilience is by shifting your thoughts from non-productive thinking patterns to patterns that generate success.

Physical Resilience is a little used resource in the workplace.  Like a dashboard on a car, the body gives you information and data about what’s happening in your environment. It can also be used as a guidance system, or you can reprogram this guidance system for a different outcome. There are also certain body positions, as used in martial arts, that produce and make available certain thoughts and feelings.

Emotional Resilience means building your capacity to manage your emotions as well as the emotions of others.  Since fear and other strong emotions are common in uncertain situations, emotional resilience is key to being effective in managing and influencing change.

Social Resilience includes your ability to build and utilize your support systems, networks and relationships as a resource.  One of the greatest challenges facing change agents is having high-stakes conversations that move change forward.

Talents and Skills Resilience means knowing your own unique talents and skills and how they complement other skills sets.  With talents and skills resilience, you are able to confidently describe your talents, to recognize those who need them and to share your value with tact and effectiveness.

Mastering these five avenues for building your resilience to handle and manage change will not only set you apart, it will allow you to be more influential and seen as a resource for others who are experiencing change.  You will become invaluable in supporting the fulfillment of the change initiative.

For more on resilience, check out:

• The Mastering Resilience episode on The Change Agent’s Dilemma radio show
• The Mastering Resilience Workshop coming up in October:  www.masteringresilience.com

I’m excited to introduce the Flash Point Program, an in-depth exploration and evaluation of your change initiative in which you and I will co-design your next steps toward successful implementation.

What do you mean, “co-design?”

Fact: you know your organization better than I ever will. Chances are, you know what stands in the way of successful implementation, but perhaps you haven’t set aside the time to focus on discovering it, or no one has asked the right questions. It’s my job to ask the questions and keep you focused. If you don’t have the answers, we’ll figure out how to get them. And then together we’ll design what to do next.

It’s also a co-design because this is your job. You are not delegating your responsibilities to me. I’m not going to swoop in and do it for you. The equation looks something like this:

How does it work?

The Flash Point Program includes six (6) 1-hour intensive conversations between you (the change agent) and me (the coach), roughly scheduled as follows:

• 1 online change readiness assessment and debrief;
• 3 hours of in depth exploration of the requirements to achieve your change initiative, and your organization’s capacity to perform them; and
• 2 personal coaching sessions for you, to discover your unique strengths and challenges as a change agent.

The sessions occur in 1-hour phone calls, once a week, for 6 weeks. This is flexible depending on how quickly you want your Flash Point to occur!

What do I get?

First of all, here’s an idea of what you will discover and learn:

• Clarity about what you are trying to accomplish;
• Greater understanding of how change works and how best to fulfill the role of change agent;
• An assessment of the factors present in your organization that will help or hinder your change initiative; and
• What to do about it.

What you physically (or digitally, really) get to take with you are:

• The results from the change readiness assessment
• Recordings of our phone conversations (for reference)
• A report of the next steps we co-design.

Prerequisites:

There are a couple of things I need you to do before you sign up:

• Review the Is This You page and make sure it sounds like you.
• Download and complete the Change Starts Here workbook. It’s free when you subscribe to my newsletter, or if you really don’t want to subscribe, you can purchase the workbook here.

Program Fee:

The total investment for The Flash Point Program is $1,540.

The deposit for the first session is $295. If for any reason, after completing the change readiness assessment and attending the first session, you do not want to continue The Flash Point Program, you can end the process there with just your change readiness assessment results. To continue the program, the remainder of the fee will be due prior to the second session.

Ready get started?

Next Steps:

1. Complete the prerequisites (Is This You and Change Starts Here).
2. Click the button at the bottom to pay the $295 deposit so we can get started on the change readiness assessment.
3. I’ll send you an e-mail with links to the change readiness assessment and Flash Point registration form to tell me a little bit about yourself, your organization, and your change initiative.
4. We’ll set up a quick call to schedule our sessions, and answer any questions you may have.
5. We’ll start The Flash Point Program!
   

By clicking the button below, you affirm that you have completed the prerequisites. You agree to begin the Flash Point Program by completing the change readiness assessment and the registration form. Your credit card will be charged a $295 deposit.

Have additional questions? Please contact me. I’ll be happy answer them.

1. Know Your Organization
2. Define The Future
3. Obtain Leadership Commitment
4. Involve Employees
5. Plan Communication
6. Ensure Accountability
7. Provide Resources
8. Use A Change Methodology

The Enclaria Change Readiness Assessment measures how well you are performing each of these activities.  The assessment includes a 2-page questionnaire, a tally sheet, and a chart so you can see your biggest opportunities for improvement.  Download the Change Readiness Assessment.