I've been in a lot of rooms with a lot of CEOs recently, and let me tell you, the air is thick. Not with excitement, not with innovation, but with a palpable tension that something's got to give.
You can feel it, can't you?
It's like we're all holding our breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
We've been running this marathon since March 2020, and our teams are gasping for air. It's not just about Zoom fatigue or the Great Resignation.
It's deeper.
This is soul-deep exhaustion that's cracking the very foundation of our organizations. And the macro conditions? Please. The economy's as stable as a house of cards in a windstorm, and the job market feels like a never-ending game of musical chairs with half the seats missing.
(And this is regardless of which wolf you're feeding)
But here's the kicker: We're often our own worst enemies.
Our cognitive biases, those psychological blind spots, are affecting up to 80% of our decisions. It's like we're trying to navigate through a fog so thick we can't even see our own hands.
-SIDE RANT-
Need a quick jolt of "get up and go?" Check out this 2-minute clip from Jocko Willink.It's like a double shot of expresso for your soul.
Enter the biggest blindspot of them all: legacy thinking.
You know the drill:
"That's a bad idea,"
"That won't work,"
"No, I don’t want to do that."
Does it, though? It's like our brains are programmed to be naysayers, even when innovation is staring us right in the face.
Cool Story Alert: My 13-year-old nephew Camden recently took a plunge—literally—into our 40-degree cold plunge this past weekend. After some initial drama, he found his groove and outlasted his dad. His takeaway? "This isn't as bad as I thought." Sometimes, the unknown isn't the monster we make it out to be.
So, what's the antidote? Resilience.
Angela Duckworth, the psychologist who put grit on the map, defines it as a blend of passion and perseverance.
And if you think this is some soft, touchy-feely stuff, think again. A study from the Harvard Business Review shows resilience training can reduce turnover by up to 30% and absences by up to 41%.
But she missed one big thing in that talk: co-elevation.
In short, the more your team feels like you have each other’s backs, the better.
So, how do you build resilience? Here are some steps:
- Expand Your Circle of Influence: Thrivers see every challenge as an opportunity. They're the ones who can see the bigger picture when everyone else is lost in the details.
- Question Your Mind: In times of rapid change, clinging to old beliefs will leave you ill-equipped. Make it a habit to question your own thoughts. Is that a fact or just an opinion?
- Find Leverage: Take a piece of paper and a pen, and complete this sentence: "This is the very best thing that could happen right now because…" It helps you sift through the rubble to find the gold.
- Raise Your Energy: Self-awareness is key. Know your triggers, your strengths, and your weaknesses. You can't recognize new opportunities if you're mentally stuck in the mud.
- Double Down on Each Other: The quality of your relationships will pay the most dividends. Dive deeper with your team than you ever have before.
Bottom line: Feedback at scale is the key to adaptability and resilience.
At SHIFT, we've been down in the trenches with more than 600+ clients, from scrappy startups to Fortune 500 giants. One mid-sized tech firm we recently worked with saw a complete culture turnaround within a month of implementing our Resilience Quotient Survey.
The air cleared, the tension lifted, and now they're not just surviving; they're thriving.
Here's the Deal: We're offering our Resilience Quotient Survey FREE of charge.
No strings attached.
Are you ready to measure your team's resilience as easily as you'd check a speedometer?
We can help.
According to Deloitte, 86% of business leaders view resilience as a top priority. Ready to bulletproof your organization's future?
If you're one of them, hit the big blue button below to view our bonus offers and schedule your FREE Resilience Quotient Survey.
Let's make resilience more than a buzz word; let's make it our reality.
