Organizations are amazingly complex systems of conversations and actions. At times, our organizational view may narrow to focus mainly on those two elements. However, the lived experience of culture in an organization is fundamentally emotional. The value of this idea becomes clear when we recognize that all our conversations and actions stem from emotions.
For more than thirty years, when we’ve thought about emotions in leadership and organizations, we have focused on Emotional Intelligence. As important as EI is, our research shows that other emotional factors may be even more important. What benefits us most as leaders is not just EI, but extends to Emotional Literacy, Resilience, and Agility, which together make up our capacity for Emotional Regulation. Emotional Regulation is what allows us to leverage and filter all of our knowledge, skill, and experience as leaders into effective action. But bouncing back is not an intellectual “get”, it is a behavioral “get.”
What is Emotional Resilience
It is our ability to bounce back emotionally from changes and surprises. It allows us to return to emotional balance more fluidly when the unexpected occurs. It is the intelligent regulation of emotions, and it is critical at every level of your organization.
In every moment of every day, we are engaged in experiences that provoke emotions. Event > interpretation > emotion. Some of the emotions we experience are pleasant and enjoyable, some are distressing. Whichever it is, the value of emotional resilience is that if the emotion pushes us off balance, we can quickly and effortlessly return to our emotional center. When it comes to emotional recovery, some leaders get better; others get bitter. Bouncing back takes more than goodwill; it takes real skill.
So, how are you at “bouncing back” when an experience provokes a strong emotional reaction in you? Is your recovery easy and quick? Can you maintain awareness of your reaction and response simultaneously? You will react, but will that resolve the issue? What is your strategy for generating an appropriate response?
The table below illustrates some of the key challenges you may face. Each likely provokes specific emotions and represents an opportunity to leverage another set of emotions that can help you recalibrate and move forward.
Once we understand this idea, the real work of emotional learning and its application in practice begins. Emotional resilience is a competence that emerges over time and increases in capacity. But we need a place to begin. Challenge Emotions that may be provoked
There are a few emotions that play particularly significant roles in resilience:
• Optimism is the emotion that has the greatest influence on resilience. They are co-creative. Connecting with optimism will allow us to bounce back, while the act of regaining our footing generates optimism.
• Dignity is the firm belief that we are worthy. Leveraging dignity can be helpful because it lets us separate what we do from who we are. Not everything we do may turn out as planned, but that doesn’t diminish our standing as legitimate human beings.
• Enthusiasm is the emotion that connects us with a purpose greater than ourselves. When we feel profound enthusiasm, we can shrug off surprises and disappointments by maintaining our focus on the cause to which we are committed.
There are a number of principles regarding emotions that we find universally applicable to resilience:
• You can ignore your emotions but they won’t ignore you. You are an emotional being as is everyone on your team. Including emotions in our
decision-making, problem-solving, and relationship-building is critical.
• Emotional regulation, including resilience, is available if you are willing to do the work. Although we’ve all learned emotionally as we’ve grown, intentional emotional development requires commitment and practice.
• Emotional well-being is collective, not just individual. Organizational well-being is generated by individual work collectively experienced. It
needs to be part of the organizational mission to support the well-being of each individual.
Reflective Questions:
• How are you growing your emotional resources and competencies?
• What would it be like if you normalized emotions within your organization?
• What’s one narrative about emotional resilience you think your organization needs to rethink?
Conclusions:
• Everyone’s role in an organization is emotional work; we just don’t describe it that way.
• At some point in our lives, each of us will face a life-altering event that will either change us for the better or turn us into something we do not recognize.
• Focusing on emotional resilience can be a proactive portion of your wellness program.
• Maybe the “why” you are searching for is an emotion.
• A gift of emotional resilience is that you get to work on yourself all day while leading others.