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
Emotions that may help
you bounce back
Funding cuts Anxiety, uncertainty,
resentment. Optimism, faith, boldness.
Staff or volunteer
shortages
Resignation, pessimism, incredulity. Enthusiasm, passion,
compassion.
Burnout or
overwhelm Urgency, obligation, sacrifice. Self-compassion, dignity,
Mission drift
Excitement, confusion,
ambivalence. Perseverance, tolerance,
Scaling up the
organization Ambition, empathy, service. Compassion, patience,
inspiration.
Board conflict Anger, confusion,
disappointment. Dignity, equanimity, curiosity.
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.
Dan Newby and Marcel Brunel are the co-founders of Dignity Inc.
Dignity Inc was founded to focus on one thing: Emotions. Our research and learning show us
that most of us are technically competent but lack the capacity for emotional regulation that
would make our lives more satisfying and less challenging. Our books, courses, tools, and
initiatives are designed to support those who support others.
One of the primary tools we’ve developed is the Emotional Regulation Dashboard Assessment
(ERDA) which gives you empirical data about your capacity for Emotional Regulation through the
lenses of emotional intelligence, literacy, resilience, and agility and connects those with your key
personality traits.
More information about the ERDA can be found at https://dignity-inc.com/emotional-
regulation-dashboard-assessment/. For more information, please write the authors at