Communication Resilience at Work
Resilience is our ability to face challenges head-on, learn from them, and use that wisdom to shape our future. How we react when we hear that dreaded word “no,” or when we have to step out of our cozy comfort zones, well, that all ties back to our resilience.
Now, here’s an eye-opener: a recent study found that only 37% of full-time workers are rocking the “highly resilient” badge. But here’s the silver lining – resilience is a skill that’s up for grabs, and anyone can learn it.
The real deal here is that resilience is something we can keep honing, just like a musical instrument. It’s all about tweaking our mindset, finding those growth opportunities, and building up our resilience muscle.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn. She interviewed Chartered Psychologist and Author, Dr. Gemma Leigh Roberts.
They shared tips and personal stories about communication resilience at work.
1. Becoming Resilient
Resilience is the kind of skill that can swoop in to save the day when we’re facing a nerve-wracking presentation, gunning for that much-deserved raise, or dealing with life’s inevitable setbacks and failures. The beauty of resilience is that it equips us to handle these curveballs with grace and determination.
Consider the following:
- Bounce Forward – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Gemma talked about resilience being like a bounce forward, not just a bounce back. Picture this: you’re all set to conquer a 10-mile run. You’re cruising at eight miles, but then, bam, an injury sidelines you. Now, bouncing back would mean returning to those eight miles and calling it a day. But resilience, well, it’s about bouncing forward. It’s about not just hitting those eight miles again but pushing past it, going the full 10 miles, and maybe even more!
- Use Resources – Becoming more resilient is like committing to a lifelong journey of learning and growth. But here’s the cool part – we don’t have to go at it alone. We can tap into the wealth of knowledge from the people we know and the resources available to us. For instance, let’s say we had our eye on a promotion but didn’t quite make the cut. Instead of just stewing in disappointment, we can sign up for a course tailored to help us improve our communication of our skills and talents. Plus, building solid relationships with the key decision-makers in our workplace can give us the visibility we need. By leaning on these resources and the people around us, we’re basically giving our resilience muscles a good stretch. It’s like having a supportive team to help us level up and bounce forward, no matter what challenges come our way.
- Opportunistic – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica said sitting around and hoping won’t get us far. If we want those golden opportunities, we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and make them happen. For instance, let’s say we’re gunning for some visibility within our organization. We can’t just twiddle our thumbs and wish someone would notice us. Nope, we’ve got to take the initiative. Maybe it’s volunteering to lighten our manager’s workload or stepping up to lead a project that everyone else brushed aside. We’ve got to keep throwing ourselves into the mix, creating as many opportunities as possible. It’s all about making things happen!
Building resilience is a journey that unfolds over time. It’s all about staying committed to our personal growth and keeping an eye out for fresh opportunities along the way.
2. Mindset
Building resilience isn’t just about having the right skills, resources, and support system – although those are important. The real secret is having the right mindset. It’s the mental game that’s crucial for bouncing forward and becoming truly resilient.
Consider the following:
- Learning Experiences – Instead of slapping the “failure” label on things, it’s all about seeing them as valuable learning experiences.
Imagine this: you muster up the courage to ask your manager for a raise, but they drop a “no” bombshell. Instead of feeling like you’ve crashed and burned, flip the script. Ask yourself, “What can I take away from this?” Maybe it’s a sign that you can sharpen your communication skills or tweak your approach. When you see these moments as learning experiences, it shifts your mindset in the right direction and helps you build that all-important resilience.
- Perspective – Perspective plays a massive role in resilience. Sometimes, it’s all about how we see the world. Here’s a nifty trick to change that perspective – turn things into experiments. Instead of feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, tell yourself, “I’m not sure how this will pan out, but I’ll give it a shot.” See, when you frame it as an experiment, it takes the pressure off. You’re not searching for the perfect solution because, hey, you don’t have all the answers yet.
- Remember Past Accomplishments – An accomplishment, no matter how big or small, is still something worth celebrating. When we’re faced with a tough situation or a goal that seems to be playing hard to get, it’s a smart move to take a look back at what we’ve achieved in the past.
Let’s say we’re in the job-hunting trenches, and those job offers seem to be playing hard to get this time around. Instead of letting discouragement creep in, it’s time for a little pep talk. Remind yourself of all those job offers you’ve snagged in the past. You’ve rocked different jobs before, and there’s no doubt you can do it again.
Getting in the right mindset is like opening a door to a world of possibilities. It’s all about shifting our perspective and allowing ourselves to see the endless opportunities that lie ahead.
3. Communication Resilience
Becoming a top-notch communicator is an absolute game-changer when it comes to achieving career success. Being resilient hinges on our ability to connect with others effectively and have those essential conversations with ourselves.
Consider the following:
- Excellent Communication – Being a top-notch communicator is like the secret sauce for building solid relationships in the workplace. The better we get at conveying our thoughts and feelings, the stronger those connections become. Let’s dive into an example from the Soulcast Media | LIVE event. There was a question from the audience about finding a mentor. Gemma and Jessica had some golden advice. Instead of just blurting out, “Hey, Jane, will you be my mentor?” they suggested a more savvy approach. It’s all about saying, “Hey, Jane, are you currently mentoring anyone?” See, understanding how we say what we say is the hallmark of a true communication ace. It’s those subtle nuances that make all the difference in building those meaningful professional relationships.
- Read Between The Lines -Communication resilience is like having a secret decoder ring for understanding the unspoken messages. It’s all about getting savvy at reading between the lines and picking up on those sometimes subtle cues that others are sending our way. Take body language, for instance. Is the person you’re talking to maintaining eye contact, or are they crossing their arms while they speak? These little details can be like breadcrumbs that lead us to a deeper understanding of what’s really going on. When we master the art of reading between the lines, we become not just better employees but also more attuned coworkers, making the workplace a smoother and more productive environment.
- Communicate The Process – During the Souclast Media | LIVE, Jessica shared that there may come a point in our careers when we feel like we’re stuck in a “no” loop, and we’re left wondering if we’re on the right track. First off, having an honest heart-to-heart with our manager can work wonders. We can ask for their feedback and guidance, essentially opening the door for a conversation about how we can level up.
Secondly, there’s the power of communicating the process. Imagine shooting your manager an email that outlines the steps you’re taking to improve and keep them in the loop. It’s like showing them that you’re dead serious about growing and making a positive change. These strategies are like the keys to unlock new opportunities and break through those persistent “no” barriers.
Building communication resilience in the workplace isn’t just about being better at talking – it’s also about showcasing our strengths effectively. When we do that, it’s like shining a spotlight on our talents, and that can work wonders for boosting our visibility and unlocking exciting opportunities.
Resilience isn’t a destination; it’s a journey that we must keep on working at. It’s like a lifelong skill that we keep refining, adapting, and strengthening as we go.
Check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel for the full LIVE version of Jessica’s conversation.
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