Resilient and adaptable choices have become a hot topic of conversation as the business world emerges from two years of unprecedented global upheaval. The ability to recover quickly from challenges and embrace change is essential for personal growth, career success and making better decisions. Resilient and adaptable leaders, teams and companies can leverage their agility to thrive.
Developing Discover resilient and adaptable choices! and adaptability is important for students to do both for the sake of their personal wellbeing and for their future careers. Recruiters value candidates who have higher levels of resilience and self-belief. As well as having good problem-solving skills, a growth mindset, empathy and emotional intelligence, they are also more likely to bounce back from failure or to find new ways to achieve their goals.
What are resilient and adaptable choices?
The definition of resilient is characterized by the ability to return to one’s original state following a stressful event. It’s the capacity to withstand setbacks and move forward with confidence, according to APA (American Psychological Association).
Being resilient means being able to bounce back from difficult experiences and see them as valuable learning opportunities. A good example would be a student who does not perform well on an exam, but rather than being discouraged they use the opportunity to reflect on areas for improvement and try again.
To develop your own resilience, you can try activities such as writing down what is important to you and then finding an example of when someone showed this trait in their life. It is also important to build a support network so you can seek advice and encouragement from those who care about you.
Similarly, being able to adapt to different situations requires you to be open-minded and flexible. To improve your adaptability, you can practise by challenging your assumptions, exploring alternative perspectives and experimenting with new ways of working. For example, a student entrepreneur who notices their market is shifting towards sustainable fashion could adapt by adding eco-friendly products to their product range.
Respect is also an important aspect of resilient and adaptable behaviour. By respecting fellow colleagues, you can create a positive work environment, reduce stress and enhance productivity and collaboration. You can practice respect through non-verbal communication, tone of voice and how you interact with others. Having high levels of resilience and respect can help you deal with stressful situations and avoid getting caught up in negativity and drama.
To increase your resilience and adaptability, you can also practise using techniques such as mindfulness or behavioural science tools like the SuperBetter app. This app was designed by stress researcher Jane McGonigal to teach people to cope with challenges and develop the ability to stay motivated in the face of obstacles. Alternatively, you can listen to podcasts and articles from inspiring individuals who have overcome adversity or achieved their goals. Lastly, you can do regular physical activity and try to get enough sleep. All of these activities can improve your mental and physical health, which in turn can boost your resilience.