Leading In Chaos: How Resilient Are You?
How resilient are you in these times of chaos?
Millions of us are testing the limits of our own strength—physically, emotionally, mentally—whether in isolation, working from home or facing the enormous challenges of essential work and the multi-dimensional threats of COVID-19.
“Millions of us are testing the limits of our own strength— physically, emotionally and mentally—against the multi-dimensional threats of #COVID-19. #Resilience ”
“We are facing a reality that most of us have never faced before,” explains Dr. Ilona Jerabek, president of PsychTests.
“COVID-19 isn’t just a physical health issue. It has been a test of resilience, tenacity, and patience, as people try to protect themselves against an enemy they can neither see nor hear. This new, unprecedented reality of isolation and social distancing, of governments and medical officials learning on the fly, has left people wondering what tomorrow will bring.”
The pandemic is many things, but also an opportunity, says Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead.
She writes, “The counterintuitive skill that can help anyone thrive in times of change and disruption is to embrace chaos as opportunity: Carpe the Chaos. That’s Power Tool #5 of the nine I’ve created and teach about to help women succeed in life and work. There are no magic answers to keeping true to your goal when the tectonic plates are shifting under your feet.”
“The #pandemic is also an opportunity, says @GloriaFeldt, co-founder and president of @Takeleadwomen: “Embrace chaos as opportunity: Carpe the Chaos. That’s #PowerTool #5.””
Feldt suggests you think positive. “Like Monty Python, always look at the bright side of life. You might as well, since chaos is inevitable because change is inevitable. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from setbacks, is a key to success. And whoever is most comfortable and proactive with the ambiguity created by change is most likely not just to survive, but to thrive as a leader.”
PsychTests released a free Pandemic Resilience Test that allows individuals to assess their current state of mental health, their stress level and coping strategies, and offers practical tips to improve grit and psychological hardiness.
Initial survey results, according to Jerabek, show that as a result of COVID-19, 40% of people are experiencing moderate to extreme stress. Another 31% report they are ruminating to the point where it’s affecting their sleep and/or ability to concentrate. In that group 27% are experiencing moderate to severe anxiety, and 48% are at least somewhat worried about their health, safety, and finances.
“According to @Ila_jer, president of PsychTests, 40% of people are experiencing moderate to extreme #stress as a result of #COVID-19. #MentalHealth”
According to Michelle Kinder, author and counselor, writing in Better, “At least 316 million Americans are staying home, many are working remotely. More than 36 million people live alone in the United States and many have had no physical contact for weeks.”
She adds, “With the call for social distancing extended through the early summer or longer, the practice may lead to loss of connection, resulting in isolation and depression.”
Yet there are ways to manage with resilience.
"When you look at what leadership is, qualities that these people did at their best, not always, but their best represent, their humanity and empathy and resilience and the ability to communicate and have their words be trusted," author Doris Kearns Goodwin said recently at a Chicago Humanities Festival event.
The author of five historic biographies and winner of a Pulitzer Prize, Lincoln Prize, and a Carnegie Medal, Goodwin says leading in turbulent times also requires compassion.
“Even amid mounting financial worries, social isolation, and health-related fears, people can cultivate resilience and positivity,” Helen Weng, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, tells Inverse.
“While different stressors affect different people, there are six steps that everyone can take to practice resilience,” Weng tells Inverse. “These include: paying attention to your emotions, making time for dedicated exercise, checking the news in an intentional way, engaging in self-care, socializing, and coming up with an action plan for if you do spin out.”
“Yet there are ways to manage with #resilience. Helen Weng, a clinical psychologist at @Ucsfoshercenter advises #self-care, exercise, and “coming up with an action plan for if you do spin out.””
Members of the military have been weighing in on the psychological and physical effects of stress and offering tips on maintaining resilience.
Air Education and Training Command reports that Heather Gauthier-Bell, director of psychological health at the 142nd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard, says of mental resilience, “It’s something that’s vital to everyone to be able to continue to do your day-to-day job and the overall mission. Without mental well-being, everything else kind of just falls apart.”
She adds, “Make sure you’re doing some kind of exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep.”
“Heather Gauthier-Bell, director of psychological health at the 142nd Fighter Wing, @OregonGuard, says, “Make sure you’re doing some kind of exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep.” #MentalHealthTips”
Read more in Take The Lead on resilience
In the Psych Tests resilience survey, Jerabek says when responding to the question about how they are coping, 39% said that they’re afraid, but doing their best to cope while 56% accept the ambiguity and are just going with the flow. In addition, 62% believe that information about the virus shared on social media should be taken with a grain of salt.
The majority, Jerabek reports, are doing as well as they can. Of those surveyed, 68% said they are doing their best to keep the current circumstances in perspective. And 67% regularly remind themselves that things will get better.
For 65%, exercise, meditation, or deep breathing are outlets for stress, while 60% are using humor. 58% are actively problem-solving to develop strategies and solutions to improve their circumstances, while 52% are talking things out with people they believe can help such as a doctor, therapist, financial advisor or mentor.
“There also seems to be a sense of acceptance, and that is a good sign. People are accommodating the current reality as it is, and recognize that all they can do right now is take precautions, and adapt. They know that this won’t go on forever, so they’re sitting tight, and making the best of a tough situation,” Jerabek says.
Individual approaches, strategies and outlook are important, but also family and friend support, networks and environments matter—whether in real time community or virtually—and contribute to resilience. Of course, financial wellness and stability also matter greatly.
“Individual approaches, strategies and outlook are important, but also family and friend #support, networks and environments matter. #StayStrong”
Psychology Today recently reported, “A study analyzing the mental health effects of the pandemic on Chinese medical school students shows that certain demographic factors can make one more mentally resilient to stressors from this global event. More specifically, this research found that the factors associated with positive family support and financial stability were connected with lower levels of anxiety among the students.”
Southern Cross University mental health expert Professor John Hurley recently told Mirage News that “the best tip for moving into a resilient mindset is about drawing on available resources.”
“@SCUonline #MentalHealth expert Professor John Hurley recently told Mirage News that “the best tip for moving into a resilient #mindset is about drawing on available resources.””
“That resource may be internal such as personal courage, commitment, determination, being able to regulate emotion so we don’t allow ourselves to get carried away with fear,” Hurley told Mirage News. “There are also external resources such as reaching out to services, health professionals, connecting virtually with family and friends, helpful books and websites and anything else that brings positivity into our worlds.”
What is helpful, Hurley says, “is to look back at times when they’ve overcome adversity and make note of previous victories, wins and successes to remember the strengths they have.”
In other words, congratulate your own resilience.
Ladders reports that “Olympic diver turned serial entrepreneur and Engel & Völkers broker Christopher Kalec says “highly resilient people focus on the task at hand. They put one foot in front of the other and know that effort is the one variable they can control.” He adds, “I believe that hard work is the means to the end, and if you put your focus into the work required to get results, they will come.”
Feldt, who is launching a new “The Power to Take The Lead,” series of Zoom-based workshops with Luminary, says this time of chaos is also the opportunity to see the potential for new solutions, look with different eyes, maintain an optimistic mindset and be a change leader instead of being buffeted by change.
“@GloriaFeldt is launching a new “The Power to Take The Lead,” series of @Zoom_us -based workshops with @BeALuminary to turn this time of #chaos into the #opportunity to see the potential for new solutions. ”
