Resilience in an organisation – how to develop the ability to cope with uncertainty during times of change
”Hey, we’re swaying again, but we’re not going to fall over. We might be a bit tired, but we’re not going to sleep just yet.”.
Hi, we’re wobbling again, but we won’t fall over. We don’t regret the past or dwell on it.
”It’s not our fault if we’ve lost our way. The clock’s running backwards, the world’s gone haywire."
Today’s operating environment is just like the lyrics of a Tiktak song. Things are happening all around us all the time, the world is in a state of flux, but resilience a character or organisation with this trait will not be defeated.
Resilience refers to an organisation’s ability to cope with change, adapt and carry on despite uncertainty. Resilience – that is, the ability to cope with uncertainty – has become a key competitive advantage in organisations where change is not an exception – but the norm.
Changes in the operating environment – why is organisational resilience so crucial?
Does the opening of this blog post seem like an exaggerated view? Perhaps… Or perhaps not?
Over the past few years, the following events, amongst others, have taken place around the world:
- Pandemic
- A number of wars of aggression
- Disruptions to the global market economy, such as the closure of critical logistics routes
- Unpredictable customs duties
In today’s business environment, it is probably fair to say that stability does not come from immutability, but from the ability to change.
In practical terms, organisational resilience means that:
- Various future trends are continuously assessed and monitored
- Decisions are made without complete information, but are nevertheless based on a sufficiently clear picture of the situation
- We do not shy away from uncertainty, nor do we allow it to paralyse us; instead, we make the most of it and learn quickly from any mistakes.
An organisation with a strong capacity to tolerate uncertainty does not come to a standstill in the face of change – it thrives on it.
Resilience in an organisation – how is it fostered?
Stephen Covey provides a truly excellent, concrete example of how to foster resilience in an organisation’s operations at both the individual and organisational levels. An organisation’s operations, atmosphere and results are guided by where its focus lies.
If, to paraphrase Covey, an organisation’s focus in terms of its approach and atmosphere is:
- Matters over which one has no influence or control, leading to paralysis and a fear of change
- Matters over which one can have an influence but cannot make decisions, which is easily followed by frustration
- Matters that can be influenced and decided upon (myself/ourselves), leading to magical results and a resilient organisation.
Summary – resilience as a competitive advantage
Resilience – that is, the ability to cope with uncertainty – does not happen by chance. It is built up by focusing on the right things, both in terms of the spirit of the work and the results. When an organisation learns to operate in the face of uncertainty, change no longer paralyses it – it enables growth.
The clock ticks ”tick-tock”; the reverse order – ”tock-tick” – builds resilience.
