Following on from the previous post about resilience I thought I’d offer you another really useful tool.
One of the keys to building your resilience is the ability to take what’s in your head and turning into a plan.
If you’re facing a difficult challenge at work you first need to break it down into simple and definable issues – such as budget, lack of cooperation from other departments, pressure of other deadlines, etc.
Using a tool called “The Control Continuum”, you can take each issue, and score how much control you have over them – 1 being absolutely no control, and 6 being something you can control.
Here is an example of how to put this into a table:
Now, consider the issues you have in columns 1 to 3 – the ones you have little or no control over – and think about how you can influence them, or what your reaction/action should be to them. You can now begin to develop a strategy for each challenging issue.
Using the same example, here are some suggestions:
How can I build my resilience if there’s nothing I can do?
Sometimes that action will be:
“I’m just going to have to run with this and I can’t think of anything other than a work around”.
That is fine. Key to managing challenging situations is to analyse and develop rational strategies, and sometimes that means putting some problem aside for another day, and focusing on the battles you can win.
Focusing on the potential wins will help your state of mind and attitude as well as helping you unconsciously unlock effective strategies. And, it will build your resilience!
Good luck!
David Solomon
Managing Director, Sun and Moon Training
@SunMoonDavid
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