You don’t need more ‘resilience’
Readtime: 4 minutes
You’ve probably heard about how we need to be more resilient at work.
I don’t think that’s true in most instances.
When we’re told to be more resilient, what we’re really being told is to put up with an unsustainable situation.
But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost, as there are some things we can do to make the situation better for us.
Let’s dive in.
Resilience
Resilience means the ability to deal with and recover from difficulties.
When we’re told we need to be more resilient at work, it normally means we have:
Mentally exhausting work
A very high workload
Both of the above
These situations are fine for a bit.
But if they are continually there, then it’s probably not more resilience that you need, but some other changes you need to make.
2. Mentally exhausting work
Some challenge in your role is good. It’s the only way we learn and develop.
We need to be out of our comfort zones and into our stretch zones for this to happen.
But if you’re constantly out of your depth, you’re no longer in your stretch zone, you’re in your panic zone.
That’s not a state that enables you to do great work or be happy.
If this is where you are, you need an honest assessment.
It could be that you are just on a very steep learning curve and you will quickly grow into the role.
Or maybe you need to find another role that will stretch you, but not constantly panic you.
Knowing the difference between these two situations is critical. You can make your assessment by asking yourself these questions:
Are your bosses and peers providing positive feedback, suggesting you are overcoming the steep learning curve, or are their concerns indicating that the role isn't the right fit?
Are you acquiring new skills and becoming more efficient in your tasks, or do you feel stuck and overwhelmed despite your efforts?
Despite the challenges, do you find the work rewarding and can see a clear path forward, or does it feel like a constant struggle with no end in sight?
You need to decide whether you’re going to stay and (hopefully quickly) grow into the role, or leave.
Use those questions to guide your decision.
And remember – quitting something that isn’t right for you is a positive move.
3. A very high workload
It’s fine to have a high workload every now and then. But if your workload is continually excessive, it will lead to burnout.
Your high workload may seem normal, particularly if it has increased gradually over time, or if it is the same as everyone else’s in your team. But those are dangerous traps to fall into.
Most senior executives I know who have fallen into these traps don’t need more resilience. They’re very resilient.
What they’ve needed is either a lower workload, or a better way of getting through what they need to. In most cases it’s both.
To reduce workload, you need to:
To get through your work more efficiently, you need to:
If you’re short on time focus on the links above to ‘help your colleagues less’ and ‘become Strategically Unavailable’.
And if you’d prefer to watch my five minute talk on becoming Strategically Unavailable from March 2024 at Disrupt, click the image below:
And if you haven’t got time for any of that, then just remember this to reduce your workload: Most of the time good enough is good enough.
That’s it!
In summary
Congratulations, you now know that being told to be resilient often means putting up with unsustainable work conditions for a bit longer. But there are things you can do to improve the situation:
Deal with mentally exhausting work: Assess your situation by determining if the challenges you are facing are real growth opportunities that can be dealt with in a reasonable timeframe, or are signs that the role isn’t for you.
Deal with a very high workload: Reduce an excessive workload by saying no more often, helping your colleagues less, working in accordance with your circadian rhythm, and becoming Strategically Unavailable.
On a personal note
It has only been in the last five years or so that I started implementing these things for myself.
They served me well for my last few years at KPMG and now that I’m running my own business.
I’ve certainly found that they give you a much better shot at being resilient. And more importantly than that, at happiness and fulfilment at work.
I’d really encourage you to give them a try and would love to hear how you get on.
One quote to get you going
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
What’s your take on resilience? Please let us know on LinkedIn here.
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