Resilience is the ability to adapt to and overcome adversity. Individuals and communities are able to rebuild after devastating tragedies. Violence and environmental disasters in recent years have touched all of us in some way. Whether directly or indirectly, we have all felt loss. In our daily lives we feel stress, and we learn to cope with changes. We have all learned lessons from mistakes in both our private and professional lives.
Some, however, appear to be more resilient than others. How do people seem to “roll with the punches” in the face of chaos? How does a coworker bounce back after a poor review?
“Resilience is the ability to adapt well in response to stressful events. In our lives we may experience tragedy, adversity, or real or perceived sources of stress. These events can occur in our family or significant relationships, workplace, health, or financial situations.” [©2014 Amplified Life Media. Reprint, “Bouncing Back,” liveandworkwell.com]
You can probably guess that resilience is essential for anyone who works with people. Whether you are a leader or an entry-level worker, your ability to be resilient will affect how you perform your job. Whether you are a corporate trainer or a cybersecurity expert, you must remain focused on goals regardless of sudden changes and surprises.
Resilience is an essential skill.
Why do some people struggle and fail, while others succeed and thrive? It’s not necessarily upbringing, education, or experience. In order to help people cope with adversity and thrive with uncertainty and change, resilience is an essential skill. The good news is that all of us can learn to be more resilient!
In June, Doug Hensch, Executive Coach and president of DRH Group, presented a mini-workshop at PMI Washington DC’s Loudoun Community Lunch and Learn, entitled 5 Secrets to Resilience. Tailored for anyone interested in finding new ways to improve their own levels of resilience, the workshop teaches skills to effectively fight stress and anxiety. This workshop is popular with most who have attended, including an Agile Program Director who enjoyed Doug’s teaching style:
“… the entire class is engaged, it includes great videos with a great sense of humor. Anyone can teach a bunch of principles to a group and see what sticks, only a few individuals like Doug can show us how to apply these principles in our everyday lives.” (Linkedin recommendation, September 17, 2015)
Leaders who want to be more interactive and bring out the best in their team will benefit from Doug’s class as well. Many of us will easily recognize the natural-born leaders among us; they are the ones who can bounce back from defeat and inspire others. They are also the ones who are naturally able to cope with risk and change. They are resilient.
PMI Seminars at NOVA
Through NOVA’s education alliance with the PMI Washington DC Chapter, the Workforce Development Division offers customized seminars on a variety of topics of interest to PMI members. NOVA is a category B provider. Seminars are being held through December in Reston, Woodbridge, and Arlington.
The first seminar being offered is 5 Secrets to Resilience, Doug Hensch’s day-long workshop. This workshop is focused on helping employees, managers, and leaders improve their ability to cope with adversity, uncertainty, and change. The content of the course is backed by over 30 years of research and delivered in an engaging, entertaining format that gives participants the tools they need to thrive in difficult times.
Additional PMI courses are available, and registration is open now:
October 24, NOVA Woodbridge
Successful Federal Contracts Administration
[register online now]
December 11, Arlington Center
Breakthrough Project Portfolio Performance
[register online now]
Doug Hensch is an executive coach, group facilitator and consultant with over 20 years of experience. He brings a wealth of experience and passion to the work through a simple philosophy: Set meaningful goals. Identify your strengths. Work in them regularly.
For more information on PMI Washington DC events, visit their website and make sure to check out the monthly PMIWDC Loudoun Community Lunch and Learn opportunities. The October 12 lunch will discuss Difficult Conversations for Project Managers, with Professional & Personal Development Coach Francis Roman, REI Systems Inc.