Building Resilience in Turbulent Times

I hesitate to label these times as “turbulent,” as it implies there were periods of greater stability, ease, or even monotony. None of us would describe the last decade in such terms. If we reflect on the past 12 months and anticipate the next 12, it’s clear we have all faced—and will continue to face—complexity, stress, tragedy, and ambiguity before we even begin our work. It’s understandable we seek more from our leaders and organizations, specifically safety, trust, and clarity—essentially, a sense of belonging.

There’s no magic formula for navigating the economic, geopolitical, legal, and cultural complexities that are part of daily executive life. Success isn’t about having the perfect words or the ideal delivery. It comes from confidence, from steadiness, and, crucially, from building resilience within our teams.

Resilience goes beyond merely withstanding stress and challenges. It’s about overcoming obstacles, staying optimistic, and, critically, managing oneself while maintaining thoughtful and intentional executive functioning. From this foundation, leaders and teams can identify needed support, foster trust and safety, and create an environment conducive to success and high performance. Although this may sound idealistic, building resilience is entirely possible.

• Build a self-care routine. Prioritize your physical health, manage your emotions, and support your mental well-being. Do you take breaks, exercise, and get enough sleep? Increase your awareness of what frustrates or stresses you. Identify your triggers and find ways to manage them. Mentally, are you distracted or overextended? Ensure you have time for informal conversations and check-ins with your team.
• Build deeper relationships. Cultivate curiosity about your people. Understand what motivates them and what challenges they face. Learn how you build and erode trust. Avoid favoritism and strive to make work easier for everyone, not just a select few.
• Create a safe environment. Be intentional in engaging with everyone’s perspectives. Seek feedback and act on it. Follow through on decisions and be transparent about how they are made. Establish team norms and clarify what’s acceptable and what’s not.
• Establish shared values. When teams connect to a set of meaningful values and behaviors, they understand what to expect and how to navigate challenges. Teams need to know what they stand for and be able to hold one another accountable for upholding those values.

Bringing resilience to life lays the foundation for belonging. When our teams and leaders understand their roles, how to operate, and what it takes to thrive, they are better equipped to handle external complexities. As humans, we need predictable environments where we can achieve successes. Belonging at work provides that stability for talent. RHR’s Leading at Scale and Culture of Belonging programs give leaders the tools to create steady, focused, and high-performing environments, regardless of external challenges. Reach out if you’d like to learn more.

– Cristina Jimenez