How can you build resilience to manage stress in a Manufacturing Operations leadership role?

1 Identify your stressors

The first step to building resilience is to recognize what triggers your stress and how it affects you. Stressors can be internal, such as your expectations, beliefs, or emotions, or external, such as deadlines, demands, or conflicts. By identifying your stressors, you can understand their sources, patterns, and impacts, and develop strategies to address them. For example, you can prioritize your tasks, delegate responsibilities, communicate your needs, or seek support.

2 Practice self-care

The second step to building resilience is to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Stress can take a toll on your health, mood, and energy, so you need to replenish your resources and maintain your balance. Some ways to practice self-care are to get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly, meditate, relax, and have fun. Self-care can also help you prevent burnout, which is a state of chronic stress that can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness.

3 Develop a growth mindset

The third step to building resilience is to adopt a growth mindset, which is the belief that you can learn and improve from challenges and feedback. A growth mindset can help you embrace change, overcome obstacles, and see failures as opportunities to grow. Instead of avoiding or denying difficulties, you can face them with curiosity, optimism, and confidence. You can also seek feedback, learn new skills, and set realistic and attainable goals.

4 Build positive relationships

The fourth step to building resilience is to cultivate positive relationships with your colleagues, managers, subordinates, and other stakeholders. Positive relationships can provide you with social support, emotional validation, and practical assistance. They can also foster a sense of belonging, trust, and collaboration. You can build positive relationships by communicating effectively, listening actively, showing appreciation, giving and receiving feedback, resolving conflicts, and celebrating successes.

5 Find meaning and purpose

The fifth step to building resilience is to find meaning and purpose in your work. Meaning and purpose can motivate you, inspire you, and give you direction. They can also help you cope with stress by reminding you of your values, goals, and contributions. You can find meaning and purpose by aligning your work with your personal vision and mission, identifying the impact and value of your work, and seeking opportunities to make a difference.

6 Learn from others

The sixth step to building resilience is to learn from others who have demonstrated resilience in similar or different situations. You can seek mentors, role models, or peers who can share their experiences, insights, and advice. You can also join networks, communities, or groups that can offer you support, guidance, and inspiration. By learning from others, you can gain new perspectives, strategies, and skills to enhance your resilience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?