Team Resilience

Why Team Resilience?

Resilience is important because it enables individuals, teams and organisations thrive in volatile situations. When individuals, teams and organisations thrive they are able to navigate through challenges, maintain high performance, and achieve great results.

In the 2020/1 economic recovery, resilient companies generated TSR 50% higher than their less resilient peers (McKinsey, 2023).

The building of resilience in organisations is taking on such importance that it has even been referred to as the new employee engagement (Forbes, 2023). The equation of resilience with engagement is significant, given the link between employee engagement and organisation performance. This brings us to what managers can do to build more resilient teams in organisations, beginning with what team resilience is.

What is Team Resilience?

Team resilience refers to a team's ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger in the face of adversity, setbacks, or challenging situations. It is the collective capacity of a group of individuals to withstand stressors, maintain performance, and rebound from difficult circumstances. Resilient teams can learn from their experiences, quickly regroup after setbacks, and continue working towards their goals even under pressure or in times of uncertainty.

Building Team Resilience

Resilience is something that can be built over time. On a day-to-day basis it is what managers, and their teams, do to 'bounce forward' when adapting and responding to change.

Key components of team resilience include:

1. Strong team relationships: Resilient teams are built on trust, open communication, and support. Team members feel comfortable sharing their challenges and rely on one another to overcome obstacles.
2. Adaptability and flexibility: Resilient teams can quickly adjust to changing circumstances, embrace new ideas, and adapt their strategies as needed.
3. Learning and growth mindset: Resilient teams embrace learning from mistakes and view setbacks as opportunities to grow and improve. They maintain a positive attitude and focus on continuous improvement.
4. Clear goals and shared vision: Resilient teams have a clear understanding of their objectives and work collaboratively towards a shared vision. This helps maintain focus and motivation even in challenging situations.
5. Proactive problem-solving: Resilient teams anticipate potential challenges and develop strategies to address them. They take a proactive approach to problem-solving, which helps them adapt and recover more quickly from setbacks.
6. Shared responsibility and decision-making: In resilient teams, members share responsibility for tasks and decision-making. This fosters a sense of ownership and commitment, which can help the team rebound from challenges.
7. Effective leadership: Resilient teams are guided by strong leaders who model resilience, provide support, and maintain clear communication. They create a supportive environment and encourage team members to learn, grow, and adapt.

In summary, team resilience is vital because it allows organisations to adapt to change, maintain high performance, foster a supportive culture, and ultimately achieve long-term success. By investing in building resilient teams, managers can ensure they are well-prepared to face challenges and remain competitive in today's dynamic environment.