Is Your Company Resilient? (and Why It Matters)

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s that life as we know it can turn on a dime. It also taught businesses a thing or two.

Those able to adapt and transform in months to disruptive market forces rather than years, learned what it takes to be successful when transformational change isn’t simply a “nice-to-have” but a must. At the same time, those organizations unable to adapt quickly enough to be successful learned some harder lessons, often to the detriment of their businesses and livelihoods.

Cheryl Perkins , CEO and Founder of Innovationedge, is a thought leader with more than 35 years of experience in innovation and business strategy. She wrote recently that, “Crisis prompts us to think differently, and strong leadership becomes critical during uncertain times. As business leaders, we may not know what the next event that challenges our organization will be, but we can take steps to better prepare ourselves.”

One of those steps is to identify what it means to be a resilient company and how to get there.

As a prominent keynote speaker, published author, and creative catalyst in brand-building initiatives, Cheryl was a natural to contribute an essay to the book, The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change , for which I am lead author. With her essay, “Characteristics of a Resilient Organization,” Cheryl explored what it means to be a resilient organization, including key characteristics and the benefits of being resilient.

Below are several excerpts from her essay:

What Is a Resilient Organization?

A resilient organization is one that prepares for, responds to, and adapts to incremental changes and sudden disruptions not only to survive but to prosper. These organizations go beyond the typical risk management protocol and focus on a more holistic view of their organization’s overall health and success. This helps them do more than just survive in the face of adversity; it helps them thrive and set themselves up for long-term growth.

Benefits of Being a Resilient Organization

Besides being better equipped to handle unexpected challenges, some benefits of being a resilient organization include:

• Employees who work for resilient organizations report lower levels of stress and higher levels of job satisfaction. Resilient organizations can offer employees more stability and resources, which can increase employee retention rates.
• Resilient organizations often invest in processes, systems, and training for their teams that increase their capacity to produce quality products and services. Investing in teams can also lead to new, innovative breakthroughs for organizations.
• Being a resilient organization requires leaders within a company to share common goals and strategies. This helps unify management and provides teams with a clear set of expectations and goals.
• Resilient organizations also understand the importance of encouraging teamwork, promoting creative problem-solving, and rewarding employees who do well. In return, employees are often more engaged with the work they do.

Key Characteristics of Resilient Organizations

Strong Leadership: Leaders in resilient organizations understand that you cannot be paralyzed by indecision when swift action is required. While we can never be 100% informed about any decision we make, as leaders we must be willing to step outside of our comfort zones to move forward. This type of leadership allows us to grow, adapt, and innovate.

Unified Human Resources: Companies that embrace a holistic approach, where the human resources team collaborates with other thought leaders at every level of the organization, develop stronger communications across their team, ensure that leaders share common objectives, and promote cultures that embody the same values and goals. This alignment can help increase workplace morale and encourage teamwork, which are essential when challenges arise.

Risk Mitigation: History shows us that when the economy stumbles badly, innovative companies use this as an opportunity to create and deliver breakthrough innovation. Analyzing data about your organization, workforce, products, and processes can help identify pain points and challenges. This can help you determine which risks are worth taking without halting all the new programs, processes, or innovative developments that may lead to future growth.

Adaptive Thinking: In times of disruption, resilient organizations focus on connecting with their consumers at an emotional level to identify their needs. Then, they adapt their services, products, and messaging to meet those needs. Organizations can encourage this type of adaptive thinking in their employees by rewarding employees who develop creative solutions. Cultivating this skill set in the workforce can help organizations adjust quickly to changes.

Culture of Well-Being: Resilient organizations proactively fight against change fatigue, which can present itself through a wide range of mental and physical issues, including anxiety and burnout. Consider what programs, incentives, or positive reinforcement you can provide to improve your team’s overall well-being. This may also involve analyzing what company practices are detrimental to your culture.

Investment in Professional Development: Successful leaders develop their talent through selective skill-based hiring and continuous training. Investing in employees by providing them with opportunities to hone their skills and learn new things can increase the quality of products and services. It can also promote creative thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability—all types of skill sets that can make an organization more resilient to change.

Strong Partnerships and Alliances: Collaborating with others outside the organization can reduce costs, lower risk levels, provide more resources, and increase speed to market. The first step is to determine where your company’s internal strengths and weaknesses are. Then consider which partners may provide you with the resources you lack to fill in these gaps.

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The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change, from lead author Ian Ziskin and with contributions from dozens of senior business leaders, HR leaders, experts, coaches, and consultants, shares insight, vivid stories, lessons learned, and best practices for what it takes to lead, survive, and thrive in periods of transformational change. Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats, you can learn more at https://www.transformationalchangebook.com .