Building Your Emotional Resilience Muscle

2 min read

As people managers, our job isn’t just to get great results, but to do it equitably and sustainably. The thing about people is: we have feelings. These feelings fluctuate and become heightened during times of crisis or uncertainty, and they impact how we show up and feel about our work. Managing effectively means we have two responsibilities on the feelings front: 1) tend our own emotional reserves, and 2) support the people we manage to do the same.

In times of crisis or uncertainty, strong management skills aren’t optional—they’re essential. Enroll in our Foundations course Managing to Change the World—gain the confidence, tools, and strategies to delegate effectively, have high-quality check-ins, build relationships with your team, and more. Level up your leadership and sign up today!

Here are some helpful resources for managers looking to build emotional resilience for themselves and their team:

Managing Through Uncertainty: How to Scenario Plan

Sometimes, the best thing you can do when you are nervous about something is to actually confront the fear: play out the various scenarios (including worst case!), identify what could actually happen, and get ready for it. You might not welcome the event with open arms, but it might help soften some of that stress.

Using Sphere of Control to Build Resilience

Sphere of control is a concept that functions like a noise-canceling headphones on a crowded train: it helps you cut through chaos and confusion, and focus your attention to where you have power and agency. When everything feels a little out of control, focusing on your sphere of control can help you move forward one step at a time.

How to Build a “Psychological First Aid Kit”

Yes, we found management advice in a magazine for outdoor recreationists! Here are some ideas we found helpful:

  • The principles of the “psychological first aid kit,” which are “safety, calm, connection, efficacy, and hope.” Reflect on how you might weave these into your management, such as by doing regular informal check-ins and celebrating wins.
  • Helping others as the antidote to scarcity and fear. Knowing that we can help others helps us build emotional resilience (as long as we’re also taking care of ourselves). Find ways to underscore your team’s impact.

How to Lead When You’re Afraid

This article includes concrete, actionable tips for showing up as a leader when you’re feeling afraid. Here are a few favorites:

  • Do a self-check-in and figure out what you need to stay whole.
  • Create spaciousness by reprioritizing (more on that here!).
  • Communicate in three categories: 1) What you know for sure; 2) What you predict, and; 3) What you’re uncertain about.

How to Build a More Resilient Team

This article has some core guidance around building resilient teams that can better weather crisis and uncertainty:

  • Acknowledge emotions
  • Focus on your sphere of control (see above)
  • Center your team purpose
  • Foster a “trial-and-error” culture, an indicator of psychological safety

© The Management Center
Author
The Management Center

The Management Center is a 501c3 organization that helps leaders working for social change build equitable, sustainable, and results-driven organizations via trainings coaching, and online resources and tools.

Resource Metadata

Types
Topics
Other Topics
Collections

Related Resources

Resource Type
Article / publication

Managing Uncertainty with Purpose, Agency, Connection

As managers, we can’t end the pandemic or undo racial and intergenerational trauma, but we can influence how our staff experience this moment. This article offers three ways to build a greater sense of purpose, agency, and connection during times of crisis or uncertainty.

5.5 min read
Resource Type
Article / publication

Managing Uncertainty: Strategies for Middle Managers

Middle managers play a critical role. It’s also not an easy job. If you’ve ever felt caught in the middle between your manager and your team, here are three strategies to get unstuck.

7.5 min read
Resource Type
Article / publication

Managing Uncertainty: What to Communicate to Your Team

In a crisis, a big part of every leader’s job is to provide a container for staff—that is, to make sense of what’s happening. Effective communication can promote the stability, continuity, and sense of purpose that helps people cope during tough times.

4 min read