Building Leadership Capacity through Resiliency

Dr. D. Annie Henry

Dr. Mike Milstein

The Resiliency Group

13 October 2006

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

—Annie Dillard, American author and Nobel Prize recipient

I shall be telling this with a sighI shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence; two roads Somewhere ages and ages hence; two roads diverged into a woods,diverged into a woods,—And I—And II took the one less traveled by, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.and that has made all the difference.

By Robert FrostBy Robert Frost

I dwell in possibilities.

—Emily Dickinson

What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

—Nietzsche

Internal Protective Factors

1. Gives of self in service to others or a cause or both.2. Uses life skills, including good decision making, assertiveness, impulse

control, and problem solving.3. Is sociable and has ability to be a friend and form positive relationships.4. Has a sense of humor.5. Exhibits internal locus of control, i.e., belief in ability to influence one’s

environment.6. Is autonomous, independent.7. Has positive view of personal future.8. Is flexible.9. Has spirituality, i.e., belief in a greater power.10. Has capacity for connection to learning.11. Is self-motivated.12. Is “good at something,” has personal competence.13. Has feelings of self-worth and self- confidence.

Environmental Protective Factors

1. Promotes close bonds.2. Values and encourages education.3. Uses high warmth, low criticism style of interaction.4. Sets and enforces clear boundaries (rules, norms, and laws).5. Encourages supportive relationships with many caring others.6. Promotes sharing of responsibilities, service to others, “required helpfulness.”7. Provides access to resources for meeting basic needs of housing,

employment, health care, and recreation.8. Expresses high realistic expectations for success.9. Encourages goal setting and mastery.10. Nourishes development of positive connections (such as altruism) and life

skills (such as cooperation).11. Provides leadership, decision making, and other opportunities for meaningful

participation.12. Appreciates the unique talents of each individual.

Dysfunctional Response

Resilient Response

Return to Comfort Zone

Survival

Adversity

Figure 1: Multiple Ways to Respond to Adversity

Resiliency Definitions

The process of coping with disruptive, stressful, or challenging life events in a way that provides the individual with additional protective and coping skills.” (Richardson, Neiger, Jensen, & Krumpfer, 1996)

“The process of self-righting and growth.” (Higgins, 1994)

“The capacity to bounce back, withstand hardships, and to repair yourself.” (Wolin & Wolin, 1993)

The Six Resiliency Elements

Positive Connections

Clear Consistent, and

Appropriate Boundaries

Life-Guiding Skills

Nurture and Support

Purposes and Expectations

Meaningful Participation

For most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our

aim is too low and we reach it—Michelangelo

Strategies that Promote Leadership Resiliency

Positive Connections– Shared decision making– Participation in professional development– mentor

Clear, Consistent & Appropriate Boundaries– Involve educators and students to set rules & policies– Communicate policies in writing– Check for clarity– Norms that are clear understood and shared

Strategies Continued

Life Guiding Skills– Survey staff members– Model adult learning principles– Obtain resources and support

Nurture and Support– Purposeful and regular feedback– Celebrations and recognitions– Discouraging negative criticism

Strategies Continued

Purposes and Expectations– Involve others in development of vision, mission

and goals– Create ongoing planning and actions teams– Communicate progress and problems

Meaningful Participation– Promote teams– Develop skills to motivate and facilitate process– Promote cooperative efforts

If the fish in a stream were dying, we would not assume If the fish in a stream were dying, we would not assume that we could solve this problem by pulling the fish out that we could solve this problem by pulling the fish out of the stream and allowing them to swim in a clean fish of the stream and allowing them to swim in a clean fish tank for 30 minutes each day, returning them to the tank for 30 minutes each day, returning them to the original system for the remainder of the day. We would original system for the remainder of the day. We would begin a systematic search to find out what was causing begin a systematic search to find out what was causing the fish to die. Solutions might be a combination of the fish to die. Solutions might be a combination of cleaning up the stream, educating the users of the cleaning up the stream, educating the users of the stream, and spending money differently to respond to stream, and spending money differently to respond to the problem. If the health of the fish were important to the problem. If the health of the fish were important to us, we would do what was necessary to restore the us, we would do what was necessary to restore the health of the stream so the fish could thrive.health of the stream so the fish could thrive.—Mary Taylor, Ph.D.—Mary Taylor, Ph.D.

Even if you’re on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

—Will Rogers