Building Resilient Systems
Resilience (noun): the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
Leadership requires resiliency. To lead effective teams, overcome challenges, and navigate the many obstacles of work and life, leaders need the ability to endure.
Resilient leadership depends on this. It depends on individuals within an organization developing the skills to push through, bounce back, and forge a path ahead. But what Resilient leadership misses is that the burden of resiliency is not equal for everyone.
Untapped Leaders often carry the weight of resiliency. We bring with us into our workplaces a host of inequities, inequalities, and injustices. We are resilient when we arrive. Resilient leadership, then, becomes another burden for marginalized leaders to bear.
Rather than building resilient leaders, we should focus on building resilient systems. With this approach, we can focus on the systems in which we work and live, and find ways to more equitably distribute the responsibility of resilience.
Elements of a Resilient System
Collectively-distributed. In resilient systems, power and responsibility are distributed collectively. This can look like clearly communicated roles, collaborative responsibilities, and power dispersed across the organization.
Long-term. A resilient system has longevity. It invests in strategic plans that are feasible and actionable. It focuses on sustainable workloads and allows for a work pace that considers both the individual and the collective.
Proactive. Resilient systems are not reactive systems. Instead, they take a proactive approach to ensuring the organization and the people within them feel supported. Investing in culture, building trust, and centering safety are key.
Sustainable over the long term. Unlike resilient leadership, which is often short-lived and unsustainable, resilient systems have the ability to sustain long term. With a focus on the system rather than the individual, institutional knowledge and practices become the standard.
Human-centered. A resilient system is human-centered. Within them, people are the priority. Creating flexible work environments, leading with empathy, and supporting well-being are all characteristics of a people-driven vs. outcome-driven organization.
Building a Resilient System
Once you understand the differences between resilient leadership and resilient systems, you can begin to do the work of building a more equitable work environment. But remember, resiliency is a collective effort as should be the resilient system building. Lean on your team and other leaders within your organization to co-create a more equitable work environment.