Despite resource limitations, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced organisations to accelerate their change. This has increased the need to maximise whatever is available to ensure business continuity and care for employees.
We saw teams handling the work pressure, dealing with challenges and contributing towards organisational goals. We’ve also seen how increased work demands can make the teams resilient in driving business growth to a large extent.
Here are six ways you can build your team’s resilience to face setbacks and challenges:
Create a strong support system
A solid support system is one of the most critical approaches towards building resilience amongst your teams. Creating a support system with the right resources and tools can keep employees engaged and fulfilled at work.
Resources and tools could include mentorship programmes or flexible working environments that can bring out the best in each person on the team which in turn can boost relationships among team members and build resilience.
According to an HRM service, employees that are supported and valued by their leaders can be more productive and resilient. A support system could also take the form of a strong communication system whether it’s in the physical or virtual workplace. This may ensure that employees are aware of what is happening in the organisation and make them feel listened to and appreciated.
Team leaders and teammates back up are important for promoting the productivity of the team. This entails paying attention to any signs of distress among team members and offering them the right kind of support.
Showing support can help the struggling teammates, boost their morale and enhance their efficiency. Try and gauge whether your team appreciates each other’s support and if that is not the case, be a role model for the desired actions.
According to a people development head you can demonstrate your interest in your team’s progress by asking questions to get insights into their underlying issues. As a resilient leader, you also need to listen to understand the answers given by the team members.
Create an inspirational purpose
Defining the reason for a team’s existence is about connecting with people and sharing an inspirational belief. A meaningful and clear purpose provides a sense of direction into how the team members communicate and act.
When the team’s purpose is clear and is inspired by the mission, it empowers them to make informed decisions under limited time and cutting through information overload. If the teammates don’t understand their purpose, work with them to clarify it to motivate them.
This clarity of purpose can inspire the team to carry on in difficult situations and make progress despite setbacks. It can make the employees feel that they are self-sufficient and give them the renewed energy they need to continue working.
Practice adaptability
Keeping an organisation afloat during the pandemic has necessitated changes in systems, structures and processes. You should practice adaptability as a way of building the teams’ resilience and enable employees to participate in problem-solving.
Helping employees to come up with problem-solving strategies can allow them to see problems as just puzzles that can be dealt with. They will have greater appreciation that problem-solving requires the adoption of unique approaches which can be tested to then establish the one that works best.
Your teams may be struggling with childcare, stress, family support, and health anxiety. As a result, they may need your patience and understanding too with schedules and deadlines.
Make sure to help your teams develop an attitude that can make them resilient while staying optimistic, energetic, and open to change. Encouraging a growth mindset within your teams will enhance their creativity and ability to be committed despite the apprehensions and uncertainties.
Build trust
As a leader, you may be facing unique challenges. This is an opportunity to be open and honest as you express your feelings about those challenges. Taking the following steps can strengthen team relationships in the long run:
- Keeping your teams informed
- Maintaining responsible leadership
- Leading by example
- Honestly handling difficult issues
- Supporting your teams career aspirations
Nurture optimism well
The level of optimism among employees in the organisation differs significantly. However, every team member can enhance their optimism. Your teams may have faced serious challenges over the past few months and it is understandably challenging to remain positive.
Your role should be to ensure that you care about what the employees are experiencing. Encourage individuals to focus on what they can control and develop creative ways of responding to events as they occur.
Establish unambiguous and clear expectations and promote peer-to-peer support. Show that despite struggles, it is possible to attain positive outcomes.
You can promote workplace optimism by rewarding employees and celebrating workplace victories. This can motivate them and enhance their productivity in the long run. You can also become a mentor by setting goals to make everyone in your team accountable for the organisation’s growth and overall success.
Communicate often and align tasks to purpose
During times of crisis, employee communication can play an important role in building resilience. Teams are hungry for updates, especially when they are work remotely.
Provide updates more frequently to share exceptional work, discuss changes, and recognise well-performing team members. Encourage two-way communication and allow your teams the opportunity to share their feedback.
Being committed to frequent updates can unite the team members and prevent burnout. An open and clear conversation regarding the shared purpose of your team and its alignment with daily tasks can increase the team’s resilience. If your decisions are guided by purpose amid the pandemic, you are likely to come out stronger.
Conclusion
Team resilience is an important element of good performance that many leaders are looking to achieve. Incorporating the above principles of building resilience is a great way to prepare your teams to overcome challenges and adapt to changes that may come about in any crisis situation, now and in the future.
Author: Leon Collier – Freelancer.
Photo credit: Razvan Chisu on Unsplash
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