3 A CUSTOMISED, VIRTUAL FLASH CARD FOR MANAGERS By Franklyn Michael – Supplementary Associate CARICAD O rganisations that plan to be successful on a sustainable and sustained basis need to be Resilient. That is so because the world changes; crises happen. Adaptation, innovation, flexibility and the capacity to thrive after crises are essential for long-term success. Resilience is by definition a demanding and holistic concept. It is not something that can be taken up and put back down. It is a mindset because there will always be the need for personal and organisational Resilience. This virtual Flash Card is intended to give leaders/ managers or soon-to-be leaders/managers a tool for enduring reflection and guidance. We have presented it in a way that you will find relevant and useful but above all, succinct. CARICAD regards Resilience as: The ability to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of hazards, emergencies and crises in a timely, effective, efficient and sustainable manner with the preservation and restoration of essential structures, systems, functions and services to create capacity for transformation and future adaptation to new realities. Organisations that remain successful need leaders that are results-driven and effective under all conditions and unfolding circumstances. It follows therefore that resilient leadership is a critical ingredient in overall organisational success. The global environment today is often described as VUCA; meaning it is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. There is now a school of thought that in addition to VUCA, we have to think of Permacrisis — the world is now seen as being in a state of constant (near permanent) crisis. The background described above is the reason why CARICAD has decided to provide this Flash Card on Resilient Leadership for our leaders/managers. We present it in this form because we know that information on Resilient Leadership is vital but most of our leaders/managers cannot devote a lot of time to reading and research on that or any topic. There are simply too many demands on their time. They would also like to have a quick reference of key points. We provide that here. The International Institute for Management Development describes Resilient Leaders as having the ability to sustain their energy level under pressure, to cope with disruptive changes and adapt. They also overcome major difficulties without engaging in dysfunctional behaviour or harming others. Resilience is a crucial characteristic of high performing leaders. Leaders must cultivate it in themselves in order to advance and thrive. The Resilience Practitioner Handbook describes resilient professionals as having: Strong communication skills and emotional intelligence, especially in relation to empathy. Practitioners need to be open to listening and understanding the operating environment and demands in which they are consulting and be responsive to people’s concerns and needs. They need to be persuasive and able to challenge others – providing confronting feedback while maintaining respect and trust. This requires acting with integrity. A high level of self-awareness as well as an understanding of the impact of their personal style on others underlies these qualities. CARICAD has a framework for managing in crises based on the matrix shown below. Continues on next page
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