Resilience

What is it that allows people to bounce back from misfortune? How do some thrive in spite of adversity? Why do some recover stronger than they were before, after a crisis?

Over twenty years ago, Australia was hit with the "3 Rs": recession, restructures and redundancies. The impact of job loss, or the fear of it, was catastrophic for people who were let go and many who staid. I was privileged to work with hundreds of people in what was known as career transition, teaching the fourth "R", resilience.

My mentor was Paul Stevens, founder of Worklife, a pioneering Australian company leading the field in career counseling. Paul's own experience had shaped the formula he shared. I was one of a team of trainers imparting the tools and techniques that would enable people to regain control of their lives and shape their future, rather than remain victims of circumstances.

In workshops, people were able to look at their values, prioritise what was really important, assess their skills, interests and preferences and take stock of wants and needs, desires and constraints. We equipped people with job-seeking, resumé writing and interview skills and encouraged them not to take just any job but to target occupations that would bring them satisfaction. It was radical stuff for shell-shocked bank managers who'd only ever known one employer, insurance super-sales people suddenly told their services were no longer required and IT people in shrinking computer companies.

A few years later, I was running the same sort of workshops but this time they were called "career development" and aimed at empowering and retaining talented staff. Some of these were people who had tons of potential, great skills and valuable corporate knowledge but who did not know that they could proactively manage their career and their future. Some were people with clear ideas of where they wanted to go who felt confined by their circumstances and some were high-flyers, very successful in their roles yet unsatisfied and unfulfilled.

Both career transition and career development involve enabling people to effectively manage change. Resilience and empowerment, in the context of career, are the same. Paul Stevens' formula allowed people to take stock of themselves then chart a course forward. When people feel they have no choice, they feel powerless and that they have no control over life. In other words, they are victims of circumstance. On the other hand, choice = power = control. So understanding that there are choices is a first step.

A mentor does not just preach "positive thinking", they demonstrate a positive attitude combined with a practical approach. A mentoring conversation allows a person look at where they are, where they want to be and develop strategies for getting there. The mentor shares the journey as plans are implemented.

Times may be tough now but times change. Markets expand and contract. There is an ebb and flow in skills demand and people compete for jobs. What does not change is our need for relationships that provide encouragement and support, a sounding board for ideas and a stimulus for new thinking. We need conversations that are both nurturing and challenging so that we see options, make choices and are empowered to take action. That's how mentoring works.