Hardiness/Resilient
The X-Factor for Healthy & Successful Talent
Clinical Trials Resource Group
Kenneth M. Nowack, Ph.D.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 452-5130  (310) 295-1059 Fax
www.envisialearning.com
www.ofactor.com
ken@envisialearning.com
Kenneth M. Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed
psychologist and President of Envisia
Learning, Inc. (www.envisialearning.com), a
management consulting and publishing
company and President of Ofactor Inc.
(www.ofactor.com) a neuroscience
consulting company.
Dr. Nowack received his doctorate degree in
Counseling Psychology from the University
of California, Los Angeles and has
published extensively in the areas of
leadership development, assessment,
health psychology, and behavioral
medicine.
Ken serves on Daniel Goleman’s
Consortium for Research on Emotional
Intelligence in Organizations and serves as
Associate Editor for The Consulting
Psychology Journal: Practice and Research.
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Hardiness/Resilient
The X-Factor for Healthy and Successful
Talent
The Secret to Happiness
Our Research on Resilience
Enhancing Resilience
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The Secret to
Happiness
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Happiness Formula
H
appiness
=G
enetics
50%
+C
ircumstances
10%
+I
ntentions
40%
Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable
change. Review of General Psychology, 9, 111-131
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Increasing Happiness
Identify your
“signature
strengths” and
use these weekly
Become
involved with
others and
volunteer
Spend more
time engaged
with family and
friends you find
enjoyable
Increase the
amount of sleep
you get to
improve mood
Reflect on three
good things that
made your day
positive
Practice
forgiveness and
gratitude giving
Exercise at least
3-4 times a week
to improve mood
Seligman, M. et al., 2005. Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions.
American Psychologist, 60, 410-421.
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Charles Darwin
Defining
and Measuring
Resilience
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Five Basic Human Drives (Nowack, 2015)
Approach/Avoidance
Affiliation/Bonding
Autonomy/Control
Mastery/Growth
Purpose/Hope
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Stress Response (HPA Axis)
Threat—Hindrance—Challenge Stressors
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The “Force” Vs. The “Dark Side”
Chronic Stress Decreases Activation of the Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex
and Increases the Activation of the Amygdala
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“It is not the strongest of the species that
Charles
Darwin
survives,
nor the
most intelligent that survives.
It is the one that is the most adaptable to
change.”
Charles Darwin
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Definition of Resilience
Resilience refers to positive adaptation or
Charles
Darwin
the ability to maintain physical health and
psychological well-being in the face of life
adversity and challenge
Herrman, et al., 2011
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Resilience Inventory
Stress Profile Scale (WPS; Nowack, 1996)

A set of pervasive attitudes and beliefs that include:
•
•
•
•
View change as a challenge, rather than a threat
Are committed, rather than alienated, with their
activities a work and home
Possess a more internal, rather than external, locus
of control
Possess an optimistic explanatory style by
appraising bad events as relatively external,
unstable and specific
WHAT HIGH SCORES MEAN
 High scores suggest a general optimistic attitude and
sense of resilience compared to those with low scores
IMPLICATIONS
 Hardy individuals who experience stress report
significantly less illness, job burnout, and psychological
distress
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Resilience Inventory Interpretation
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Enhancing Resilience
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Developing Resilience
Resilience Factors
Neurobiological: Effective regulation of the
hypothalamus-pituitary axis (HPA) to stress;
Coaching Interventions
Stress inoculation training (SIT); Mindfulness based
stress reduction meditation
Capacity to regulate limbic reactivity to stress and
prefrontal executive function
Physical Health: High quality and adequate
Wellness/lifestyle management interventions
quantity of sleep; Regular physical activity; Healthy
nutritional habits
Social: Satisfaction and utilization of one’s social
support network; Strong social skills; Resilient role
models
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Enhancement of social and emotional competence
(EI); Strengthening of social support networks
Behavioral Approaches to Enhance Resilience
1. Sleep More
2. Increase Physical Activity
3. Develop/Strengthen your Social Support
Network
4. Practice Gratitude
5. Fall Upwards/Post Traumatic Growth
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Behavioral Approaches to Enhance Resilience
6. Develop a “Catastrophe” vs. “Annoyance
Mindset
7. Be Hopeful and Optimistic
8. Move Towards Goals…Or Quit
9. Practice Forgiveness
10. Identify/Deploy “Signature Strengths”
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“I want to die in my sleep like my
Charles Darwin
grandfather—not screaming and yelling like the
passengers in his car.”
Will Shriner
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Three Stages of Resiliency
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Resilience Goal Setting Options
One Time—Sometime—All The Time (BJ Fogg, 2014)
Step 1
Assess
360
Assessment
Stop
Doing
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Do
Step
2
Less
Reflect/Plan
Momentor
Start
Doing
Do
Step 3
More
Do
Differently
Track/Monitor
Coach
Accelerator
Resilience Exercise: My Success
Scorecard
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“Live
each
day
as
if
it
is
Charles Darwin
your last for one day it will be.”
Unknown
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Learning and Reflection
 What key learning did I get from today’s
presentation? (What have I heard? /
What have I learned?)
 How can I apply this new knowledge,
information, or technique to a challenge
at work?
 What specific actions am I committing to
as a result of what I have learned?
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Questions?
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