The Power of Resiliency
© 2011 Magellan Health , Inc.
Learning Objectives

Define resiliency

Assess your own resiliency

Identify actions to enhance resiliency
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What is Resiliency?
“I haven’t failed. I’ve identified 10,000 ways that don’t work”
-Thomas Edison
“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300
games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning
shot... and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that's precisely why I succeed.”
-Michael Jordan
“We can either watch life from the sidelines, or actively participate...Either
we let self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy prevent us from realizing our
potential, or embrace the fact that when we turn our attention away from
ourselves, our potential is limitless.”
-Christopher Reeve
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Resilient People….
Use humor to get
through difficult
times
See mistakes as
learning
opportunities not
failures
Are flexible in their
approach to life
Creatively problem
solve
Siebert, Al (2010). The Survivor Personality. NY: Penguin Group, Inc.
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How Resilient are You?
Please use this time to complete and score the Resiliency
Assessment on pages 1-3 of your handouts.
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Building Your Resiliency
Developed by Dr. Al Siebert
Nurture
your health
& wellbeing
Take an
active
approach
to solve
problems
Foster a
strong
sense of
“self”
Continue
to learn
Maintain
an
adaptable
outlook
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
6
Nurture Your Health and Wellbeing
Key Points:
Events are neutral-they are neither stressful nor non-stressful. It is our
internal response to events that can induce a stress reaction.
We have the ability to determine our internal response.
People who are resilient manage their internal responses by taking
care of their mental/spiritual/physical/emotional health, even during
times of crisis.
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
7
Nurture Your Health and Wellbeing
Fundamentals:
•Include physical activity
•Maintain routines
•Get enough sleep
•Eat a balance diet
•Avoid alcohol and other drugs
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
8
Nurture Your Health and Wellbeing
Focus on the things that you can control.
Increase your positive experiences by doing more of the things that
energize you or that bring you joy.
Decrease your negative experiences by managing your exposure to
negative people/situations.
Use your sense of humor
Maintain relationships and ask for the support you need from others.
Help me problem solve, just listen to me vent, tell me what you would do
in this situation.
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
9
Take an Active Approach to Solve Problems
We must think like survivors
rather than victims!
 Focus on the things we can
do something about
rather than dwell on things
outside of our control!
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Steps to Problem Solving
Define the “real” problem based on what you can control
Identify the outcome you’d like
Generate options based on what you can control
Select an option and act
Evaluate and reassess
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from
Setbacks. CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
11
Foster a Strong Sense of “Self”
Self-confidence-The expectations that you have for yourself.
“I will succeed” vs. “This is too much to handle”
Self-esteem-What you think of yourself. You may not always get
compliments from others, even if you deserve them. Self-esteem
means that you think highly of yourself and can give yourself the
compliments you deserve rather than relying on others to give
them to you.
Self-concept- Answers the question, “Who am I?” If I define
myself by job title or income, what happens when those things
change?
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
12
Foster a Strong Sense of “Self”
Enhance your self-confidence by:
 Making a list of your accomplishments and telling others about
them
 Spending time with other self-confident people
 Setting a “stretch goal”
Enhance your self-esteem by:
 Making a list of your accomplishments and praising yourself!
 When you are given a compliment respond with a simple
“thank you” and enjoy the feeling
Enhance your self-concept by:
 Thinking of yourself in terms of your internal qualities rather
than roles or titles; what makes you who you are?
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
13
Continue to Learn
Be curious
Ask questions
Learn from experiences
Learn from watching others
Listen to feedback
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from
Setbacks. CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
14
Maintain an Adaptable Outlook
Use challenging times as learning opportunities
Identify strategies that you used to negotiate past challenging
situations.
Ask yourself:
What strengths/talents do I have to utilize in this situation?
How can I turn this to my advantage?
What unusual opportunity has this created?
What can I learn from this experience?
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage. Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks.
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
15
Maintain an Adaptable Outlook
Have Reasonable Expectations
Do you expect life to always go as you want it to go?
The airplane to leave on time
The recognition you think you have earned
Do you expect things to stay the same and never change?
Your job description or reporting hierarchy
Your relationships
If so you may be setting yourself up for disappointment!
What unrealistic expectations do you have?
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In Summary
“Life is not fair and that can be very good for you”
-Al Siebert
Siebert, Al (2010) The Survivor Personality. NY: Penguin Group, Inc.
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References and Additional Resources
Brooks, Robert & Goldstein, Sam (2001), Raising Resilient Children. NY:
McGraw-Hill.
Magellan Health : www.magellanhealth.com/member
Siebert, Al (2005). The Resiliency Advantage.CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers,
Inc.
Siebert, Al (2010). The Survivor Personality. NY: Penguin Group, Inc.
The Resiliency Center: http://www.resiliencycenter.com/
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Your Employee Assistance Program
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