DSC_0025Introduction
Building Resilience with Positive Psychology is a presentation that was delivered for the Trauma Recovery and Corporate Solutions conference: Understanding Human Resilience sponsored by Changi Hospital, Singapore August 15, 16, 2014. This conference featured international speakers and presenters on the theme of how the new Positive Psychology can be utilized to develop resilience in healthcare professionals.
What is Resilience?
Resilience, is defined by Fred Luthans as “the developable capacity to rebound or bounce back from adversity…is arguably the most important positive resource to navigating a turbulent and stressful workplace.” [1] It is recognized that healthcare is one of the most demanding and stressful professions today. Resilience is the ability to rebound from stress and adversity even stronger than before. According to Everly, et.al., [2] there are seven characteristics of highly resilient people including:
  1. Presence of calm, innovative, non-dogmatic thinking;
  2. Decisive action (Courage: not afraid to fail);
  3. Tenacity;
  4. Interpersonal connectedness and support (may be single most important predictor);
  5. Honesty;
  6. Self-discipline and self-control; and,
  7. Optimism and a positive perspective on life.
Positive Psychology
According to Dr. Martin Seligman one of the founders of Positive Psychology, “The aim of Positive Psychology is to catalyze a change in psychology from a preoccupation with only repairing the worst things in life to also building the best qualities in life.” [3] Since 1997 Positive Psychology as an academic and research science has investigated personal strengths and positive emotions that are the hallmarks of resilience.
Character Strengths
Character strengths are the hallmark of Positive Psychology and are defined as: “A preexisting capacity for a particular way of behaving, thinking, or feeling that is authentic and energising to the user, and enables optimal functioning, development, and performance.” [4] In this definition character strengths are capacities we already have and often utilize without being fully aware of it. These capacities are authentic, that is they represent who we are at our core and energizing, we feel good when we utilize them.
There are obviously many advantages to knowing and utilizing our strengths including:
  • Utilizing your strengths activates personal resources that are already present.[5]
  • Developing and maximizing personal strengths builds self-confidence and self-efficacy [6]
  • Recognizing and synergizing strengths with others builds personal and organizational resilience. [7]
 Positive Emotions
A second pillar of Positive Psychology is the development of positive affect or emotions. It is noted by researcher Barbara Fredrickson that: “People experiencing positive affect show patterns of thought that are notably flexible, creative, integrative, open to information and efficient. In general terms, positive affect produces a broad, flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material.” [8]
In her research she describes this “broaden and build” theory which states that when people feel more positively, their thought process changes. In essence greater positivity:
  • Broadens our perspective and builds enduring personal resources; [9]
  • Facilitates “approach behavior” that prompt individuals to positively engage with others; [10]
  • Positive emotions “undo” negative emotions; [11]
  • Facilitates faster recovery from adversity; and. [12]
  • Helps develop greater tenacity at work. [13]
Building Resilience
Building more resilience then is a process of becoming more aware of and consciously utilizing our strengths and positive emotions. By discovering and consciously utilizing our character strengths more in our work and personal life we tap inner resources we already have but may not be fully utilizing to increase our sense of confidence, self-efficacy and build personal and organizational resilience. By learning to cultivate positive emotions we develop greater tenacity at work by broadening and building our perspective, being more willing to positively engage others and recover faster from adversity by overcoming our negative emotions.
The U.S. Army became so interested in this approach it hired Dr Seligman to develop a training program to help soldiers more resilient. [14] The critical components to this training include:
  • Self-Awareness: Identifying counterproductive thoughts, emotions and behavioral patterns.
  • Self-regulation: Develop the ability to delay acting on negative impulses: Stop! Relax. Breathe. Reflect.
  • Focus on the positive, develop optimism. Challenge counterproductive beliefs.
  • Mental agility: flexibility and openness in thinking.
  • Focus on strengths to overcome challenges
  • Connection: building strong relationships through positive, effective communication. 
Conclusion:
Resilience is one of the most important capacities that we have in being successful at work and happy in our personal lives. According to the science of Positive Psychology we can develop resilience by learning to focus on our strengths and positive emotions. In the words of Albert Bandura one of the most famous and quoted psychologists of our time: “In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-efficacy, to struggle together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life.”
References:
  1. Luthans, F., (2002). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior 23, 695-706
  2. Seven Characteristics of Highly Resilient People: Insights from Navy SEALs to the “Greatest Generation” Int J EmergMent Health. 2012;14(2):87-93.
  3. Seligman, M., Csikszentmihalyi, M., (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist 55, 5-14.
  4. Linley, A. (2008). Average to A+: Realising Strengths in Yourself and Others . CAPP Press, United Kingdom
  5. Carver, C. (1998). Resilience and Thriving: Issues, Models and Linkages. Journal of Social Issues, 54, 2, 245-266.
  6. Peterson, C. & Seligman, M.E. Strengths of Character and Well-Being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 23, No. 5, 2004, pp. 603-619
  7. Sutcliffe, K.M., & Vogus, T.J. (2003). Organizing for Resilience. In K. Cameron, J.E. Dutton, & R.E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive Organizational Scholarship (pp. 94-110).
  8. Fredrickson, B. (2001). The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology. American Psychologist 56, 3, 218-226”
  9. Fredrickson, B., Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life. Three Rivers Press, New York 2009.
  10. Fredrickson, B., Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life. Three Rivers Press, New York 2009.
  11. Fredrickson BL. What good are positive emotions? Review of General Psychology. 1998;2:300–319.
  12. Ibid
  13. Ibid
  14. Barry M. Staw, Robert I. Sutton and Lisa H. Pelled: Positive Emotion and Favorable Outcomes at the Workplace. Organization Science, Vol. 5, No. 1 pp. 51-71
  15. Seligman, M.E.P, et.al (2011). Master Resilience Training in the U.S. Army. American Psychologist Vol. 66, No 1 23-34