This document discusses how individuals and society are experiencing accelerating change due to technological advances, globalization, and other factors. It outlines some of the challenges of balancing work and family responsibilities, job instability, and health issues that individuals face. It also examines the concept of resilience - the ability to absorb high levels of change with minimal dysfunction. Some view change as an opportunity, while others see it as a danger, and the document explores the characteristics of those with more opportunity-oriented and resilient mindsets versus those who tend to see change in a more danger-oriented way. It presents resilience as being on a continuum and having both opportunity and danger attributes to different degrees.

1. Resilience Through
Change and Crisis
Adapted from Managing at the
Speed of Change
Angie Boisselle, OTR, ATP
July 8, 2012

2. Changes of the Individual
• Women balancing a job and family
• Fluctuating job market, corporate
reorganizations, higher productivity
demands
• Divorce rate, marriages, health issues

3. Changes of Technology
• Shift from
typography to
technology
• Communication is
instantaneous
• Information is
growing at a dizzying
speed
http://gizmodo.com/5813875/what-happens-in-60-seconds-on-the-internet
• “Shelf-life” of facts is
diminishing

4. Global Change
• Advances in genetic engineering and medicine
• World population has increased demands on
natural resources
• Political and Economic power is shifting for
countries of the North Atlantic Ocean
• Faster modes of transportation
• Terrorism

5. RESILIENCE
Capacity to absorb high levels of change while resulting in
minimal dysfunction
Shift from victimization to empowerment

6. Crisis of Change
• Two orientations of change: danger and
promise for opportunity
• The Chinese symbol for “crisis” depict this
paradox
危機

7. Danger-oriented People
• Threatened by change
• Lack sense of purpose and
vision
• Difficult to reorient
themselves to unexpected
change
• Think logically and orderly
• Use denial, distortion and
delusion as defense
mechanisms
• Reactive rather than
proactive

8. Opportunity-oriented People
• Strong life-vision
• Realign their sense of purpose when
change occurs
• View life as a constant shift creating
new opportunity
• View disruption as adjustment period
• Know when to ask for help
• Self-sufficient but have nurturing
relationships
• Prepared to see the paradox

9. 5 Characteristics of
Resilience
• Security and self-assurance based
on viewing life as opportunity
(Positive)
• Clear vision of what they want to
achieve (Focused)
• Flexibility when responding to
uncertainty (Flexible)
• Structured approaches to ambiguity
(Organized)
• Proactive with change rather than
act against it (Proactive)

10. Continuum of Resilience
Low High
Type D Type O

11. Low High
Life should be sequential & orderly
Unmet expectations=conspiracies Life should be multi-faceted
Positive Change is uncomfortable & should constant shift of variables
be avoided Understands paradox
Focused Lacks overarching purpose/vision Embraces purpose and vision
Change is mysterious Change is manageable
Flexible Low tolerance for ambiguity
Needs a short time to recover
Lost with confusing information
Understands underlying themes
Cannot change priorities
Organized Fails to ask others for help
Recognizes the need for help
Sees changes as inevitable and
Unable to recognize coming change
necessary
Proactive Strictly adheres to operating style
Reframes situations
Does not take risks
Invests energy in problem solving

12. Last Thoughts
• We only show some attributes not all
• Don’t hold yourself or anyone up to “walk on
water.”
• Everyone has Type D and Type O attributes
• Our life experiences are reflected by what we
believe is true in regards to change
• There is nothing wrong with resistance to change.
It’s a natural, healthy response
• Given the need to control, Type D is just as
legitimate as Type O responses in given situations
• Problems arise when Type D becomes habitual
and predetermined

13. Resource
Conner, D (1993). Managing at the Speed of Change. Villard Books: N.Y., ch. 1 & 14.