Resilience is the mark of a driven and focused individual. We all know a career in this industry can come with its highs and lows, and things don’t always go our way.
Resilience is a person’s ability to bounce back from adversity and grow from the challenge. Research suggests that past adversity can help you persevere in the face of current stress.
We asked #TeamEames: How do you overcome adversity?
"Generally, I will take a step back to look at things from a wider perspective before making any decisions around the difficult situation I face. If needed, I will also consult credible sources (can be people, other sources of information), but very seldom it’s Google as that usually leads to a negative outcome. Also, I’ll try to eliminate most emotions if possible (although this is tough) to focus on the practical and logical side of things." - Chanel Wee, principal consultant, Singapore
"I would tend to process things in a funnel or series of questions and impacts, for example:
- Emotion (let it out, don’t bottle in)
- Analyse what’s gone wrong
- Is it something I can control, change or influence? If no, then accept it and move on. I can’t control it; no point dwelling too much on it. If yes, then what can I implement to change the outcome?
- Who else is affected by it? Does that need any action?
- Prevention: Can I prevent it from happening again in the future? - Daniel Navazesh, partner & director, UK"It’s important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Reflecting honestly on the situation - identifying if there is anything that could have been done differently from there, finding the motivation to pick yourself up and keep trying, changing and improving." - Heather Yardley, senior consultant, UK
"It’s important to properly identify the adversity, analyse all potential scenarios and manage the expectations of all those who are affected by the problem, whether that’s yourself, a candidate, a client and/or a colleague. Clear communication is key to managing adversity and ensuring the situation can be turned into something positive regardless of the outcome." - Jim Freeman, senior principal, UK
"My usual methodology to deal with adversity is starting with the acknowledgement, solution and acceptance. One thing that I’ve learnt throughout the years, the more I choose to fight against adversity, it only hits me harder. For now, when something bad happens in my life, I rely a lot on the power of acknowledgement which helps me to digest the situation objectively. Then, I recognize the “bad” and follow by asking myself if I have done my best in finding solutions. If I know that I have given my 100% to it, I just need to accept it, live with it, and move on from it." - Jun Leong, consultant, Singapore
"The first piece of advice is to not react immediately to what has happened. If something unexpected has frustrated you, take a step back and regroup before responding. Secondly, always ask for input and advice from others, whatever the situation, chances are others have faced it before, and they will be able to give tips and support on how to get back on track. The main point is not to dwell on it. See adversity as an opportunity to learn and, where possible, recognise what caused the issue and develop tools to pre-empt the situation to avoid it happening again. Where that is not possible, put it to one side and move on and focus on what you can control." - Andy Mackay, principal consultant, UK
"I faced many adversities in my life, but I always tell myself that life will not present you with something you cannot handle. With this in mind, I do my ultimate best to either solve the situation and use this as a learning opportunity to prevent such situations from happening again in the future." - Diyana AB,operations manager, Singapore
"I overcome adversity by depending a lot on people around me whom I trust will support me the most when I needed it - be it friends, family or colleagues. It can come in the form of sharing my troubles or seeking advice from them." - Charmaine Chiam, consultant, Singapore
"By remaining positive and trying not to be consumed by the things that go wrong. When something doesn’t go according to plan, it is always best to take a step back and revaluate the situation – why did it go wrong? What could I have done differently? What have I learnt from this scenario? And similarly, when something goes right, why did it go right? Take every event as a learning opportunity and build from it." - Hannah Turner, principal consultant, UK
"I see adversity as an opportunity to learn and grow, both personally and professionally. Put your energy into the things that you can control! I’m a big believer in learning from mistakes/failures and adding value. If adversity has come about due to something we have done, then use it to learn from and make changes so that it doesn’t happen again. Try to understand the factors that have caused it. Speak to people, learn from others and utilise people and other resources to move forwards." - Graham Harrison, financial controller, UK