Resilience at Work

by Salvatore Maddi & Deborah Khoshaba

Why do some people remain so calm and collected in the face of looming deadlines, combative meetings, impending layoffs, and turbulent changes? And why are these seemingly unflappable people the ones who consistently get ahead in their lives and their careers?

According to the authors, the key to success is their resilience. More than experience or training, resilience in the face of stressful situations and rapid changes determines whether you ultimately succeed or fail in the workplace.

Based on a twelve-year study of Illinois Bell Telephone employees as they experienced immense organizational change, as well as hundreds of subsequent studies and firsthand consultations, Resilience at Work attempts to provide the reader with the tools to become a hardier, more successful person.

The good news for those workers who feel overwhelmed, and even sickened, by stress is that resilience is not an inborn personality trait, but a set of skills and attitudes that can be learned.

Packed with insightful examples, case studies, and self-assessment tools, Resilience at Work examines:

• Attitudes of commitment, control and challenge.
• Transformational coping.
• Giving and receiving assistance and encouragement.
• Practicing socially supportive interactions, and
• Strengthening employee and employer ties.

Reorganization, downsizing, mergers, budget pressures, transfers, job insecurity, and more are producing today’s unpredictable, pressure-cooker conditions, and making it harder for less resilient people to achieve the success they deserve.