Resilience
Staying energized, productive, and focused in the face of challenges, ambiguity, change, or strenuous demands, creating a supportive environment that helps others become more resilient and productive.
Level 1 Works effectively in standard situations
BEHAVIORS
- Remains focused and productive in the face of standard work demands (e.g., sets own priorities and clarifies expectations).
- Adjusts work arrangements to meet objectives when working under changing or unclear conditions (e.g., revises daily/weekly work priorities).
- Adapts to changing circumstances or demands.
QUESTIONS
- Tell us about a situation where you had to change your priorities due to an unexpected task to complete.
Probing Questions
* What was the task?
* To what extent did this unexpected task change your work priorities?
* What did you do to deal with the situation?
- Describe a situation where you had to adapt due to a change in client demands.
Probing Questions
* What were the initial client demands?
* What changes did they request?
* What steps did you take in order to adapt to the new demands?
* To what extent did the new demands alter your work?
Level 2 Works effectively in the face of occasional strenuous work demands
BEHAVIORS
- Retains perspective in the face of periodic disruptions (e.g., identifies own personal limit for workload and makes appropriate adjustments).
- Expresses realistic confidence in own abilities, views or decisions, while remaining open to other viewpoints.
- Adjusts behavior based on an awareness of how their own actions or reactions impact others (i.e., others’ stress levels).
- Takes steps to deal constructively with setbacks.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation where you had to defend a decision you made.
Probing Questions
* What was your decision?
* What were the other points of view?
* Why did you feel that your decision was the best choice?
* How well was your defense received by others?
* Were any changes made to your decision due to the discussion?
- Describe a situation where you had more on your plate than you could reasonably handle within a given time period.
Probing Questions
* What were the tasks you needed to complete?
* Which task took priority over the others?
* What happened to the other tasks?
* How did you ensure that your choice would be accepted and respected by your manager?
- Could you please describe a setback you experienced on the job?
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What was the setback?
* How did you deal with the setback?
* To what extent did the setback affect the end result? your mood?
Level 3 Adapts to ongoing, or regular strenuous work demands
BEHAVIORS
- Retains perspective in the face of difficult or demanding situations (pervasive ambiguity, frequent change, high workloads).
- Describes disruptions as challenges rather than threats.
- Adjusts personal coping mechanisms to deal with disruptions.
QUESTIONS
- Describe how you dealt with an unusually heavy workload in the past.
Probing Questions
* Why did you have such an unusual workload?
* What work did you have to do?
* How was your work prioritized?
* How did you ensure that the work was completed on time?
- Every work environment undergoes changes; the only difference is the frequency at which they occur. Please describe a situation where changes that affected your work occurred frequently.
Probing Questions
* What were the changes?
* How did the changes affect your work?
* What did you do in order to ensure that you maintained the same quality of work despite the frequent changes?
- Describe a situation where you had to solve a problem while dealing with constant disruptions.
Probing Questions
* What was the problem?
* What were the disruptions?
* What was the initial effect the disruptions had on your work?
* How did you deal with the disruptions?
Level 4 Proactively assists others in dealing with strenuous work demands
BEHAVIORS
- Provides advice and guidance to others to assist them in coping with difficult or demanding situations.
- Creates a work environment in which wellness and balance are valued.
- Helps others retain a balanced perspective and remain energized, in the face of ongoing or frequent situations involving high-level stress.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation where you provided advice and/or guidance to others in dealing with work demands.
Probing Questions
* What prompted you to provide this advice and guidance?
* What advice and guidance did you provide?
* What was the initial response to your help?
* Did the need for your help continue?
- Describe a situation where your work environment was particularly tense due to major changes or high work demands.
Probing Questions
* What caused this situation?
* What did you do to cope with the situation?
* What were the effects of your actions?
Level 5 Creates a positive environment and assists others in dealing with ongoing strenuous work demands
BEHAVIORS
- Models an environment of high energy, enthusiasm and optimism, despite high demands or difficult workloads.
- Instills organizational practices to mitigate disruptive or stressful situations for staff.
- Shows appreciation for the demands placed on employees.
QUESTIONS
- Please describe a situation where you supervised staff in a high demand work environment.
Probing Questions
* How did you ensure staff remained committed to their work?
* How did you encourage positive thinking?
* How did you reward those that worked hard?
- Describe a time when you noticed organizational practices that were contributing to a stressful work environment.
Probing Questions
* What were the symptoms of stress?
* What were the policies or practices that contributed to employee stress?
* What did you do?
* What were the results of your actions?