Building personal resilience as a geoscientist

Physical health

Good physical health is essential for staying resilient during demanding work. In most geoscientist roles, field work is less physically demanding than in the past, but there remains the need to maintain stamina and energy to sustain long hours and travel demands. For FIFO arrangements, a lack of exercise can combine with a temptation for over-eating via on-site catering and consuming too much alcohol. The hope may be that extra calories will be compensated by a lighter diet at home, but this is seldom the reality. Staying healthy requires consistent worthwhile routines. Habit change is difficult and is most easily achieved through identifying techniques that work and building on these. Small shifts in the right direction are more achievable and sustainable for most. A smaller serve of ice-cream, one less beer and walking rather than driving are examples of this.

Many companies are encouraging physical health in recognition that healthy workers are more productive. Dietary guidelines for FIFO food, dedicated walking tracks between residential buildings and mine offices, gym facilities and small group exercise or games are just some examples of organisational initiatives. Ultimately, the self-motivation to capitalise on this will always rest with the individual. After times of intense work activity, a period of recovery is important. Immediately engaging in stressful work on return to the office after gruelling fieldwork may be detrimental to health longer-term as the impact can be cumulative. In periods of industry lay-offs or prolonged down-time between projects, a continued focus on maintaining physical conditioning and health not only eases transition back to work but also assists in psychological well-being and reinforces self-discipline and motivation: elements that can be lost during periods of unemployment.

Capacity to manage everyday pressures

The mineral industry is not unique in job pressures. Most industry sectors internationally are experiencing increasing demands on employees and declining resources, especially in professional and managerial roles. A recent survey by the Australian Psychological Society indicated that 22% of the Australian public are experiencing moderate to severe levels of stress and 32% believe that work issues are a source.

A simple yet effective model to illustrate management of workplace stresses is the Demands–Resources Model (Fig. 2). This model postulates that the capacity to be engaged or burnt out by work is dependent on the balance between the job demands and the available resources to meet these. In an economic environment where organisational budgets and support are declining, concurrent with expectations increasing, available resources are more likely to be personal and team-related than organisational.

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Figure 2

Job-demands resources model of work stress (Demerouti et al., 2001)

Typical personal resources include self-care strategies, time management, support networks and work/home boundaries and transitions. Most of these are simple and often commonsense but not necessarily easy to implement. In demanding roles they require structure, sound self-discipline and often negotiation skills. Self-care strategies largely involve creating routines that allow down-time and relaxation. FIFO arrangements often incorporate relaxation during non-work periods. For employees with more consistent work demands, integrating relaxation into busy schedules is difficult. As with maintenance of physical health, this requires building in down-time as a non-negotiable part of the week. It also involves taking breaks during the day. Establishing boundaries and developing regular routines makes this more sustainable.

What constitutes relaxation will vary dramatically across individuals, although it has been established that creative or outdoor relaxation is especially beneficial. Engaging in the activity mindfully (that is focusing on being in the moment and using all of the senses) also enhances its benefits. It is also preferable to balance active relaxation pursuits such as hobbies, sport and social pursuits with passive activities such as reading and listening to music. In a world of constant stimulation, focus is becoming difficult, despite multi-tasking being found to be counter to productivity (Kahneman, 2011).

The more the demands experienced the more the need to invest in self-care in order to avoid burnout. Commonly, attention in self-care actually diminishes as work pressures increase. There is simply no time to slow down or relax. Awareness of personal signs of overload is important here. Signs will vary considerably between individuals and may involve physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. Recognising these and responding appropriately is a crucial regulatory component of stress management. Failing to address early signs of overload can result in more serious psychological or physical conditions that will require professional advice and support. Whereas workload and being away from home may be stressors when employed, in the cases of prolonged lay-off, stressors may shift to family tensions through changes in time spent together, lack of direction and practical issues such as finances. In these circumstances, gaining support and being proactive are more effective strategies as there may already be too much relaxation. Those on FIFO arrangements who already use time at home productively, for study for example, will find it easier to find direction and stay motivated.

Efficient and timely management of work tasks is useful as a means of alleviating the sense of being overwhelmed. Time management techniques generally fall into the category of efficient work processes, prioritising, getting support, minimising distractions and negotiating tasks and deadlines. Scheduling reflective time is also important for both creativity and well-being in busy jobs. Extensive travel time common in geoscientific work can be optimised and used for relaxation, catching up on work or reflection.

Resilient employees build and maintain a network of access to support (McEwen, 2013). This is another aspect of the stress management component of resilience. Support may be formal such as coaching, mentoring and teamwork or informal such as catching up with colleagues. Typically, the support required of a geoscientist may include access to debriefing, professional and personal advice, practical support, different perspectives and emotional support. Whereas support from family and friends is important, over-reliance on this impacts on relationships and may not add value when there is limited understanding of the work performed. Managers, in particular, often need independent perspective or advice from outside the organisation and family and a place for confidential and safe debriefing. Effective managers are adept at linking their staff into support networks as a means of building an effective team below them.

Team cohesiveness greatly enhances individual support networks. Mutual accountability, support and shared direction build team performance as well as resilience (Huszezo, 1996). Establishing cohesiveness can be difficult however when contracts and restructuring minimise the longevity of team relationships. Cyclical employment arrangements make organisational commitment difficult to attain. Teams that regularly invest in how they will work together to achieve outcomes rather than just defining what needs to be done are much more effective. Ideally, this team agreement is revisited each time there is a change in project and team membership.

Resilient employees achieve a balance between work and home life. Contrary to commonplace beliefs, work–life balance is not a factor of time but one of values (McEwen, 2011). Long inflexible hours are only an issue if they preclude involvement in activities that are important to an individual. This will vary considerably across individuals and across the life span. What is important in early career may shift when becoming a parent or when nearing retirement. Balance involves recognising what is important and putting this as a central priority rather than secondary to work demands. As with other elements of stress management and physical health, this requires dedicated attention.

Related to creating time for the things that matter most is the capacity to separate work from home life. This has become especially problematic with technology that allows and promotes 24/7 access and for senior managers who are on call. Negotiating accessibility, self-discipline in compulsion to check emails and structuring time for work that needs to be completed at home are common techniques. Many people also use a routine to transition from the workplace to home. There is considerable variability in what is effective, ranging from wind-down activities such as cycling conducted in transit or taking a shower, walking the dog or playing with children on arrival home.

A final component that relates to the stress management component of resilience is emotional regulation (Cooper and Sawaf, 1997). Under pressure, less desirable aspects of personality can intensify and personal strengths can be overused and create problems. A colleague inclined to intolerance or criticality, for example, will demonstrate more of this characteristic, while a personal strength such as perfectionism or flexibility can become a tendency to be controlling or to procrastinate. Under stress, there is also an increased probability of loss of perspective and over-reaction to situations. Within the workplace, a level of busyness and saturation are precipitating over-reaction to minor events. When this is combined with high expectations of personal rights and declining standards of respect and courtesy, it can have a major impact on organisational culture.

Within this context, the capacity to manage mood and regulate powerful emotions enhances a personal sense of being in control rather than overwhelmed. Of equal importance is the impact of this on work relationships, especially when working in small teams in remote or harsh environments in the field or on office-based projects that require close teamwork. Skills in emotional management and regulation are integral to emotional intelligence – a concept that is now seen as valuable in leadership, team relationships and aspects of work performance (Cooper and Sawaf, 1997). A core attribute of an effective manager is to appear calm and in control under duress as this has a direct impact on how employees will respond to the situation. An example of this is Hillary Clinton who presents as controlled and centred despite the pressure of the situation.

Coaching support should be sought when anger or distress are unable to be regulated at work. There are a number of effective cognitive-behavioural and other psychological techniques appropriate for organisational use. Everyday mood can be managed by individuals through shifting self-talk, adopting a confident open body stance and smiling. It has been demonstrated that acting positively actually does improve mood (Frederickson, 2009).

Adaptability in response to set-back and change

Constant changes in working arrangements are an integral part of resource sector employment. Many of these changes, such as a new venture or team, will be predictable and welcomed whilst others such as role change or lay-off will be unexpected and undesirable. Resilience involves adapting and moving on. This is particularly the case with a negative event as this requires a reframing of how it is seen in order to move forward positively. When the negative events are cumulative, the attention to personal thoughts and beliefs requires increased attention to stay on track. Resilience involves moving quickly through the initial negative response to a set-back. This involves seeing the event in perspective, remaining optimistic and taking a solution-focused approach. For example, being assigned to a difficult project involves looking for the learning opportunity within it, recognising that the situation will be time limited and developing strategies to better manage the elements that make the role inherently difficult.

Optimistic thinking and maintaining perspective facilitate adaptability. Whereas some individuals seem more disposed to a sunny disposition, there is research to support that optimism can be learned and comprises three aspects: personalisation, pervasiveness and permanence (Seligman, 1990). In the case of a set-back, optimistic thinking requires non-personalisation of the event. This does not mean avoidance of personal responsibility, but acceptance that not everything was in your control and your fault. Pessimistic thinking in this situation are thoughts such as ‘it's my fault, I'm hopeless’. Second, optimism involves the capacity to compartmentalise the event and not let it pervade other aspects of life. Problems at work, for example, should not be carried into home life and vice versa. This is difficult and requires effort to continue normally in other domains of life without letting them be adversely impacted.

Finally, optimism involves seeing negative events as temporary setbacks or opportunities rather than a permanent state of affairs. Seeing completion of a contract position as indicative of long-term unemployment or confirmation that skills are inadequate to gain another job are examples of interpreting events as permanent. Interpreting events optimistically demands awareness of, and attention to, self-talk with a reframing of negative thoughts. This is another example of a technique that is simple but not easy and needs focus and practice. For those prone to pessimism, access to people who can challenge thoughts and offer different realistic perspectives is very valuable. When negative thoughts become overwhelming and are causing anxiety or a crisis in self-confidence, seeking early psychological support is advisable to prevent the onset of more serious implications such as clinical depression.

Awareness and avoidance of common thinking traps is also useful as these inhibit adaptability (Table 2). Within the workplace, such responses to obstacles can inhibit problem solving and it can be easy to become stuck in the issue rather than focused on its resolution.

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Table 2

Common thinking traps that inhibit adaptability

Thinking trap	Illustration	Constructive reframe
Loss of perspective	Magnifying or minimising an event	‘There will be other opportunities if I look for them.’
	‘That's the end of my career now I've lost that job.’	‘Work is cyclical so I need to keep my skills current and transferable.’
	‘Downsizing in the industry won't affect me.’
Personalising	Frequently feeling at fault	‘There was nothing more I could have done in the circumstances – it's outside of my control.’
	‘Why does it always happen to me. I should have done xyz…’
Overgeneralising	Adopting a global thought without evidence to support it	‘The Operations Manager, George does not seem to be have been updated properly about this situation.’
	‘Management never seem to know what's going on.’
Mind reading	Assuming to know what is happening	‘I need to talk with XYZ and find out what the reason is behind this decision.’
	‘I knew that HR would do that – they are looking at ways to discredit us as they need to make positions redundant.’

Adopting solution-focused language is also useful as this quickly directs focus and attention onto what to do rather than how difficult it is. Team questions such as ‘What's the next step in resolving this?, ‘What would it look like if it was working? and ‘What worked in the past and how can we bring this to this issue?’ will decrease the time spent on debriefing and complaining as well as enhance a sense of optimism around resolution (Berg and Szabo, 2005).

Identifying what is within scope of influence is also important as considerable energy can be spent on issues outside of the team's control. Strategies such as these are also useful for individual issues. If job loss is inevitable, then focusing on what to do about this rather than becoming angry at the organisation or boss enables more rapid adaptation.

At a team level, adaptability can be nurtured by creating opportunity for debating different perspectives constructively and engaging in joint problem solving. Resilient teams are able to challenge thinking, argue and engage in robust discussion. Constructive conflict facilitates creative problem solving. Egos, hidden agendas, lack of trust and different goals inhibit this. Not only does positive exchange promote members sense of feeling good research has shown that team effectiveness declines when advocacy greatly outweighs inquiry. The more members advocate for and defend their positions, as opposed to inquiring and exploring and valuing others, the less effective the team is (Avolio, 2011).

The capacity to actively seek and value feedback should be extended in teams to external stakeholders. It is impossible to adapt to a changing environment without seeking the advice and opinions of those who impact on the business. At an individual level, resilience at work requires seeking and acting on feedback relating to personal performance. This is also an important element in the proactive component of resilience as there is no potential to anticipate future issues unless information on what these may be is sought.

Optimism facilitates resilience at work, but positivity beyond outlook is also of value. There is extensive research to support the fact that positive emotion enhances well-being, relationships and subsequently individual and team performance at work. Acting and communicating positively not only improves mood giving rise to the expression of fake it until you make it – it also improves relationships.

It has been found that there is a ratio of positive to negative communication termed the Losada Ratio that predicts relationship success (Frederickson, 2009). Individuals, marriages and business teams flourishing, or doing remarkably well, have positivity ratios above +2·9 to −1 negative. By contrast, individuals not coping, couples divorcing and unprofitable business teams have ratios below 1∶1. The association between positivity and flourishing is highly robust and consistent at the individual, couple and team level.

One of the most powerful ways of generating positivity in organisations is increasing the frequency of sincere acknowledgement of effort and talents. In contrast, superficial and non-genuine complements promote cynicism and disengagement.

Personal pro-activity

In employment with variable conditions, pro-activity in relation to career and personal circumstances can be seen as essential risk management. Maintaining professional competence and currency are commonsense in an environment where job seeking may occur more often than in other occupations. A continued focus on professional development through courses, reading and attending industry events is useful, as is the maintenance of professional networks. Networks are a major source of information on new opportunities, industry trends and referees. They also serve as a useful support in maintaining connection with the profession when unemployed. Visibility enhances job opportunities. Forman (2008) provides a range of ideas on how to maintain employability in geoscience.

Practical pro-activity is also prudent in planning for what may be inevitable redundancy. Finances, relationships, out-of-work interests are all relevant in regard to this. Pro-active employees not only anticipate future challenges, but also have a good level of self-awareness. They actively seek feedback on their performance and adjust their behaviours accordingly. Ego, poor confidence or fear of criticism can sometimes preclude seeking feedback leaving blind spots that are not addressed.

Another element of pro-activity is knowing and capitalising on what one does well – often termed by psychologists as ‘playing to strengths’. There is growing research in recent times, via the positive psychology movement, on deploying strengths as a means of enhancing job satisfaction and performance (Linley et al., 2010; Seligman, 2002). Each person possesses different talents by virtue of their skills, knowledge, personality and special aptitudes. Recognising and finding opportunities to use these talents more means that work is more satisfying and less stressful. The theory is that there is greater potential for growth and satisfaction in working with (or playing to) strengths – a factor somewhat in contradiction to organisational emphasis on development needs.

Discovering and capitalising on the strengths of team members is becoming commonplace in organisations wishing to enhance team effectiveness and a multitude of strength assessment tools are now available. Strengths such as critical thinking, humour and creativity can add to the complementary skills and knowledge that are often the basis for recruitment to a team. Research findings relating to the RAW Scale indicates that jobs that allow personal authenticity promote resilience. If an individual is able to work in a manner consistent with personal values, and believes that the work provides meaning and purpose beyond daily tasks, there is greater commitment and capacity to persist despite obstacles and difficulties.

Internationally organisations continue to invest heavily in development of company values as a means of establishing desired work cultures and service standards. Whereas values-based behaviour is at the heart of organisational culture, the reality is that there is often disconnect between what is formally endorsed and what actually occurs. Increasingly individuals are leaving work environments that operate counter to personal values. For example, if a person values empathy, fairness, equity or honesty, the absence of this creates a sense of lack perceived integrity in the work and trust in the organisation. When faced with financial realities of being unable to leave individuals will cope well with the situation only if they invest in other domains of resilience such as support and perspective. Ultimately, when provided with choice, employees will often leave when values are incompatible (Linley and Joseph, 2004).

The proactive component of resilience with relation to authenticity is recognising one's values, vocalising them and role modelling and promoting them to the extent possible. One characteristic of high performing teams and effective leadership is articulated shared values that are used to guide behaviour and decision-making. This demonstrates that this impacts not only on resilience but also on performance (Avolio, 2011).

Employees who are able to find a sense of purpose and meaning in their work and who feel connected to their organisation have higher levels of resilience. Many occupations such as academia, helping professions and work in not-for-profit roles can easily relate their work to a broader contribution. Professionals such as geoscientists who see their work as a vocation are more likely to manage difficulties in the work and stay motivated as the higher goal, such as finding a deposit or optimising the exploration of an ore body, makes the task worthwhile.

In everyday tasks, it can be easy for geological duties to take on a data entry focus without reflection on what the data means. Finding the time and space to think about the significance of the data and to share this through small team presentations or regular review of sub-project findings will enhance job satisfaction. Creating the space for individual and team intellectual challenge adds to the perceived meaning and purpose of the work and also enhances collaborative problem solving and career progression.

In other roles such as leadership, the meaning and purpose can be the organisational vision. Linking every job to the organisational vision and strategy is an effective way to increase meaning as long as the strategy and vision are shared and not simply more profit for shareholders.