SUMMARY: "Reeling in Resilience" uses a humorous fishing metaphor to discuss how businesses often use ineffective traditional methods to address serious problems. It highlights how cultivating a work environment that fosters Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and a sense of Belonging can increase organizational resilience and employee satisfaction. The article encourages the enlistment of a resilience keynote speaker to inspire change and help navigate the journey to a healthier, more inclusive work environment.
Here is a metaphor that is as poignant as a cat video on the internet - it's as if organizations are casting their line in a lake where the only thing they're catching is a scent they didn't sign up for! Instead of a rewarding ‘catch’—successful outcomes—they reel in one problem after another, like a disastrous fishing trip where even the worms are calling it quits.
The diagnosis, “Fish lacked resilience,” hits the nail on the head as if it's been set up on a date with a hammer. It's not the ‘fish’ or employees that are inherently the problem, but the environment - a ‘lake’ that's as welcoming as a cactus hug.
Some businesses go about it in the same way as someone trying to fix a computer by shouting louder at it. They throw ‘standard programming’ at these problems—rigid rules, stricter hierarchies, the works. It's like trying to cure a headache by banging your head against the wall; it just exacerbates the problem.
But wait, there’s hope! And it comes in the shape of Equity and Inclusion (E&I), and the concept of Belonging. Think of it as the “kale smoothie” for your business diet - a bit tough to swallow at first, but incredibly beneficial in the long run. E&I is like that party where everyone's invited and genuinely welcomed, not just to check off a box on the invite list. And Belonging? It's that warm, fuzzy feeling when you know you're not just a cog in the machine, but a cherished part of a vibrant organism.
Creating this kind of atmosphere in the workplace has more benefits than a Swiss Army knife. Employees feel connected, like links in a strong chain rather than fish out of water. But, as you may have suspected, making this cultural shift is as easy as nailing jelly to a tree. It takes long-term commitment, not unlike training a cat to fetch.
Enter "The Resilience Keynote Speaker", the superhero without a cape. This can be anyone who has had training as a DEI practitioner, industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologist, change management, or the like. They're here to save the day by inspiring the organization and offering strategies to transform it into a resilient, equitable, and inclusive ecosystem. They're like the best fishing guide to help you navigate the choppy waters of change and ensure you're casting your line into a lake teeming with healthy, resilient ‘fish’.
So, let’s swap ‘some’ of the quaint ways of ‘standard programming’, which are as effective as a chocolate teapot, with a new ‘innovative’ approach that breathes life, equity, inclusion, and resilience into our organizations. After all, who wants to fish in a lake full of dead fish when we could be reeling in the good stuff in an ocean of opportunity?
Consider reading the following on resilience:
“Resilient” Isn’t the Compliment You Think It Is, (HBR, 2023)