Psychologist Richard Tedeschi wrote recently about the opportunity for growth after trauma. As so many of us are struggling to cope with the coronavirus, the economy, and racial injustice, it’s a hopeful message. Tedeschi says the keys to growth include:
1. Education–understand the trauma and its impact on your core beliefs.
2. Emotional Regulation–avoid focus on losses; instead, think through possibilities and resources.
3. Disclosure–talk about what has happened.
4. Narrative Development–shape the story of your challenges into one of your own success in overcoming obstacles.
5. Service–find work that benefits others.
These efforts can yield personal strength, new possibilities, improved relationships, and growth.
This lesson is as relevant for our organizations as it is for us as individuals. If we lead through crisis with acknowledgement of what we’ve gone through, a focus on hope, and a commitment to supporting each other, we can shape our organization into something stronger on the other side. Rahm Emanuel said once that we should never let a crisis go to waste, as it’s an opportunity to do things we thought impossible. What is the opportunity we have now to take the crisis we are in and use it to grow?