1. Leading printing executives into the future
Resilience and Perseverance in this Time of Change
By Jerry Scher
Published: August 30, 2013
During this extreme transitional period within the graphic communication industry we have been
observing a multitude of strategies and approaches employed by companies of all sizes. While
some are embracing the technological advances and their impact, others are hoping that their
businesses will return to the “old” normal. And whether you redefine your business model or
attempt to get better at what you have always done, you can be certain that you will have to face
significant challenges in the months and years ahead.
In a recent article by Rosabeth Moss Kanter (Surprises Are the New Normal; Resilience Is the
New Skill – Harvard Business Review) the author discusses the importance of resilience on the
part of business leaders in these challenging times. She goes on to emphasize the importance of
learning from your errors, taking initiative and responsibility for your future and collaborating
with those around you. I think we can agree that how you respond and handle setbacks and
challenges will certainly be a determining factor in how your business will survive and thrive.
And considering all the changes taking place, the following quotes address these challenges:
“It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent but the one most
responsive to change” – Darwin
“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is
opening” – Alexander Graham Bell
Definitions
Resilience is defined as “An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change”
and Perseverance is defined as “The continued effort to do or achieve something despite
difficulties, failure, or opposition.”
Think back to when you first started your business; my guess is that while those entrepreneurial
juices were really flowing, you certainly had to overcome significant obstacles. You not only
took risks but you really believed in your mission and undoubtedly had that “fire in the belly”
attitude. Do you still have the passion? Do you and your associates have the ability and desire to
bounce back and re-create your future? Your capacity to leverage your knowledge and past
experience along with the hunger for continuous learning is certainly being tested.
As business executives we are responsible for developing an appropriate strategy, providing the
much needed human capital, making available the financial resources and ensuring that our team
2. executes effectively. This requires that you and your current and future team members have the
knowledge, skill and behavioral competencies required to execute your plan. And that includes
the resilience and perseverance essential to managing and executing change.
Behavioral Competencies
Validated research has identified numerous traits that enable us to predict an individual’s
resilience and perseverance as well as identifying areas where they require coaching and
development. Considering that a great strategy requires great execution, it is crucial that you
surround yourself with the most talented employees. And if you agree that resilience and
perseverance are essential traits for your managers, allow us to share some of the research in that
area.
Harrison Assessments™ technology, a world renowned and highly validated assessment tool,
enables us to measure a wide range of traits and work preferences. It can predict future
performance as it relates to resilience and perseverance. Traits included are:
Wants Challenge – Willingness to attempt difficult task and goals
Persistent – Tendency to be tenacious despite encountering significant obstacles
Self-Improvement – Tendency to attempt to develop or better oneself
Optimistic – Tendency to believe the future will be positive
Authoritative – Desire for decision-making authority and the willingness to accept decisionmaking responsibility
Pressure Tolerance – Level of comfort related to working under deadlines and busy schedules
Frank – Tendency to be straightforward, direct, to the point and forthright
Tempo – Enjoyment of work that needs to be done quickly
Assertive – Tendency to put forward personal wants and needs
Flexible – Tendency to adapt to change
Open-Reflective – Tendency to reflect on many different viewpoints
So how do you think you and/or your management team would measure up against these
criteria? Would this information be of value as you determine your business plan and who
should play what role in its execution? Consider the challenges you are currently confronting and
how you decide who to assign to those business development projects. Do you have a validated
process in place when selecting the people you can count on to execute your new projects? And
3. what if you have to recruit from outside to find the best talent; are you confident that your
selection process enables you to identify the most suitable candidates.
Jerry Scher has been engaged in the graphic communication industry for over 35 years, Jerry's
primary goal - make those around him more successful.
