How to develop Antifragility?

As we have seen in the previous blog, challenges are essential to grow in resilience. Nassim Nicholas Taleb argues (in his book: ‘Antifragile’) that this is a vital mentality. The big question then is: how do you develop it?

Healthy challenges are a must if you want to stay healthy!

Norbert, a good friend from Germany had to choose a career-path after his degree in Business Administration. His personality-strengths all lay within the conscientious area (quality, clarity, good at analyzing, best working undisturbed), and the stable area (harmonious, good at listening, loyal, supportive, and in need of a lot of security and stability). Given this insight it would make most sense to find a calm, steady, risk-free, and not too adventurous job. But Norbert went for a challenge. He consciously went for a challenge, to develop himself further, and to keep on growing in a healthy way. He started to work for an import-export company that trades limber between Germany and the Ukraine. A rather chaotic, instable and risky job! Lots of wispy working-times, lots of people that come seriously late for their appointments (if they come at all), and a lot more vodka than you would want to!

Yet, what happened to Norbert? During his time in this company his resilience grew rapidly, and with it his attractiveness. To the extend that one of our female consultants discovered what a cool guy he really is. They got married, and they have two great kids now...

Connect with the actual needs of a specific market

The market is growing and changing ever faster. For nearly every one of us it is becoming increasingly important to think about (some of) the following questions:

• What is my unique way of contributing, and to whom?
• Why would someone choose my expertise?
• Why would a company want to acquire me with my unique set of skills and experience?
• Why would the ‘internal clients’ within our company need my service?

The times that we all could work somewhere and that ‘they’ would take care of you and your development are in the past. That’s ok! We are all independent people, and no victims. It is exactly this attitude that we need to change our surroundings, to modify, and to work in a structural environment. In an environment that serves us as an energy resource.

How to remain passionate at work?

At this very moment I am sitting in a train, and I am on my way to a customer. Tomorrow we will be working on a new product for his firm. I have just finished reading through various documents to prepare myself for tomorrow, and I have already started creating a first concept. Creating concepts always gives me a boost of energy. For a big part this comes from being able to employ one of my core-skills. That gives lots of energy! But there is another element that plays a big part here: I am doing something really meaningful (at least in my personal perception). That perception also really gives a lot of energy. I am trying to serve my customers the best I can. Which enables them to serve their customers better and better. Which contributes to the quality of life for everyone involved.

What is my motivating environment?

We have already taken a look at skills, as one of the 4 elements. This week we will discuss the second element: a motivating environment. Daniel Pink describes it as: a space within which you experience autonomy.’ It also implies that everybody has his very own unique ‘motivating environment’. Some need a lot of space, freedom and variety in their job, and prefer not to be controlled. While others need a clear framework and clear instructions, so that they know exactly what it is that is expected from them and what the task at hand is.

Happy jobcrafting!

In the previous blog I have introduced the concept of jobcrafting, and the four elements that play an important role here:

1. Skills

2. Motivating environment

3. Meaning and inspiration

4. Needs within a specific market

Structural energy resources

Next to the 7 personal resilience competences and the social energy resources the structural energy resources play an important role concerning the development of a resilient work- and life-style. There are three aspects in regard of these structural energy resources, and we will take a closer look at each of them in the following weeks. These three aspects are actually also three areas in which one can really have influence by making some small changes.

1. A positive, fitting and stimulating working-place

2. Plenty of challenge to stay resilient

3. Healthy finances