Resilience is a quality that should be nurtured at the organizational as well as the individual level. These are the final tips in a four-part blog series on organizational resilience. All four parts have now posted on Recruitment Redefined Blog.

•Establish “resilient” mentality – Establishing a mentality of resilience will begin with the leadership and permeate throughout the entire organization. During a crisis, this mentality can be very beneficial. Imagine everyone being able to make critical decisions when it counts because of shared vision of the way the business operates. There will be more success when there is less time spent flowing decisions through the normal chain of command.

•Define operational parameters – Because flexibility is an integral part of resilience, it’s necessary for leaders to maintain an “adjustable” relationship with employees. Clearly articulate where the company is going (shared vision) and provide employees with “operational guidelines.” I, personally, am not in favor of “rules” because there are always exceptions and it seems to stifle creativity. Operational guidelines allow the team to use their creativity to overcome challenges while providing flexible limits.

•Promote flexibility – Listen to different points of view. It happens to be a great way to deal with complainers and critics. Establish multi-functional teams or make lateral promotions. There is nothing more valuable when making a decision, than having the benefit of experience in multiple areas within the organization.

My last point, one of which I continue to remind myself, is that achieving excellence is a process not an event. Don’t look at “resilience” as a project with a start and finish. Think about it as building a culture over time and constantly improving and nurturing the environment, which will help ensure your company’s success.

Most companies will face multiple bumps in the road. How will you bounce back when it happens?

Nick Tubach, Founder, President and CEO of Q4B