bility of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive st

The stock market gyrates with unpredictable and heartburning results. Icons of solid companies become straw figures before balance sheets. Children are abducted from their front yards and networks of terrorists spiral throughout the world. Religious institutions cast shadows of duplicity while El Nino brings strange fish to the California coasts and out-of-control fires head toward ancient Sequoias.

Tough times. It's enough to cause all of us to stand like the proverbial "deer in headlights", mutter "the sky is falling", or else spring into action. The latter would be fine but it's often a knee-jerk response based on what we've done in the past. Trouble is that the present doesn't look like the immediate past.

Whether you're leading a Fortune 100 company, a small department, or an enterprise of one, now is the time to hone your resiliency skills. But first, let's update the definition of "resilient". In 1824, Webster defined it as: "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive str

eligious institutions cast shadows of duplicity while El Nino brings strange fish to the California coasts and out-of-control fires head toward ancient Sequoias.

Tough times. It's enough to cause all of us to stand like the proverbial "deer in headlights", mutter "the sky is falling", or else spring into action. The latter would be fine but it's often a knee-jerk response based on what we've done in the past. Trouble is that the present doesn't look like the immediate past.

Whether you're leading a Fortune 100 company, a small department, or an enterprise of one, now is the time to hone your resiliency skills. But first, let's update the definition of "resilient". In 1824, Webster defined it as: "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive st

deer in headlights", mutter "the sky is falling", or else spring into action. The latter would be fine but it's often a knee-jerk response based on what we've done in the past. Trouble is that the present doesn't look like the immediate past.

Whether you're leading a Fortune 100 company, a small department, or an enterprise of one, now is the time to hone your resiliency skills. But first, let's update the definition of "resilient". In 1824, Webster defined it as: "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive st

Whether you're leading a Fortune 100 company, a small department, or an enterprise of one, now is the time to hone your resiliency skills. But first, let's update the definition of "resilient". In 1824, Webster defined it as: "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive st

bility of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

That definition works for explaining metal but not for the mettle of the human system. Consider this: The compressive stress to an organizational body can be the result of bloating mergers. Mergers now meet mania and layoffs distort the workloads and customer care. If this is the case, the resilient organization must carefully think what size and shape will serve it for the long haul. Recovering its size and shape might be the worst thing!

At the risk of insulting Webster, I define resiliency as " the capacity to cultivate strengths to positively meet the challenges of living; the ability to bounce back from adversity while maintaining personal and corporate integrity."

Some key resilient strengths are found in using HOPE as an acronym:

• Head talk and Heart walk.

• Optimism.

• Purpose, passion and persistence.

• Energy and Enjoyment.

Head talk asks that we critically explore our thinking process. Are we stuck in out-moded patterns of behaviors that no longer serve us? What assumptions are we makin