What is it?

A workshop to equip individual contributors and leaders with practical, actionable strategies to build resilience, manage stress, and create a resilient work culture (designed around the insights from the bestselling book "Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy" by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant).

Why is it useful?

This workshop equips participants with real-world skills to navigate challenges, build resilience and thrive in any work environment.

Objectives

• Leave with tools to manage stress and maintain focus.
• Gain strategies to build resilient teams.
• Shift to seeing resilience as a skill, not just a trait.
• Leave with a clear action plan for immediate implementation.

Resources Required

• Time: 2.5 - 3 hours.
• Number of People: 4-20.
• Slide deck with key concepts, exercises, and discussion prompts.
• Projector or large screen (for in-person workshops) or screen-sharing tool (for virtual sessions).
• Printed or digital handouts with key frameworks (e.g., 3P Model).
• Sticky notes, markers, flip charts, pens & notebooks.
• Printed worksheet for the 3Ps Reframing Exercise (or digital document for virtual participants).
• Scenario role-play prompts (for leaders to practice team resilience-building).
• Resilience Action Plan template (for participants to take home).

Process

Step 1: Welcome & Workshop Goals (15 minutes)

1. Icebreaker: "What does resilience mean to you?"
   • Participants write their definitions on sticky notes or in chat (if virtual).
   • The facilitator highlights key themes.
2. Framing the Workshop:
   • Resilience is a skill, not just an inherent trait.
   • The aim is to leave with practical strategies and a personalised resilience plan.

Step 2: Understanding Resilience: The 3P Model (30 minutes)

1. Explanation of the 3P Model:
   • Personalisation – "This is all my fault."
   • Pervasiveness – "Everything is going wrong."
   • Permanence – "This will never get better."
2. Activity: Reframing Setbacks (10 min individual + 10 min discussion)
   • Think of a recent workplace challenge.
   • Write down initial thoughts.
   • Challenge them using the 3Ps.
   • Share in small groups how this shift changed their view.
3. Discuss: How can leaders help teams challenge these thought patterns?

Step 3: Practical Strategies for Daily Resilience (40 minutes)

1. Managing Stress with "Small Wins" (15 min)
   • Concept: Finding small wins helps counter setbacks.
   • Activity:
     • Participants list 3 things they can control in a high-pressure situation.
     • Share in pairs.
     • Discuss how small wins shift focus from stress to action.
2. The Power of "Joy Moments" (10 mins)
   • Concept: Gratitude and positive experiences help counteract stress.
   • Activity:
     • List three small moments of joy from the past week.
     • Share one with the group.
     • Leaders discuss ways to integrate joy into team culture.
3. Self-Compassion: The Friend Test (15 mins)
   • Concept: We are harsher on ourselves than on others.
   • Activity:
     • Write down a work mistake or setback.
     • Write the advice you’d give a friend in the same situation.
     • Compare the difference.
     • Discuss why self-compassion is critical for resilience.

Step 4: Building a Resilient Team Culture (40 minutes)

1. Recognising Signs of Stress (10 mins)
   • Small group discussion: What signs indicate a team member is struggling?
   • Share insights: Facilitator consolidates key signs.
2. Psychological Safety & Support Strategies (15 mins)
   • Key Concept: Teams thrive when they feel safe to speak up.
   • Strategies:
     • Leaders should normalise conversations about setbacks.
     • Model vulnerability (e.g., "I struggled with this too, here’s how I handled it").
     • Offer practical support (flexibility, workload adjustments, listening).
     • Small group discussion: What other strategies would work well for us?
3. Activity: Scenario Role-Play (15 mins)
   • In pairs, practice responding to a team member struggling with burnout.
   • Rotate roles (leader/team member).
   • Debrief key takeaways.

Step 5: Personal Resilience Action Plan (30 minutes)

1. Write down personal resilience strategies to implement immediately.
2. Leaders: Write team resilience strategies to apply this week.
3. Share with a partner for accountability.
4. Final Reflection: "What’s your favourite strategy?

Step 6: Closing & Next Steps (15 minutes)

1. Recap key takeaways.
2. Check to see if workshop objectives have been met.
3. Encourage continued resilience practice.
4. Optional: Follow-up session in 4-6 weeks to share progress.