In today’s world, businesses are operating under constant uncertainty. We see it with the rise of digital disruption, cyberattacks, inflation and fake news, many forces that can hurt a company anytime.

This unrelenting uncertainty has created an environment where resilience is now more important than ever before. That’s because as a company’s resilience decreases, so does its ability to adapt and succeed in this new digital world.

Every business must understand the importance of building resilience in their organisation. Following these four tips will help you do just that:

Build an evidence-based culture.

First and foremost, you need an evidence-based culture. This means from top to bottom; you have an organisational framework based on facts and data. At the individual level, employees need the confidence to act on what they see, feel, and know has worked for other companies and individuals. You can’t teach people to be resilient if they don’t trust the system or themselves. Managers, too, can’t be resilient if they don’t have a solid foundation based on data. Managers need to know what’s expected of their people and why it’s essential to the organisation. They also need confidence in the ability of their team members to respond to these expectations.

Build a transparent organisation.

Business leaders and managers can’t be resilient without being open with their people. Transparency and accountability are at the heart of resilience. In a resilient organisation, information must be shared widely and often. Transparency fosters accountability and, in turn, helps people feel free to take responsibility for their actions. Managers aren’t resilient if they don’t trust their staff to do the right thing—even if it’s uncomfortable. Transparency is vital because it allows teams to work through issues, identify solutions, and find creative solutions that might not be on the grid.

Continual learning and improvement

Resilience depends on the ability to learn from mistakes and experiences. Leaders and managers must be willing to improve themselves and their organisations continually. This means being open to feedback, adapting your approach based on your learning, and innovating to stay ahead of changing markets. It also means building a culture where people feel comfortable identifying and addressing weaknesses in their skills and abilities.

Create shared values and transparency.

In a resilient organisation, people understand what “good” is and what behaviours are expected of them. That starts with creating a clear set of values reflected in your organisational structure, processes, and culture. Resilient organisations also have shared values that cover a broad range of subjects, including ethics, honesty, respect, and trust. Shared values make employees feel safe in their working environment and inspire them to do their best work every day.

Bottom line

Business leaders, managers, and executives can’t be resilient unless they show their people the way. They need to be visible and open to the needs of their staff, which includes communicating expectations, delivering training, and taking time for one-on-one conversations. Resilient leaders also look for opportunities to get out of their offices and into the field with employees. Handling these small steps can lead to significant benefits because people get to know their leaders and managers well enough to trust them when they need help.

The best way to stay resilient in business is to plan for overcoming difficult times. This means having a game plan for when things go awry. It also means having a plan for growth and development. You may find that it helps to create a resilience formula that you can use to measure and boost your resilience levels. Whether you use a procedure or a more informal method, these tips will help you keep your company resilient.