A New Set of the Three “R’s”

By Susan D. Rostkoski, Principal Consultant

For American children of a long-ago era, school was identified by the three R’s: reading, ‘(w)riting, and ‘(a)rithmetic. (True alliteration clearly was not in vogue.) 

I offer a different set of the three R’s, those that can be used as measuring sticks for your work life, which may also be suitable in other arenas. 

RESONANCE is a phenomenon that occurs when the matching vibrations of another object increase the amplitude of an object's oscillations. For example, striking a piano string resonates with the strings beside it. If you have a loud, deep voice, then your voice has resonance, and if your words are powerful and meaningful, then your words have resonance, too. Resonance may be a feeling, thought, or memory. Something with resonance has a deep tone or a powerful lasting effect and may affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way.  

Test: Does your workplace resonate or feel in harmony with your values, your skills, your personality, your future? 

RESILIENCE is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulty (i.e., the ability of a person, substance, or object to spring back into shape). It has also been described as the ability to absorb disruption and maintain function. Resilience can be characterized by a “whole systems view,” including creating adaptive strategies, anticipating potential unintended consequences, and creating safety nets and redundancies. It’s only when we see the system as a whole that we develop adaptive strategies that won’t cause more disruption. 

Test: Does your workplace build resiliency by looking through the lens of the whole system and by including every person in the organization in this process? 

RECOVERY is the process in which a situation improves after a difficult period, overcoming or managing difficult and often unexpected circumstances. Recovery includes striving to reach your full potential, implanting small steps toward a larger goal, and enlisting advocates, friends, other organizations, and staff to assist in the process. Recovery includes trying new things that weren’t possible before, taking occasional pauses to reassess your trajectory, and staying on track even when there are setbacks. 

Test: Do you have feedback systems that tell you whether you are on the right track and whether recovery is “baked in” to your work? 

While you and your team will put the particulars in place, the three R’s can provide a framework for ongoing growth and timely change. 

As always, please contact us with any questions you may have, or if we can help you accomplish your mission (www.strategic-cc.com).