#EveryLittleActionCounts Week 22: Being Resourceful!
This week is a call to foster Resourcefulness! Fostering resourcefulness leads to enhanced problem solving, creativity, adaptability, collaboration, interaction and supports the building of positive and resilient organizational cultures.
“Resourcefulness is defined as the ability and creativity to cope with difficult situations, or unusual problems. It is about problem-solving and getting things done in the face of obstacles and constraints.”
– Yale, 2021
We can support fostering resourcefulness by focusing on the following key aspects:
Encourage Creativity: Implement sessions and workshops that catalyze innovation and inspire staff to construct ideas, knowledge and solutions by thinking outside the box. This supports the fostering of environments within which creativity is valued and new ideas are continuously generated.
Provision of Continuous Learning Opportunities: Provide opportunities and programmes that enhance employees’ competencies and knowledge constructions. Provide contemporary tools and expertise that can support problem solving and adaptability to change and challenges.
Promote Autonomy and Empowerment: Build a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to more proactive and resourceful behavior by giving employees more autonomy in their roles and encourage independent decision-making.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Create spaces and opportunities for transdisciplinary collaborations and regular knowledge sharing sessions between schools and departments. Leveraging diverse perspectives and expertise leads to enhanced collective resourcefulness and problem-solving capabilities.
Rewarding Resourcefulness: Recognize and highlight staff who demonstrate resourcefulness. This enhance their motivation and increases their resourcefulness because their efforts are being valued. Acknowledge the different strengths of employees and the diversity of contributions by rewarding multifaceted outputs and ideas leading to increased motivation and enthusiasm for personal and professional development.
We recommend the following three sources that can support you in becoming resourceful:
- C&T Scene: Resourcefulness in the Workplace, April 2021
- Resourcefulness in the workplace: Characteristics of a resourceful entrepreneur
- Resourcefulness Matters: 7 Ways to Help Your Team Be More Resourceful
We would be very happy to learn more about your suggestions on how to become resourceful in academia.
Anne-Wil Harzing & Christa Sathish.
