Resilience in High-Stress Roles
Covering emotional injuries, peer support, becoming less trapped and being more vulnerable to reduce pressure and stress
Resilience is not a mandatory skill but getting through the most stressful or traumatic of experiences and times is going to be much harder and more painful without it. Learning to change our thinking around it in simple, specific ways can strengthen us and improve our recovery, peace and lives.
It’s a topic that was discussed in the Beyond the Call of Duty — Building Emotional Resilience episode of the Knowing Self-Aware Leadership podcast on Substack, hosted (and written) by Dr. Nia D. Thomas.
This feature shares highlights of that conversation as well as an interview between with the source for that podcast, John Christy, an executive coach for resilience and high-stakes leaders, and Communication Intelligence.
Christy’s help for people is a byproduct from his experience and career as a paramedic, firefighter paramedic and EMS captain.
He talked with Thomas about "the need for emotional resilience in high-stress roles.” Christy says “emotional injuries should be treated as seriously as physical ones,” Thomas wrote.
We, as a collective, may not yet fully understand the need for that attention and level of care for emotional trauma.
“People understand what they can see,’ Christy tells Communication Intelligence.
“When I had surgery on my neck or shoulder, my co workers readily helped me with the challenging physical aspects of the job. No one ever made fun of me. Emotional injuries, being invisible, are often misunderstood or minimized.”
Additionally, there remains the often, still problematic way we look at mental health.
“There's also the stigma, especially in high-stakes roles, where emotional challenges might be wrongly equated with weakness,” Christy says, “This is understandable because we need everyone to be mentally strong when we count on them in dangerous situations.”
He knew however, from experience, a new line of thinking was necessary.
“I flipped the script and said, the tough ones have the courage to acknowledge, ‘That one was hard,’” Christy remembers. “Education, open conversations and advocacy are essential to shifting this mindset and helping people see emotional injuries as valid, significant and treatable.”
Doing it alone might seem to be what we need to do or for different reasons, have to do, but Christy disagrees, as Thomas wrote at her Substack newsletter.
"Leading a peer-support team showed John how crucial it is to have a network to rely on in tough times. These teams offer a platform to discuss emotional challenges openly.
“To make mental health discussions as common as physical health ones, organizations should consider setting up similar support systems."
While, assumingly, there are organizations doing this now, it is unlikely to be the norm. To inspire more leaders to develop, monitor and improve such platforms into a dependable, critically-important service for employees that could result in a welcomed payoff, has to be become an organizational or leader priority.
“It requires committed leadership that genuinely values employee wellness,” Christy offers as a starting point. “The data clearly shows that money spent on employee mental health returns two-to-four times on investment.
“Leaders who model openness, invest in structured peer support programs, allocate resources for continuous training and regularly measure outcomes are the leaders who will stand out.”
It benefits the organization as a whole, especially when engagement remains such a workplace focal point.
“When mental health becomes a recognized factor affecting performance, productivity, and retention, organizations will naturally prioritize it,” Christy states.
Self-awareness is not only a nice-to-have skill for social interactions and relationships, it is one that is necessary for our well-being, so much so that Christy says that it provides life-changing power.
This can be developed with curiosity instead of judgment and by using this approach, he learned that setbacks can be transformed into strengths.
“The mind is a powerful tool that most people never pay attention to,” Christy asserts. “How we see the world is directly linked to our way of thinking.
“The mood of curiosity shifts us from reaction to reflection. Instead of judging ourselves harshly or defensively, we ask questions.
‘What am I experiencing?’ or ‘What can I learn here?’ ‘How can I improve on this situation so I will be prepared next time?’ This mindset fosters growth, adaptability and resilience. It’s proactive instead of reactive.
“Curiosity transforms challenges into opportunities for learning, helping people become more empowered and less trapped by circumstances.”
Sleep is a Critical Factor for Emotional, Physical Recovery
“Sleep deprivation is a big part of my story,” Christy says. “I worked shift work for over 30 years and this directly impacted my mental and physical health. The data on sleep deprivation is clear: It is linked to cardiovascular and mental health. It’s also linked to cancer. I am confident that my cancer diagnosis was related to sleep.
“Prioritizing sleep is foundational to self-care. Aim for consistency: a regular sleep schedule, a restful environment and proactive stress management before bedtime.”
The benefits, Christy points out, are significant for how we operate.
“Good sleep significantly enhances emotional regulation, decision-making and stress resilience, making it crucial for anyone dealing with high-stakes responsibilities,” he teaches.
“For those on shift schedules, there is much they can do to be a step ahead of the damage done by a mixed-up circadian rhythm. I didn’t know this at the time. The ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ saying has an ominous shadow. Yes, you will, much sooner than if you took sleep seriously.”
Christy has advisory about how mental health discussions can become emotionally and psychologically more open, accepted and common.
“Leaders and families can normalize mental health discussions by regularly and openly acknowledging the importance of emotional well-being, modeling vulnerability and consistently encouraging safe, judgment-free dialogues,” he advises.
“I will emphasize this: Our mind is a powerful tool. Use it wisely and be willing to update your way of seeing the world.”
He talks about how he is doing it in his own family.
“My wife and I watched the television series, The Bear, and took a saying from it:
“‘You good Chef?’ We make it okay to check in on each other regularly. Don’t wait for a problem,” Christy recommends.
Vulnerability can be a leadership asset, when used correctly, as well as a way to reduce stress and maintain or regain emotional peace.
“Leaders who feel they have to know everything and be involved in every decision act from a place of insecurity,” Christy says. “I support high-stakes leaders to surround themselves with a team of people who collectively know more than they do.
“Vulnerability can signal authenticity, fostering trust and psychological safety.
“Asking the team, ‘I don’t know what to do; what do you think?’ can be a powerful move for a leader. It demonstrates to the team that the leader relies on them to accomplish the mission. It reveals that leaders are human, relatable and approachable, significantly enhancing team connection, collaboration, and resilience.”
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Great summary!