Resilience in Practice

Resilience is often talked about in terms of how well people cope with stress or recover from setbacks. But resilience is broader than that.

For people working in science, government, agriculture and other complex environments, resilience can affect how well we make decisions, manage competing demands, respond to change, work with others and sustain performance over time.

It is influenced by a range of factors — including our capability, how we think and make decisions, how we manage pressure, our physical capacity, the relationships and support around us, and our ability to adapt.

This program is designed to help participants understand these different elements and develop practical ways of strengthening them. The program combines evidence-informed learning with reflection, practice, peer discussion and workplace application.

The aim is to build practical capability that participants can use in their work.

Our approach

At Anima Co, we believe capability develops through learning, reflection, practice and application over time.

We use the same approach across our programs:

Learn → Reflect → Practise → Apply → Embed

Participants are introduced to evidence, research and practical tools. They consider how these ideas relate to their own experience and working environment, practise new approaches in a supported environment and then apply them to real situations.

They return to the group to discuss their experience, consider different perspectives and refine their approach. This creates a cycle of learning that continues throughout the program.

What we explore

Resilience is not a single skill or characteristic. It is influenced by a number of interconnected factors.

Capability: Having the knowledge, skills, information and resources needed to respond effectively. We explore professional capability, preparedness, access to information, capability gaps and knowing when to seek additional expertise or support.

Judgement and decision making: Maintaining good judgement and decision-making when working with complexity, uncertainty and competing demands. We explore assumptions, cognitive bias, perspective, decision-making and the factors that influence how we think.

Managing Pressure: Understanding how pressure affects our thinking, behaviour and performance — and developing practical ways to manage those effects. Participants explore stress responses, emotional regulation, recognising patterns and strategies for maintaining effectiveness.

Capacity: We consider factors such as workload, fatigue, recovery, sleep and energy, as well as the relationship between individual capacity and the working environment.

Connection: We explore communication, trust, collaboration, support networks, asking for help and the role we play in supporting others.

Adaptability: Being able to adjust when circumstances, information or priorities change.

Participants explore flexibility, uncertainty, setbacks, experimentation and the ability to distinguish between what they can control, what they can influence and what they need to accept.

Across the program, we return to three practical questions:

What matters? What can I influence? Where should I focus my effort?

Learning, practice and application

A key part of the program is the opportunity to practise. Understanding a concept is different from being able to use it effectively. Participants therefore have opportunities to test new approaches in a supported environment before applying them in their own work.

The purpose of practice is to provide an opportunity to test, reflect, adjust and try again.

What happens between sessions matters

Between sessions, participants have opportunities to apply the learning to their own work and life.

Participants then have an opportunity to discuss their experience and learn from others in the group

What happened? What worked? What didn’t? What did you learn? What might you do differently?

This connects the learning directly to the situations participants are dealing with.

Who is it for?

This program is designed for professionals working in environments characterised by complexity, uncertainty, change and sustained demand. This includes:

  • scientists and technical professionals
  • land managers
  • government and agency staff
  • industry professionals
  • managers and leaders
  • project and program teams
  • operational professionals
  • regional and remote professionals

It is particularly relevant to people who are highly capable in their professional roles but are increasingly required to manage competing demands, make decisions with incomplete information, work across different stakeholders and adapt to changing circumstances.

What participants can expect

Participants can expect:

  • Learning — evidence-informed ideas, research and practical tools.
  • Reflection — structured opportunities to consider how the learning relates to their own experience.
  • Practice — opportunities to develop and test new skills in a supported environment.
  • Application — opportunities to use the learning in real workplace situations.
  • Peer learning — discussion, challenge and different perspectives from others in the program.
  • Feedback — opportunities to test ideas and refine approaches.
  • Reinforcement — returning to concepts and building on them over time.
  • Time — space between sessions to apply, reflect and develop.

The aim is for participants to leave with a better understanding of the factors that influence their resilience, practical strategies they have tested themselves, and a clearer understanding of how they can maintain their effectiveness across changing and demanding work environments.