Developing Organizational Grit (Passion, Perseverance, and Resilience)

Session Submission Type: Workshop

Short Description

Grit encompasses a combination of passion and perseverance, focusing on individual application. Angela Duckworth’s research provides evidence-based strategies for developing grit. With an emphasis on adult learning principles related to cognitive load and transfer of learning, this interactive workshop will engage participants in learning new skills for cultivating an organizational culture characterized by passion, perseverance, and resilience — grit. Activities will include thought-provoking questions for small group discussions, assessments (individual and organizational) of grit and resilience, and the creation of an action plan for creating a cultural environment conducive to grit development.

Detailed Abstract

Grit research emerged from the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center through Angela Duckworth’s research. Grit encompasses a combination of passion and perseverance, with its main focus on individual application. The importance of consistent, persistent effort will be highlighted regarding its relationship to natural talent. Grit can be developed. One can discover and develop talent. In addition, it is possible to become more resilient and demonstrate higher levels of perseverance.
Presenters will engage participants in experiential learning through personal reflection and small group activities for assessing individual grit, individual resilience, and organizational grit. Resilience is included in the workshop to promote a deeper understanding of grit’s perseverance component. Individual grit assessment is considered before organizational assessment in an effort to promote deeper insight for repositioning individual grit into an organizational framework. The workshop will conclude with participants generating an initial plan for promoting a cultural environment conducive to grit development as they lead their organizations through emerging uncertainty and challenge.
As a result of participating in the grit workshop, participants will:
1. Assess their individual and organization’s grit
2. Assess their individual and organization’s resilience
3. Develop an initial plan for creating a cultural environment conducive to grit development
Interactive Components will include personal reflection, small group activities, and individual planning for organizational grit development. The workshop experience will emphasize adult learning principles related to cognitive load and transfer of learning. That is, since learners have a limited capacity for processing new information, presenters will lecture no more than 15 minutes before participants are invited to engage with the workshop content through reflection/application activities. These activities will include thought provoking questions for small group discussion, completing assessment instruments, and developing an action plan accompanied by feedback from small group members. Moreover, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle will serve as the underlying instructional frame for engaging participants into an experience, reflection on the experience, gaining insights, and applying what was learned. Small group work will promote social learning and assist participants in making connections among existing knowledge, skills and attitudes with new information and best practices. This in turn will help learners integrate the new information into their existing knowledge base.

Sub Unit

• Leadership Development

Presenters

• Nick Palmieri, Palm Beach Atlantic University

• Craig Domeck, Palm Beach Atlantic University