Resilience and psychological instability in the workplace — a special leadership task

Summary: Leaders learn how to recognize signs of resilience and psychological instability in employees, support them through conversation and job design, and recommend professional help when necessary. Goal is to maintain safety and the ability to act within the team.

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Psychological strain in companies has been increasing for years. At the same time, demands, pace and complexity are rising. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for leaders to recognize how stably employees cope with pressure, uncertainty and change. It is also important to develop sensitivity for job interviews in which initial psychological problems may already appear. Workshops and seminars on resilience, for example at the IHK Mittleres Ruhrgebiet in Bochum, show how important the topic has become for promoting the economy and health.

Important here: Leaders do not diagnose. Psychological disorders in the sense of clinical classifications (e.g. ICD-10) belong in professional hands. What leadership can and must do, however, is classify behaviors, perceive signs of strain and react early.

1 | What resilience means in the workplace

Resilience describes a person's psychological resistance — that is, the ability to remain capable of acting even under stress, after setbacks or in crises.

Scientifically, among others, the following factors are associated with resilience:

• emotion regulation
• sense of self-efficacy
• problem-solving orientation
• cognitive flexibility
• social integration
• realistic assessment of burdens

In everyday work life, resilience is not shown by having no stress, but by how someone deals with stress.

2 | How leaders can recognize resilient employees

A professional leadership training in Bochum can support leaders in assessing resilience in employee or applicant conversations. Knowledge about resilience and psychological problems is combined with methods of conversational leadership.

Trained leaders can then recognize patterns shown by resilient people:

2.1 | Dealing with strain

• remain structured even under pressure
• prioritize instead of falling into activism
• can distinguish between important and urgent

2.2 | Dealing with problems

• speak solution-oriented instead of accusatory
• reflect on their own contribution
• actively look for courses of action

2.3 | Emotional stability

• emotions are noticed, but not acted out uncontrollably
• setbacks do not lead to lasting self-devaluation
• criticism is used as information, not experienced as a personal attack

2.4 | Social competence

• seek support when necessary
• communicate limits of strain early
• remain approachable in conflicts

These behaviors show: the internal system can regulate strain.

3.1 | Indications of possible psychological instability (without diagnosis)

Psychological instability usually does not appear dramatically, but insidiously. Typical patterns can be recognized at these levels with careful observation and after leadership training:

3.1.1 | Emotional level

• strong overreactions to small triggers
• persistent despondency
• irritability or withdrawal

3.1.2 | Cognitive level

• concentration problems
• inability to decide
• rumination, worry, catastrophic thinking

3.1.3 | Behavioral level

• social withdrawal
• avoidance of responsibility
• performance decline without technical causes

3.1.4 | Physical signs

• persistent exhaustion
• sleep problems
• frequent sick notes without clear organic findings

Such patterns can occur in various psychological strain conditions, for example in depressive developments or anxiety disorders as described in classification systems like ICD-10. For leadership this means: perceive, address, support — not evaluate.

3 | Conversation techniques as key

Leaders receive important clues through open, non-judgmental questions. These can be trained in professional role plays so that the following questions can be used naturally in the course of a conversation:

• "How do you experience your current workload?"
• "What costs you the most energy right now?"
• "What would concretely relieve you?"
• "What usually helps you when things get stressful?"

The leader's attitude is decisive: interest instead of control.

4 | Distinguish between strain and personality traits

4.1 | Differentiations for leaders

The following distinctions can help leaders differentiate between a person's personal traits or tendencies and emerging burdens. It can really be relieving to ask directly, "Is this stressing you?" In most cases, this opens a door to a trusting conversation. If you as a leader feel less confident about this or would like to offer more support afterwards, you can refer to professional psychological counseling in Bochum & online.

A leader trained in resilience can learn to distinguish the following characteristics:

4.2 | Shyness vs. psychological instability

Shy people:

• are socially reserved
• need time to warm up
• but generally show a stable mood
• remain capable of performing

Psychologically strained people:

• lose energy and drive overall
• show loss of interest
• appear emotionally "cut off" or hopeless

4.3 | Lack of motivation vs. psychological exhaustion

Motivation problem:

• selective for certain tasks
• responds to clarity, feedback or meaning-giving

Psychological exhaustion:

• general lack of drive
• even simple tasks are overwhelming
• no recovery despite breaks

Here, not pressure but relief is decisive.

4.4 | Normal nervousness vs. distressing anxiety

Healthy nervousness:

• situation-related
• subsides after clarification
• person remains capable of acting

Distressing anxiety:

• strong avoidance
• physical stress symptoms
• disproportionate worries
• significant impairment of performance

5 | The responsibility of leadership

Modern leadership does not mean solving psychological problems, but:

• creating a safe working environment
• making strain openly addressable
• conducting conversations early
• not ignoring overload
• recommending professional support when necessary

Resilience-promoting leadership strengthens not only individual employees but the stability of the entire system.

6 | Indicators of reduced psychological stability

These signals are not a diagnosis — but serious indications:

• strong emotional overreactions
• withdrawal or inner resignation
• decline in concentration
• frequent mistakes due to overload
• hopelessness or strong self-devaluation
• persistent exhaustion
• avoidance of responsibility
• social isolation within the team

Such patterns can occur in psychological strain conditions described in classification systems (e.g. affective disorders, anxiety disorders).

For leadership this means: do not ignore — get in touch.

7 | How leaders can concretely support

Psychological stability at the workplace is not created by more pressure or control. It is created by a work environment that enables safety, orientation and sustainable relationships. This is exactly where leadership has influence.

7.1 | Conversation technique

A first important step is conversational technique. If behavior changes, performance fluctuates or overload becomes noticeable, it helps to calmly and neutrally address observations. Phrases like "I notice that you seem to be under a lot of pressure at the moment" open the space without judging. It is important not only to ask about problems, but also about resources: "What usually helps you in such phases?" or "What would concretely relieve you right now?" Such questions strengthen self-efficacy instead of a deficit focus.

7.2 | Designing working conditions

Equally important is the design of working conditions. Overload is often not a personal failure but a sign that demands and resources are not in balance. Leaders can clarify priorities, restructure tasks or agree on realistic targets. Even this clarity reduces stress significantly, because uncertainty is one of the strongest stress factors.

7.3 | The leader's emotional stance

In addition, the leader's emotional stance has a stabilizing effect. If mistakes under stress are not dramatized but understood as part of a learning process, psychological safety arises. Clear expectations, reliable communication and predictable behavior create orientation — a central protective factor for psychological stability.

Last but not least, this includes enabling support. Leaders do not have to solve problems themselves, but they can signal that it is legitimate to seek help. Indications of internal offers, external counseling centers or company support structures can be relieving. The decisive message is: strain may be addressed without fearing negative consequences.

8 | Checklist for leaders — self-reflection

Have you, as a leader, already consciously implemented the following?

☐ I address perceived strain early — not only in case of absence. ☐ I ask about resources and coping strategies, not just problems. ☐ I clarify priorities when employees appear overloaded. ☐ I signal that seeking support is allowed and welcome. ☐ I remain calm in dealing with mistakes under stress. ☐ I observe behavioral changes over a longer period. ☐ I avoid premature judgments like "unmotivated" or "difficult". ☐ I know internal or external support offers.

These points are not additional tasks, but expressions of professional, responsible leadership.

9 | The central question: Is an employee still able to regulate?

A particularly important indicator of resilience is the so-called ability to regulate — i.e. the ability to calm inner states of tension and remain capable of acting.

A person who is able to regulate can stabilize again after stress. Conversations are possible, perspective shifts succeed, and tension noticeably decreases after relief. Emotions are present, but they do not permanently overwhelm behavior.

If this ability is severely limited, other patterns often appear. Those affected may seem either permanently overaroused or strongly withdrawn. Conversations are avoided or break off emotionally. Despite adjustments and relief attempts, no noticeable stabilization occurs, and hopelessness or complete exhaustion dominate. In such cases, leadership alone is not enough — professional support is important here.

10 | Conclusion

Resilience in the workplace is primarily shown in the ability to regulate strain internally, remain solution-oriented and act emotionally stably. Psychological instability, on the other hand, often shows itself in overload, withdrawal, hopelessness or the loss of internal control capabilities.

Leaders do not take on a medical role. Their contribution lies in perceiving changes, enabling conversations, creating safety and making support accessible. Well-founded leadership trainings for companies in Bochum can be a significant factor in supporting work ability and workplace climate in companies.

This is exactly a central competency of modern leadership today.

If you would like to learn more about resilient leadership development, book a free initial consultation.