Operational Resilience: Does it Really Exist?

By A.Alex Fullick, Host – Preparing for the Unexpected

Not long ago, I asked a colleague a seemingly simple question: “What is operational resilience?” I expected a concise answer, but instead, I received a cascade of definitions and conditions. “It’s operational resilience,” they said, “as long as (this) is in place, or (that) is implemented, or a specific plan or process exists.”

The implication was clear: resilience could be ticked off a checklist — complete these steps, and you’re done. But the truth is far more nuanced.

Beyond Checklists: The Dual Nature of Resilience

Operational resilience isn’t just a binder full of processes, nor is it simply a leader’s mindset. It’s both — a deliberate blend of people and process, mindset and plans.

On one side, you have the procedural backbone: policies, continuity strategies, supply chain contingencies, and incident response frameworks. These are essential, but they are only half the equation.

On the other side lies the human dimension: the adaptability, creativity, and personal resilience of leaders and staff. And this side is often more challenging to cultivate. Changing a documented procedure can be done in a day; changing how people think, respond, and lead can take months — even years.

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Some organizations fall into the trap of prioritizing one dimension over the other. They invest heavily in business continuity plans, disaster recovery systems, and compliance checklists but neglect the cultural side.

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The Leadership Challenge

This personal dimension starts at the top. If an organization truly wants operational resilience, its leaders must first look inward. That means challenging their own assumptions, adapting their style, and sometimes confronting deeply ingrained habits. Leaders who are unwilling to evolve will struggle to inspire a culture of resilience in their teams.

When leaders make these shifts, something powerful happens — resilience becomes part of the organization’s operational DNA. Processes and plans stop existing in isolation; they are animated and strengthened by the people implementing them.

You Can’t Have One Without the Other

Some organizations fall into the trap of prioritizing one dimension over the other. They invest heavily in business continuity plans, disaster recovery systems, and compliance checklists but neglect the cultural side. Others focus on leadership development and employee engagement but fail to build the necessary operational structures.

The reality is that neither approach works alone. You cannot achieve operational resilience with brilliant plans but disengaged people. Nor can you rely on motivated staff without giving them the tools and processes they need.

Plans and processes without mindset are brittle. Mindset without structure is chaotic. Resilience lives in the space where the two meet.

The Myth of “Preconditions”

One common misconception is that operational resilience only “counts” when certain conditions are met — when a plan is finalized, when a process is approved, when a specific standard is reached. But that thinking assumes resilience is a fixed state you can achieve and then walk away from.

In reality, resilience is iterative. It’s not dependent on a single document or milestone. It’s a living capability, always in motion, always adjusting to the world around it.

Time: The Underestimated Factor

Both the technical and human elements of resilience take time to develop, but they do so at different speeds. Updating a plan might take weeks. Embedding a mindset of resilience into a team can take years — especially when it involves shifting long-standing attitudes toward change, risk, and uncertainty, and frictions that can be caused by competing human behaviors and personalities.

This difference in timelines creates an ongoing tension. You can’t “wait” for mindset shifts before putting processes in place, but you also can’t assume that processes alone will sustain resilience in the long term.

The Question We Keep Coming Back To: Does Operational Resilience Really Exist?

If resilience is both process and mindset, and both are in constant flux, can we ever truly say we have achieved operational resilience?

Perhaps not in the way we typically imagine it — as a static, fully realized state. Organizations are not static; they evolve. Mergers and acquisitions reshape structures. New business lines start, old ones close. Leadership changes bring new values, priorities, and personalities into play. And every change redefines what resilience means in that moment.

That constant change means operational resilience isn’t a fixed destination. It’s more like a path — one that twists, forks, and is constantly being rerouted.

A Path, Not a Point

Thinking of operational resilience as a path rather than a state changes the way we approach it.If it’s a state, the goal is to “get there” — to complete a checklist and declare success. But if it’s a path, the goal is to keep moving — to continually adapt both processes and people in response to evolving challenges.

This perspective reframes the role of leadership, too. Instead of chasing a final version of resilience, leaders focus on keeping the organization agile, cohesive, and ready for what’s next. That means:

• Regularly testing and updating plans to reflect current realities.

• Investing in leadership development so managers can model adaptability.

• Encouraging open communication so changes are surfaced early.

• Balancing stability with flexibility — knowing when to follow established processes and when to pivot.

  
  

The Real Measure of Operational Resilience

If we stop measuring resilience by whether certain conditions are met and start measuring it by how effectively we adapt, the picture becomes clearer.

A resilient organization is not one that has everything in place. It’s one that keeps functioning — and even thriving — as conditions change. That requires both:

1. Strong, adaptive processes that guide action during disruptions.

2. Resilient, adaptable people who can make sound decisions under pressure.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about responsiveness.

Closing Thoughts

So, does operational resilience really exist? Yes — but not as a final, flawless state. It exists in motion, in the constant interplay between process and people, in the willingness to adapt, and in leadership that embraces change as a given. If an organization believes it has fully achieved operational resilience, it likely hasn’t. When change is constant and the very idea of resilience keeps evolving, claiming to have “arrived” is like trying to pin air to the wall. If you believe you’ve succeeded and stop nurturing it, you’ve already stepped off the path of resilience.

We can’t build it through checklists alone, nor can we rely solely on culture and mindset. Operational resilience thrives in the balance between the two — and in the ongoing commitment to walk that path, no matter how often the terrain shifts.

Alex Fullick, Host of Preparing for the Unexpected

www.stone-road.com