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Chris Curtin founded Connected Approach Partners to be both the “positive irritant” and “serial encourager” to leaders and organizations with this aim: to help them curate their Leader Approach and achieve their full potential. Through his 20+ years of HR-related experience, Chris has been a coach, partner, strategist and change agent to leaders within Fortune 100 companies including RTX Corporate, Pratt & Whitney (a division of RTX), and GE. As an executive HR Leader, Chris led large global teams of HR business partners, Talent professionals, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion experts while serving as a trusted advisor to C-Suite and executive leaders. Chris now leverages this experience to provide high-level solutions to leaders and organizations across the globe. Chris resides in New England with his wife, two children, and the family’s mini-goldendoodle. He serves on the Board of Directors for Suffield Community Aid, an organization that provides supportive health and social services for Suffield residents in times of need. In his spare time, Chris enjoys exercising, cheering for the Boston Celtics, and collecting SAAB cars.

Chris Curtin

In an increasingly complex world, resilience is more essential than ever, especially for government workers. It's often misunderstood as merely "powering through" tough times, but it's much more than that. True resilience is the capacity to thrive amid adversity, drawing strength from difficult experiences and emerging stronger. With the current landscape marked by political uncertainty, misinformation, and global unrest, understanding and cultivating resilience is crucial. Here, we explore seven key insights into building resilience, both individually and within government organizations, and how it can serve as a strategic advantage in public service.1. Controlling Our Perception of the WorldIn an era of misinformation, managing perceptions is crucial for government workers. While external events are uncontrollable, we can control our responses by critically assessing information and seeking diverse perspectives. This balanced approach helps navigate challenges, maintaining public trust and integrity.2. The Right Stuff to Practice ResilienceTraits like perseverance, adaptability, and a commitment to public service are key for resilience in government workers. Recognizing and nurturing these traits helps navigate uncertainties, such as policy changes and public scrutiny. Resilience, developed over time, prepares for future challenges and ensures effective governance.3. Resilience as a Team EffortResilience is not just individual; it's a collective effort, especially in the public sector. Organizations should cultivate a culture of mutual support and collaboration. By working together, teams can better navigate crises, strengthening public sector performance.4. The Role of Leaders in Bridging Individual and Organizational ResilienceLeaders play a pivotal role in aligning individual strengths with organizational goals, fostering open communication and continuous learning. They set the tone for handling challenges and setbacks, creating a resilient culture. This leadership style, focusing on leading oneself, others, and circumstances, is crucial in public service.5. The Importance of RelationshipsStrong relationships are vital for resilience, providing essential support during difficult times. Building connections with colleagues and the community offers practical and emotional support, helping government employees cope with stress and maintain a positive outlook.6. Organizational Support for ResilienceOrganizations must invest in employees' well-being, providing mental health support, flexible work arrangements, and professional development. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to engage fully, enhancing the organization's resilience and benefiting the public.7. Resilience as a Strategic Advantage in Public ServiceResilience is a strategic advantage, enabling government organizations to handle disruptions and seize new opportunities. Whether navigating policy changes or adapting to societal shifts, resilience helps maintain momentum and strengthens public trust, driving long-term success.ConclusionResilience is a foundational element crucial for government workers. It is an ongoing journey involving individual and collective efforts. By focusing on how we perceive challenges, leveraging our innate strengths, fostering supportive relationships, and creating a resilient organizational culture, government leaders can navigate adversity more effectively. Resilience is not just about surviving tough times; it's about thriving through them and using them as opportunities for growth to unleash your potential and cultivate success in public service.

Building Resilience: Thriving in Public Service Challenges

Chris Simonsen is an e-learning consultant, learning strategist, and instructional designer who is passionate about new learning innovations. He has had titles such as instructional technologist, instructional systems specialist, instructional designer, and e-learning consultant. Simonsen has successfully designed and developed cutting-edge learning strategies, including microlearning, blended classroom and online curriculums, gamification, and playlists, among others. If there’s a newest and greatest learning strategy out there, Simonsen probably has it in his tool box.

Chris Simonsen

A little over a year ago, LinkedIn launched its AI-powered coaching chatbot. You can ask it for advice on workplace issues, and it will help with suggestions on how to build skills, tackle issues, or move your career forward. Could this be the future for coaching at scale?The prospect of deploying an AI-powered virtual coach that could support thousands of employees simultaneously with their workplace challenges and aspirations is an attractive one. Imagine the savings on coaching and the benefits for employees of having access to a coach, round the clock, to respond to their every need almost instantly.Can AI replace a human coach?For incoming, younger employees, this may be just what they’re looking for: A recent survey found 66 percent of 25–34 year-olds would rather talk to AI about their problems than a loved one.And it’s easy to see why. With the power of generative AI, a chatbot can communicate with empathy. People report that the experience feels just like texting with an actual human, leading to concerns that we are rapidly becoming too attached to or dependent on these AI companions.The potential of providing this kind of support to employees is not without risk. While the interactions feel real, we must remember that the chatbot has been trained to mimic empathy. It knows what an empathic response to challenges and vulnerability sounds like and gives a seemingly appropriate reply. But it lacks genuine human empathy. It doesn’t actually care like a person may.Unlike a human coach, AI can’t think, feel, or relate to a person. No matter how sophisticated its language model, a coaching chatbot lacks the nuances of personal connection—and it cannot draw on a lifetime of emotional intelligence to offer support. Without that vital human connection, AI cannot effectively deliver workplace coaching.What are the benefits of AI in the coaching process?Where AI can significantly enhance coaching is by automating some logistical aspects, such as coaching provision and mechanics, making it easier and more efficient to build strong, effective coaching relationships. For example, AI can analyze hundreds of data points to match an employee with a suitable coach, increasing the likelihood that the two individuals will work well together, rather than leaving it to chance or asking an employee to choose from a list of coach bios.AI can then manage administrative tasks, such as scheduling calls, taking notes, and curating personalized content and learning materials from the vast quantity of resources organizations provide to their employees. This helps employees take post-coaching action and removes the administrative burden of managing the relationship, driving greater engagement and improving ROI.When deploying coaching at scale across all levels of the organization, AI platforms can minimize administrative overhead for learning and development (L&D) teams while delivering a seamless, engaging employee experience.AI also has the potential to analyze data from across an organization’s HRIS, recognizing patterns and identifying employees who could benefit most from coaching. For example, AI can detect factors that increase the probability that key employees could become flight risks, thereby creating an opportunity to intervene with career development resources before they decide to leave the organization. What’s next?It’s inevitable that AI will advance exponentially, potentially even creating life-like avatars that mimic human interaction. Until we have artificial general intelligence (where machines can truly think like humans), behind those lines of code, AI-powered coaching misses the spark of humanity that makes coaching so effective.Learn how you can offer scalable, personalized career coaching—that’s powered by people and technology—to employees at all levels of your business within your budget. 

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