Promoting Resilience in Dangerous Jobs

Those who work in dangerous situations are at enhanced risk for stress-related disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Law enforcement personnel, firefighters, first responders, and soldiers are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) ranging from dealing with life-and-death situations in others to a palpable threat of injury or death to themselves.

Moreover, those who work in these and other dangerous jobs often do so as a career, thus extending their exposure to PTEs for years and even decades. To be sure, all people are at risk for experiencing a PTE. Anyone can be the victim of an accident, storm, or violent crime. However, the continued exposure of professionals who work in these jobs raises their risk of psychological and emotional injury well beyond what most of us experience in a lifetime.

A reactive therapy approach is insufficient.

The traditional approach to helping those who work in dangerous situations deal with PTEs is reactive and therapy-focused. A firefighter, soldier, or first responder typically receives no professional assistance until after experiencing a PTE. Or, even worse, only if they manifest symptoms of stress-related disorders.

Moreover, assistance is provided on an individual basis. The secondary impact of PTEs on peers, family, and friends is usually not addressed.

This reactive and therapy focus is certainly helpful for those who have experienced PTEs in the course of their duties. Psychologists have many tools to help people deal with pathologic responses to stress. However, this approach is inadequate. In addition, a proactive and prevention-focused approach is needed.

The U.S. Army recognized the importance of a proactive, training-based strategy for imbuing in soldiers the psychological capital needed to prevent or minimize stress-related disorders. In 2009, the Army launched its Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program. This Army-wide program involves regular mental health assessments coupled with training programs designed to help individuals and teams of soldiers cope more effectively with stress. The CSF program continues to be modified and updated and remains the Army’s primary institutional strategy to address stress-related disorders among its ranks.[i]

Effective leaders play a vital role.

Leaders play an important role in helping subordinates deal with PTEs. Psychologist Joseph Geraci and colleagues provide useful insights into the importance of effective leadership and unit cohesion in mitigating the stress of individual members. Organizations with high morale and good cohesion appear to provide a protective shield against operational stress.

For example, among soldiers experiencing higher stress levels during combat operations in Iraq, only 20 percent gave favorable ratings to their leaders, and 40 percent rated their leaders as poor. Marines deployed in combat were substantially less likely to report stress-related disorders than counterparts who gave low ratings of leader effectiveness.[ii]

Source: Image created by Digits_co_uk Images (used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license).

What actions do effective in extremis leaders take to lessen vulnerability to stress among their followers? Geraci and colleagues suggest that such leaders focus not just on tactical competence (“task orientation”) but also on empowering followers with the psychological capital (“relational orientation”) needed to withstand the rigors of their profession.

Moreover, effective leaders distribute their training focus between task orientation and relational orientation differently, depending on where in a work cycle they are. Before exposure to PTEs, leaders divide this focus equally. About half of the time skill mastery, realistic training scenarios, and establishing clear priorities and a positive organizational climate should be the leader’s focus.

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The other half of their efforts should emphasize human relations. This may include establishing positive working relationships with subordinates, building camaraderie and mutual respect, and inculcating a sense of meaning and purpose for all members of the organization.

During a mission where PTEs are likely, the leader’s focus shifts somewhat. Here, the focus must be primarily on the mission. Demonstrating tactical competence, overcoming obstacles, and making effective and timely decisions are paramount. There is still room for a relational focus, but first and foremost, accomplishing the mission takes precedence.

Finally, after exposure to PTEs, there is yet another change in leader focus. At this point, the distribution of leader focus should be the reverse of the second phase. Now, leaders should devote most of their efforts to managing relations. The leader should encourage followers to build and utilize social support systems. They should reach out to peers, friends, and family to help followers make sense of their experiences.

The leader should be readily available to speak with followers who need to process their reactions and feelings stemming from their experiences. Leaders should expect and understand that individuals will respond differently and be prepared to offer individualized support. It is also a good time to reinforce the importance of the mission by recognizing individual accomplishments with praise and awards.

When it comes to dealing with PTEs, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Dangerous professions present a challenging context in which to lead and work. Optimizing the psychological and emotional health of workers requires both resources for dealing with stress after PTE exposure coupled with a focus on imbuing in workers the psychological and social skills needed to prevent pathologic stress.

Those who work in dangerous situations deserve leaders who understand there is more to a job than technical competence and task mastery. Even the most technically proficient soldier, law enforcement officer, or firefighter must be prepared to cope with the inevitable stressors of their profession. Leaders are in a unique position to enable this desirable outcome.

Note: The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the position of the United States Military Academy, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense.