SRA-E Lisbon 2017

We introduce an approach that we refer to as ‘character strengths development and resilience building’. This approach is characterized by the view that character strengths are not fixed traits that occur across settings and time. Instead, we adopt a dynamic, within-person approach derived from positive psychology, and from research and assessment on character strengths. More specifically, we see character strengths as highly contextual phenomena that have a huge impact upon the development of resilience. These phenomena emerge in distinctive patterns alongside particular goals, interests, values, and situational factors. We then highlight the three emergency phases in the unforeseen oriented Bow tie model, developed by Torgersen in 2015. Thereafter we discuss how our approach for character strengths and enhanced resilience can facilitate adaption and increase resilience during the three emergency phases in the unforeseen oriented Bow tie model. The development of certain character strengths thus reveal huge potentials to build an increased resilience among personnel in high-risk organizations. A continuous development of certain character strengths may also lead to an increased adaption and functioning in risky situations. We further discuss the relevance of certain character strengths in relation to the concept of risk-willingness. Research has revealed that specific character strengths are important in order to face and to thrive in risky situations. We also postulate that the same character strengths will be highly relevant when facing unforeseen incidents, as represented by the unforeseen oriented Bow tie model. Finally, we outline potential psychological gains, such as resilience, associated with our proposed dynamic character strengths development approach.