Thriving in the Polycrisis Era: Why Resilience is a Vital Capability for Corporate Affairs Leaders

In the Andrews Partnership’s 2024 Corporate Affairs Leaders Study, a new skill made its debut among the competencies deemed critical for success. Given the volume of media coverage and the seemingly ever-present nature of AI, some might assume technology strategy would be the in-demand new skill, but it was the need to be resilient that has emerged as critical.

Resilience was ranked as the sixth most important skill in the study of APAC-based Corporate Affairs (CA) leaders and was previously ranked well outside the top 10. Why has it shot up the agenda? And what do we really mean when we talk about being resilient in a business context?

Why resilience and why now

There is a confluence of factors that put resilience in demand. First, CA is one of many functions being asked to do more with less. Budgets and resources are stretched and the state of the economy is the most important issue for 60% of APAC board directors according to research from EY. Despite Asia being set to experience growth in 2024, volatility in geopolitics and inflation are concerns.

Secondly, CA is increasingly in the strategic spotlight as senior leaders put more faith in the function to deliver. A significant 55% of respondents in the Andrews Partnership’s CA Leaders Study said that their CEO’s confidence in them had increased over the last 12 months. This is a positive of course, but increased confidence is coupled with increased expectations. As business leaders recognise the importance of corporate reputation — and some find their financial reward tied to reputational metrics — CA leaders must ensure they are impactful when under scrutiny and can collaborate and deliver at the highest levels of their organisation.

As one CA leader sums up in a report from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford: “We know we are materially important to CEOs, boards and leaders, but we are all grappling with this idea of what does a modern comms function look like in the context of resource constraints and all the other issues.”

The third factor pushing resilience up the skills agenda is the macro environment (or “all the other issues”) in which often stretched CA teams find themselves operating. This is made up of an evolving, unpredictable and intertwined set of challenges spanning geopolitics, society, technology, the economy and the natural environment. Some have dubbed this the era of “permacrisis” or “polycrisis” — a term first coined in the 1970s but fitting for today’s uncertain, multifaceted and volatile environment. The speed, level of change and interconnectedness of factors across geopolitics, technology and climate change all put an increased burden on Corporate Affairs teams. 

With expectations higher than ever and circumstances arguably more challenging than ever, how can CA leaders build both functional and personal resilience?

Creating resilience in Corporate Affairs functions

McKinsey defines a resilient organisation as one that not only withstands expected adversity and unexpected shocks but can bounce back stronger than its competitors. Its research found that “resilients” — the companies that demonstrate better shareholder returns during and after a crisis — are agile, have self-sufficient teams, recruit and keep adaptable leaders and invest in talent and culture. Resilient businesses also move quickly, acting swiftly to make decisions and implement changes ahead of the curve.

For CA leaders, building core capabilities around business continuity, disaster recovery, incident management and emergency response should form the foundation of organisational resilience. Resilience was ranked as the third-most important attribute of successful CA functions in Deloitte’s 2023 research study, recognising the multitude of challenges they face and endure. One CA leader from the airline industry quoted in the study describes it as “standing steadfast and strong through a relentless cycle of storms.” 

By guiding their teams to focus on systematised processes and a proactive approach to handling adversity and crises, senior CA professionals can ensure they are better equipped to navigate future challenges. As one leader puts it in the Saïd Business School report: “We could all spend 24 hours a day firefighting. But being structured and creating processes that keep a lens towards the proactive ends up paying off later, by having fewer issues. But it does take discipline.”

Agility is also key to resilience and training can help create more agile CA functions. Investing in broad skills training can build cross-trained and versatile teams and promote an agile culture where employees have the skills to handle a variety of tasks. Upskilled and empowered staff are more likely to be self-sufficient, reducing the inefficiencies of multiple meetings and delayed decision-making in the face of a crisis. There is also a role for AI in building resilience as it helps CA teams to find efficiencies in everything from content creation to media monitoring, enabling them to focus on the most value-adding and rewarding work.

Resilience is personal too

Steering a team and an organisation through a relentless state of permacrisis can take a personal toll and CA leaders should also focus on building personal resilience. After all, you can have the best systems, processes and technology possible, but you still need to feel personally energised and motivated to implement them.

A study of 1,187 comms pros across Asia-Pacific by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) APAC found that a third of respondents had previously suffered from a mental illness. High workload and long hours were cited as the most common triggers of poor mental well-being at work. “We can and must make changes,” said Lee Nugent, PRCA APAC board member, in the report’s conclusion. “Providing information, support and resources is just one part. We also need to ensure that we’re creating a workplace culture where it’s OK for someone who needs help to say so. And then provide access to mental healthcare in the way that many of us already provide access to physical healthcare.”

Knowing your limits and giving yourself permission to say no — and actively role-modelling that behaviour as a leader — is an important step to guarding against fatigue and burnout. Ensuring you protect free time or simply meeting-free time can also create space to make sure you’re on the front foot or just have time to recharge your batteries. And with some countries protecting employees’ right to downtime in law such as the upcoming “right to disconnect” regulation in Australia, CA leaders can act as trailblazers for balancing work and life.

For some, finding meaning and purpose in their work and keeping that at the forefront is also important. This can be challenging when faced with constant and pressing daily tasks. “To avoid burnout, it’s essential to focus on your purpose and the impact your work has on the organisation and its stakeholders,” says Miguel Gimenez de Castro, Head of Communications at IBM EMEA on LinkedIn. “Take time to reflect on your values and goals, and ensure that your work aligns with them.” 

Miguel also advises: “Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and use them as motivation to keep pushing forward.” Creating time for positivity, celebration and fun can be an important counterbalance and release valve for CA leaders and teams who find themselves moving from one crisis to another.

Resilience is here to stay

In a world characterised by constant disruption and uncertainty, resilience has become an essential capability for CA leaders. The most resilient will not only survive but thrive. By building structured, agile teams and embracing technology, CA leaders can drive impactful strategies while managing crises effectively.

Yet, personal resilience is just as critical — setting boundaries, fostering a sense of purpose and staying energised are all key to protecting well-being, energy and motivation. In this new era, resilience is not just an in-demand skill; it’s a necessity for long-term success.