Type R

October 2, 2017
Daughter-mother team Ama, founder of a consulting firm, and Stephanie, a psychotherapist, take a thought-provoking stance on uncertainty and resilience, asserting that people need to regard the former condition “not as a passing state but as a condition of life.” They identify the quality of “transformative resilience” as the ability to treat personal challenges as learning opportunities. The authors maintain an optimistic tone, showcasing numerous instances of people who responded to adversity positively. Examples given here of “type R,” or resilient, personalities include Ursula Rakova, who is leading an effort to relocate the population of her homeland, a tiny South Pacific atoll steadily being consumed by the rising ocean, and Stephanie Decker, a double amputee whose advocacy resulted in Kentucky’s passage of a bill guaranteeing insurance coverage for prosthetic body parts. Seeking to define type-R people, the Marstons pinpoint six characteristics: adaptability, control, purposefulness, active engagement, the willingness to seek support, and openness to new information. This insightful road map to living in a world of uncertainty will leave readers hoping they too can be type Rs.

November 1, 2017
How some people achieve the "unforeseen blessing" of growth from adversity.In an era of increasing stress and adversity--whether from global issues like war, terrorism, and climate change or personal setbacks like divorce and financial loss--many Americans are embracing the change and uncertainty of challenges, write the Marstons, and improving and transforming their lives as a result. Both Ama, a strategy and leadership expert, and her veteran psychotherapist mother, Stephanie (If Not Now, When?: Reclaiming Ourselves at Midlife, 2001, etc.), have consulted widely on stress, work, and leadership. In this collaboration, they recount research from many disciplines and the inspiring stories of individuals demonstrating the power of "Transformative Resilience" to "learn, grow, and spring forward" after severe challenges. These survivors do not simply recover or bounce back; they emerge transformed. "Type Rs" range from a woman doctor who lost both legs in a tornado and became a determined advocate for children with prosthetics to an HIV-positive man diagnosed as terminally ill who has lived another 35 years as a leader of various causes. Their adversities vary, but all share a determination not to allow their setback to define them, to keep a positive mindset and "move away from a tendency to catastrophize," and to reframe their situations, thereby choosing their own attitudes. Whether individuals, families, or organizations, those successful at turning adversity into growth tend to go through stages, beginning with comfort, then disruption and chaos, and finally (after a catalyst triggers transformation) a re-engagement with the world, "but in a new way." The authors spell out the essential skills of TRs (adaptability, purpose, active engagement, etc.) and show how these transformational traits can benefit families and groups in turbulent times. While the phrase "Transformative Resilience" has the odor of marketing hyperbole, the authors offer an informative and inspiring book on some remarkably positive responses to misfortune and change.Engaging, useful, and sometimes annoyingly repetitious.

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November 1, 2017

Mother-daughter author team--leadership expert Ama Marston (founder, Marston Consulting) and psychotherapist Stephanie Marston (If Not Now, When?)--explore the concept of transformative resilience (Type R) as a strategy for using difficult circumstances as catalysts for growth during turbulent experiences. Their focus is on developing the strength and skills to deal with the increasing global volatility and the never-ending stresses that come from balancing work and family life. The principles, mind-set, and skills of Type R are clearly explained, along with its defining characteristics. A handy tool to assess one's Type R abilities is included, with numerous examples of how individuals evolve through the six-stage Type R process. Ideas are then applied to developing Type R leadership skills and how organizations can integrate Type R culture into the workplace in order to realize greater impact. The material nicely combines well-known theories from change management, stress management, and the entrepreneurial principle of "problems are opportunities." The many personal firsthand experiences help connect these lofty aspirations with readers, and the material also wisely applies to organizational situations and leadership roles. VERDICT Recommended for erudite leaders eager for a solid foundation upon which to handle the realities of today's increasing stressors and problems.--Dale Farris, Groves, TX

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