The word resilience is everywhere these days — but it doesn’t always mean the same thing.
In psychology, it refers to the ability of an individual to recover after a shock. In strategy, it means an organisation’s capacity to anticipate, resist and keep operating through disruption. Between these two perspectives lies a crucial bridge: translating the human factor into an organisational asset — one capable of facing today’s cyber, technological and geopolitical challenges. When we say that 95% of cyber incidents come from human error, we’re missing the bigger picture. It’s not the people who fail — it’s the conditions in which they are placed that increase the likelihood of error.
Resilience is about moving forward — differently.
On the menu of this article :
- Resilience: two complementary definitions complémentaires
- Why a governance of resilience
- The added value of a human-centred governance of resilience
- Why a (tribal) resilient communication plan
Two Complementary Definitions of Resilience
Two lenses that meet and complete each other.
Boris Cyrulnik — Resilience as Rebirth
For French neuropsychiatrist Boris Cyrulnik, resilience is the capacity to bounce back after trauma — to regain a life trajectory that may differ, but is richer and more meaningful.
This definition highlights the role of attachment, meaning and social bonds in rebuilding after adversity — deeply human and cultural dimensions that are often overlooked in corporate settings.
NATO — Resilience as Collective Security
NATO defines resilience as the ability of a society to resist, absorb, adapt and recover from shocks — whether natural, technological or human.
It’s a systemic approach: infrastructure, governance, people and the economy must continue to function even during major disruption.
One speaks of inner strength, the other of systemic solidity.
In business, we need both.
That’s what real resilience looks like.
In the Cyber Context
Here again, the human aspect of resilience is often sidelined.
The term cyber-resilience is usually associated with a cybersecurity governance focused on technical processes, compliance frameworks and legal controls.
NIST definition: “Cyber-resilience is the ability of an organisation to maintain its essential functions despite cyber attacks or disruptions, and to learn and adapt from them.”
The goal is typically to protect financial interests — but beyond short-term profitability, those are just numbers.
True resilience
True resilience goes further: it connects systems and people, addressing both sides of the equation.
Every organisation is a social structure made of people who need meaning, clarity and recognition in their roles — especially regarding their cyber responsibilities. This clarity nurtures intrinsic motivation and collective vigilance.
The cornerstone of engagement is mutual trust. Labeling people as the weakest link doesn’t build trust; it externalises responsibility. It excuses leaders from their own duty: to include the psychological, emotional and social dimensions of their organisation in their governance model.
The real Single Point of Failure (SPOF) isn’t a missing firewall — it’s the absence of trust.
Why a Governance of Resilience
If we truly want to move forward differently, we need to change the way we interact within our organisations — starting, of course, with our own teams.
Technology now sits at the heart of almost every interaction:
web-based platforms, cloud logins, AI chatbots… all these tools reduce costs and increase efficiency, but they also dehumanise relationships.
To build a resilient culture, we must restore the balance between structure and humanity.
And that balance is unique to each organisation.
Finding it starts with asking the right questions across three key axes:
1️⃣ Clarify your vision of resilience: What does it mean for your organisation to “endure”, “protect”, “bounce back”, or “transform”?
2️⃣ Identify strategic vulnerabilities: Not just technical, but also human and reputational.
3️⃣ Make vigilance a collective skill: It should not rest on a few departments (IT, HR, Comms).
Resilience is strongest when it becomes a shared reflex, embedded across all levels.
An organisation becomes truly resilient when resilience stops being the responsibility of a few executives or departments. It must combine inner moral strength with systemic stability.
Hence the need for a shared governance framework — one that connects:
- the strategic (forecasting and arbitration),
- the operational (action and adaptation), and
- the cultural (meaning and cohesion).
Translating Invisible Value into Tangible Indicators
What Resilience Governance Protects, Measures, and Improves
| PROTECTED CAPITAL | TANGIBLE INDICATORS (EXAMPLES) | EFFECT ON VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Reputation & Trust | Reaction speed Message consistency Social media mentions Awards & Testimonials | + image + loyalty + clients + partners’ quality |
| Talent & Competence | Turnover Engagement level Psychological safety | + performance + innovation – social risk |
| Value Chain | Recovery time Critical dependencies Client/Supplier satisfaction Incident anticipation | + continuity – Operating Losses |
| Governance | Decision-making maturity under uncertainty | + strategic stability |
A resilient company is one that learns before it is forced to learn.
Concrete Benefits
| OBJECTIVE | IMPACT |
|---|---|
| Reduce crisis costs | −40% average reduction in losses linked to business interruptions* |
| Strengthen trust | Improved client and talent retention |
| Boost ESG credibility | Higher CSR ratings and insurance confidence |
| Gain agility | Faster and more coherent decision-making under pressure |
Resilience governance is governance anchored in reality.
The Added Value of a Human-Centred Governance of Resilience
Resilience is not only an insurance of continuity; it’s also a powerful driver of cohesion.
When governance embraces the psychological, emotional and social dimensions of the organisation, resilience becomes both a safety net and a source of renewal.
It operates through three key functions:
- Preserve — anticipate vulnerabilities and protect vital assets (human, informational, material).
- Support — guide teams through uncertainty, maintaining trust and cohesion.
- Transform — learn, innovate, and adapt to a changing environment.
Psychological Dimension
How individuals experience and perceive disruption.
| AREAS TO ASSESS | EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| Emotional reactions to uncertainty (fear, shock, denial, guilt, shame, etc.) | Create an internal listening mechanism — dedicated helpline, peer-support cell, or manager training in empathetic communication. |
| Mental load due to information overflow or prolonged stress | Launch internal surveys on perceived workload and cognitive fatigue; identify key stressors. |
| Need for recognition, reassurance, and meaning | Train teams to detect weak signals in their environment and address them early. |
👉 Read also our article on Weak Signals.
Emotional Dimension
What connects trust, cohesion and engagement.
| AREAS TO ASSESS | EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| Emotions that influence risk perception and decision-making | Clarify your psychological safety policy. |
| Collective emotions (fear, anger, shame) that can amplify or defuse a crisis | Create collective breathing spaces — rituals, gratitude moments, or storytelling after crisis recovery. |
| Dominant cognitive biases that distort judgment | Integrate Key Emotional Indicators (KEI) into management dashboards. |
👉 See examples of KEI applications.
Social Dimension
The links, culture and sense of collective purpose.
| AREAS TO ASSESS | EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| Collective behaviours (solidarity, loyalty, mutual aid) shaping the organisation’s ability to rebound | Identify and recognise pivot people — those who connect teams even without official titles. |
| Barriers and levers of engagement inside and across the ecosystem | Involve external partners (clients, suppliers) in continuity scenarios. |
| Role of informal networks in circulating reliable information and mobilising teams | Celebrate cross-department collaboration after disruptions to anchor organisational memory. |
| Perceptions and cyber-awareness levels at each organisational layer | Define a common language and clarify responsibilities. |
The Tribal Resilience Communication Plan
A resilience strategy without communication remains invisible — it rings hollow.
A Tribal Resilience Communication Plan connects the substance (the message) with the form (the mechanisms) across the entire ecosystem. Its purpose is to sustain trust and engagement over time, by ensuring that:
- the resilience framework is clearly understood and accepted,
- risks are shared and owned collectively,
- scenarios are known and rehearsed,
- security reflexes become second nature,
- everyone knows their role, limits and responsibilities,
- critical roles are mapped and evaluated,
- tools and processes are mastered,
- each person feels recognised and valued in their cyber posture.
The goal is to distil a tribal sense of resilience — a shared identity that turns protection into connection, and vigilance into belonging.
The Oz’n’gO Approach
At Oz’n’gO, we help organisations translate human insight into collective resilience.
Our approach connects governance, communication, and culture — aligning the strategic, the operational and the emotional layers of leadership.
Because resilience isn’t just about resisting shocks;
it’s about evolving consciously — together.
We don’t sell firewalls — we light up minds.
