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use to expedite things through the organizational maze? How do they use their networks? Who do
they rely on for help and to get things done? What relationship do they have with the gatekeepers
who control the flow of resources? Compare your approach to theirs. What do they do that you don’t?
Who do they know that you don’t? Get to know them better; use them as a mentor. Learn their
strategies then borrow them for yourself.

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Green, H. (2012, June 12). Four strategies for getting it done in your organization. Forbes.
Lawrence, L., Hernandez Requejo, W., & Graham, J. L. (2011, June 28). Negotiating over a limited
resource: What would you do? Harvard Business Review Blog Network.
Mind Tools. (n.d.). Successful delegation: Using the power of other people’s help. Mind Tools.
Westland, J. (2011, June 23). Project management: 4 Ways to manage your budget. CIO Magazine.

8. Overwhelmed? Manage your state of mind. Think it can’t be done? That it’ll never work? This is
negative self-talk. It reinforces beliefs that limit what is possible. Learn to eliminate negative self-talk
and replace it with something more helpful. Look at complex problems and hold the belief that they
can be solved, even when others are telling you otherwise. Turn negatives like “I can’t do this” or
“This is impossible” into positive questions: “How can I do this?” “How is this possible?” It shifts your
thinking from the problem to the solution. From what you can’t do to what you can do. What you think
shapes your reality. And in the words of Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can, or you think you
can’t—you’re right.”

9. Frustrated when things don’t go according to plan? Expect the unexpected. Are you a
perfectionist? Create plans and expect to follow them without deviation? Get frustrated when
circumstances change? Even the best laid plans go astray when the unexpected happens.
Resourcefulness is about knowing this and preparing for it. Build contingency into your resources
where you can. Have a Plan B as well as a Plan A. Anticipate changes in circumstances and prepare
how you might respond. What will you do if you lose some of your resources? If the time lines are
tightened? Funding cut? Stay calm when the unexpected does happen. Take an objective look at
what’s changed and avoid the urge to act impulsively. Don’t waste time and energy on things you
can’t change. Focus on what you can do. Ask questions that provoke resourceful thinking. What
result am I working toward? Where am I now? What’s my best option? What do I have influence
and/or control over? How much do I need to adapt my plan? What help do I need? What adjustments
do I need to make to my resources—time, people, funding, etc.? Adapt swiftly. Remember,
resourcefulness is measured by the ability to achieve the outcome, not follow the plan.

10. Stuck with one way of doing things? Be creative. Resourcefulness is, in part, about finding
creative new ways of doing things. Experimenting when an initial approach doesn’t work. If you find
yourself relying on the same methods time after time, reflect on what’s preventing you from being
more creative. Fear of failure? Creative people see failure as an opportunity to learn. Worried what
people may think? Being creative means putting up the new and unique for review and critique. Get
out of your comfort zone. Beware of “I have always…” or “Usually, I…” Focus on “What haven’t I
tried” or “What would happen if…” Learn from others who’ve achieved the outcome you’re seeking.

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