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Resilience & Leadership

Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks

John E. Thomas

Resilience & Leadership: Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks is the first course in the specialization ‘Resilience Engineering and Leadership in Crisis’. The course introduces the common terms, definitions, and concepts that characterize resilient systems. Frameworks for resilience engineering and leadership in crisis are applied to complex systems and the built environment. Learners will explore a holistic approach to critical infrastructure resilience and apply a hazard and threat assessment protocol to a project scenario.

This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.

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Syllabus

Resilience Concepts and Definitions

Welcome to the first course of the Resilience & Leadership series. We will get started right away by defining key concepts that will be touched upon throughout this course: resilience, resilience engineering, the built environment, and critical infrastructure. After, you will see examples of the four cornerstones of resilience that can characterize the response of a complex system to unanticipated disruptions. You will consider multiple perspectives of resilience that present an alternative to traditional risk analysis. Then, we'll discuss a holistic approach to resilience using an Integral framework. The framework is an important tool that will be referenced throughout this specialization, and applies directly to Resilience Engineering and Leadership in Crisis. Let's get started!

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Provides an overview of the basic concepts of resilience engineering, such as the four cornerstones of resilience and the holistic approach to resilience using an Integral framework

Explores advanced concepts such as adaptive capacity, human resilience, and organizational resilience

Taught by John E. Thomas, an experienced instructor in resilience engineering and leadership in crisis

Introduces ethical considerations in resilience and crisis management

Provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats to critical infrastructure

Appropriate for individuals working in engineering, project management, and other fields related to infrastructure resilience

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Reviews summary

Foundational concepts in resilience & crisis leadership

According to students, this course provides a strong conceptual foundation in resilience and crisis leadership, making it an excellent starting point for the specialization. Learners consistently praise the clear definitions, well-structured modules, and the introduction of practical frameworks like the Integral framework for applying resilience engineering. The knowledgeable instructors and inclusion of insightful case studies such as Sully Sullenberger's landing and Deepwater Horizon are frequently highlighted as particularly effective. While a few learners found the course to be quite theoretical, wishing for more direct actionable strategies, the majority confirm it successfully delivers on its promise of establishing core concepts essential for professionals in engineering management and related fields.

Serves as an excellent introductory course for the specialization.

"This course really sets the stage for the specialization, providing essential definitions."

"As the first course, it successfully lays the groundwork for more advanced topics."

"I found it a solid overview, preparing me well for subsequent courses in the series."

Instructors are highly praised for their clarity and expertise.

"The instructors are knowledgeable and clear, making complex ideas accessible."

"The instructors' insights were invaluable for my understanding of the subject."

"Their explanations were excellent, helping me grasp the definitions and frameworks effectively."

Introduces applicable frameworks and real-world case studies for insight.

"The frameworks for resilience engineering and crisis management were very practical."

"The Integral framework is something I can use immediately in my professional role."

"The case studies, especially the Deepwater Horizon discussion, were particularly insightful and powerful."

Builds a robust understanding of key resilience and leadership concepts.

"This course provided a strong conceptual foundation in resilience and leadership."

"I gained a robust understanding of core concepts like resilience engineering and crisis management."

"The clear definitions presented in each module truly helped me grasp complex ideas."

A few reviewers wished for more clarity in assignment instructions.

"The concepts were well explained, but I sometimes found the assignments a bit vague."

"I felt the assignments could have been clearer in their expectations."

Some learners found the course to be predominantly conceptual.

"I found it a bit high-level, wishing for more actionable strategies rather than just definitions."

"It's very conceptual, which is fine, but I prefer more hands-on application."

"Some parts felt a bit theoretical and lacked practical depth for immediate application."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Resilience & Leadership: Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks with these activities:

Apply four cornerstones of resilience to case study

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Practice applying the four cornerstones of resilience in real-world scenarios to enhance your understanding of resilience engineering principles.

Browse courses on Resilience Engineering

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Review the four cornerstones of resilience
Select a case study
Identify how each cornerstone is demonstrated in the case study
Write a brief summary of your findings

Show all one activities

Career center

Learners who complete Resilience & Leadership: Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Resilience Engineer

Resilience Engineers are responsible for designing and implementing systems that are resilient to disruptions. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Resilience Engineers to develop more effective systems that can withstand and recover from disruptions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Resilience Engineer

Crisis Manager

Crisis Managers are responsible for leading organizations through crises. This course provides a framework for crisis management, as well as tools for identifying and assessing threats. This knowledge can help Crisis Managers to develop more effective plans for responding to and recovering from crises.

See salaries and explore the career path for Crisis Manager

Emergency Manager

Emergency Managers are responsible for planning for and responding to emergencies. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Emergency Managers to develop more effective plans for preparing for and responding to emergencies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Emergency Manager

Disaster Recovery Specialist

Disaster Recovery Specialists are responsible for helping organizations to recover from disasters. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Disaster Recovery Specialists to develop more effective plans for helping organizations to recover from disasters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Disaster Recovery Specialist

Business Continuity Planner

Business Continuity Planners are responsible for developing plans to help organizations continue to operate during and after disruptions. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Business Continuity Planners to develop more effective plans for helping organizations to continue to operate during and after disruptions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Continuity Planner

Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts are responsible for identifying and assessing risks. This course provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats, as well as tools for developing risk mitigation plans. This knowledge can help Risk Analysts to develop more effective plans for identifying and mitigating risks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Analyst

Security Analyst

Security Analysts are responsible for protecting organizations from threats. This course provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats, as well as tools for developing security plans. This knowledge can help Security Analysts to develop more effective plans for protecting organizations from threats.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity Analysts are responsible for protecting organizations from cyber threats. This course provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats, as well as tools for developing cybersecurity plans. This knowledge can help Cybersecurity Analysts to develop more effective plans for protecting organizations from cyber threats.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Analyst

Infrastructure Protection Specialist

Infrastructure Protection Specialists are responsible for protecting critical infrastructure from threats. This course provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats, as well as tools for developing infrastructure protection plans. This knowledge can help Infrastructure Protection Specialists to develop more effective plans for protecting critical infrastructure from threats.

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Homeland Security Analyst

Homeland Security Analysts are responsible for analyzing threats to national security. This course provides a framework for identifying and assessing threats, as well as tools for developing homeland security plans. This knowledge can help Homeland Security Analysts to develop more effective plans for protecting the nation from threats.

See salaries and explore the career path for Homeland Security Analyst

Public Safety Planner

Public Safety Planners are responsible for developing plans to protect the public from threats. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Public Safety Planners to develop more effective plans for protecting the public from threats.

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Environmental Planner

Environmental Planners are responsible for developing plans to protect the environment. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Environmental Planners to develop more effective plans for protecting the environment.

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Sustainability Manager

Sustainability Managers are responsible for developing plans to make organizations more sustainable. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Sustainability Managers to develop more effective plans for making organizations more sustainable.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of an organization. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Operations Managers to develop more effective plans for managing the operations of an organization.

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Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning and executing projects. This course provides a foundation in the concepts and definitions of resilience, as well as frameworks for resilience engineering. This knowledge can help Project Managers to develop more effective plans for planning and executing projects.

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Featured in The Course Notes

This course is mentioned in our blog, The Course Notes. Read one article that features Resilience & Leadership: Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks:

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Reading list

We've selected eight books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Resilience & Leadership: Concepts, Definitions, & Frameworks.

Safety-II in Practice