Problem-solving style and resiliency of navy seals: how are the more adaptive and the more innovative different

Abstract

Little is known on how resiliency connects to one's problem-solving style and decision-making in Special Operations Forces (SOF) senior enlisted leaders. This study provides some insight to better understand how senior enlisted SEALs describe their resiliency and how resiliency is different for those with different problem-solving styles. The Kirton Adaption-Innovation inventory (KAI) was administered to 30 Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) team members (E7, E8, and E9 paygrades) to identify problem-solving styles, which was followed by the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), to measure resiliency. A correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between levels of resiliency and problem-solving styles of Navy SEALS. As theoretically expected, there was not a significant correlation (r = -.17; p = .37) between the KAI and CD-RISC among these SEALS, indicating that more adaptive and more innovative Navy SEALs may be equally resilient, and expressed in one's preference for solving problems. In the second phase of this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the three most adaptive and the three most innovative Navy SEALs to identify themes of how they perceived being more resilient. The researcher identified three implications for practice from the findings in this study. First, problem-solving style affects how individuals make decisions. Second, physical well-being is related to emotional well-being for individuals in this community; and third, the more adaptive and the more innovative experience control differently, which contributed to differing approaches for being resilient.