Glossary of Terms
Resilience is easier to strengthen when we have the right words. The language of psychology and workplace culture can sometimes feel overwhelming, filled with terms that are familiar yet not always fully clear. That is why we created a Glossary of Terms for Connectify Lab, our B2B resilience training solution, that you can access here.
It explains the key concepts in simple, accessible language so you can use them with confidence. From self-efficacy to psychological safety, the glossary gives you a shared vocabulary for conversations about resilience and growth at work.
A
Active Listening – A communication technique where the listener fully concentrates, understands, responds, and remembers what is being said. Builds trust and connection in leadership.
Adaptability – The ability to adjust effectively to new conditions, challenges, or environments; a core element of resilience and leadership.
Amygdala – A brain structure involved in emotional processing, especially fear and stress responses. Often called the brain’s “alarm system.”
Anterior Cingulate Cortex – A brain region involved in empathy, emotion regulation, and decision-making.
B
Belonging – The sense of being accepted and valued within a group. Essential for team trust and collaboration.
C
Cognitive Reframing – A strategy of reinterpreting negative or stressful situations in a more positive or constructive way.
Compassion – The ability to recognise suffering in others and take action to alleviate it. A leadership “superpower” alongside empathy.
E
Emotional Intelligence (EI) – The capacity to recognise, understand, and manage your own emotions while perceiving and influencing the emotions of others. Includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Emotional Regulation – The ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences in adaptive ways, balancing composure and clarity.
Empathy – The ability to sense and understand others’ feelings and respond with care. Strengthens trust and team cohesion.
Extrinsic Motivation – Motivation driven by external rewards such as recognition, money, or approval.
F
Fight-or-Flight Response – An automatic stress reaction triggered by the amygdala, preparing the body for perceived danger. Leaders can retrain responses to avoid reactivity.
Fixed Mindset – The belief that intelligence and abilities are static and unchangeable. Often leads to avoiding risks and fearing failure.
G
Growth Mindset – The belief that abilities can be developed through learning, practice, and resilience. Encourages risk-taking and continuous improvement.
H
Hebb’s Law – A foundational principle of neuroscience introduced by Donald Hebb in 1949, often expressed as “neurons that fire together, wire together.” It explains how repeated and simultaneous activation of neurons strengthens the connections between them, making certain thought patterns, behaviours, or emotional responses more automatic over time. This law is a key mechanism behind neuroplasticity, habit formation, and learning.
Hippocampus – A brain structure important for learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Strengthened through mindfulness and learning.
I
Intrinsic Motivation – Motivation driven by personal meaning, curiosity, or purpose rather than external rewards.
L
Limiting Beliefs – Deeply ingrained negative assumptions that restrict personal growth or performance. Examples: “I’m not good enough,” “I can’t lead.”
M
Mindset – A set of beliefs and attitudes that shape how one interprets the world, challenges, and opportunities.
Mindfulness – The practice of focusing on the present moment with awareness and without judgment. Supports self-regulation and resilience.
Mirror Neurons – Brain cells that fire both when we act and when we observe others acting, underpinning empathy and social understanding.
Motivation – The internal drive to pursue goals, fulfil needs, or align with values. Essential for resilience and leadership.
N
Negative Mindset – A perspective focused on problems, limitations, and fear of failure, often leading to stress and low morale.
Neuroplasticity – The brain’s lifelong ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural pathways, enabling learning, habit change, and resilience.
P
Positive Mindset – A perspective oriented toward opportunities, solutions, and growth, even in the face of setbacks.
Prefrontal Cortex – The brain region responsible for decision-making, planning, social behaviour, and emotion regulation.
Purpose & Meaning – A sense of significance and direction that fuels motivation, resilience, and authentic leadership.
R
Resilience – The ability to recover quickly from setbacks, stress, or adversity, and to grow stronger through challenges.
Reticular Activating System (RAS) – A neural network that filters sensory input, highlighting information aligned with one’s focus or mindset.
S
SCARF Model – A framework by David Rock describing five social needs that influence behaviour: Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness.
Self-Awareness – The ability to recognise and understand your own emotions, triggers, and behaviours.
Self-Efficacy – The belief in one’s ability to successfully carry out tasks and achieve goals.
Self-Regulation – The ability to control impulses, emotions, and behaviours in order to act with balance and clarity.
Social Skills – The ability to build and manage relationships, influence others, and navigate social dynamics effectively.
Support Seeking – The willingness and ability to reach out for help, connection, or resources in times of need.
Synaptic Pruning – The brain’s process of removing unused neural connections, making frequently used pathways stronger and more efficient.