The Resilient Qualitative Researcher

Hello Qualitative Mind,

If you follow the Quali Q blog closely, you might have noticed that the month of August 2021 was dedicated to rigor in qualitative research and the qualitative researcher’s mindset. We had two amazing blog posts written by Qualitative Research Blueprint alumni that were incredibly well received by our readers and communities. 

My intent today is to put it all together and then take a step further. I want to connect the qualitative researcher’s mindset and qualitative research rigor, and help you to understand where Quali Q, through its programs and resources, comes in for our clients and communities.

I really like Brené Brown and consume a lot of her content through books, podcasts and social media. She often talks about resilience, especially in the context of wholeheartedly living. Influenced by her, I used to mainly think of resilience as our ability to overcome adversities.

Back in May of 2021 I learned a more comprehensive definition of resilience that deeply resonated with my work through Quali Q, and the message I’m trying to convey today. The definition below is from Dr. Michael Unger and can be found at https://cyrm.resilienceresearch.org/ 

“In the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their well-being, and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways.”

I think Quali Q programs have been incredible resources to qualitative researchers trying to not only sustain their well-being but also advance their research programs and careers. In the Quali Q Coaching and Mentoring Program, for example, we do that by working together and learning ways to be more rigorous while acknowledging where our research paradigm (or the one of our colleagues) might be misaligned with our research methods and choices.

I’ve had the privilege of seeing the results of collaboration with one of Quali Q’s longest standing clients, Pascale Lissouba. Pascale joined the first QRB cohort in 2020 and since then has worked with me one-on-one. She’s completed multiple qualitative projects within her organization, and moved from being an epidemiologist who was just starting to tap into qualitative research to being someone who is now well-recognized for her expertise with mixed-methods research. Pascale’s projects often include multi-country data and highly complex topics so seeing her rise as a qualitative researcher, as well as overcome self-doubt, has been a great testament to the power in bringing in meaningful external resources to build one’s resilience.

When asked about her experience with Quali Q’s coaching program, here is what Pascale had to say…

“What I have gained the most from working with you is confidence, and an understanding of an approach to qualitative research that is structured, strategic and at the same time so creative. I was really unsure of myself when I started, aware that there was so much I did not know (and to be honest the more I learn the more I realize how much there is still to learn) but I feel much more at ease trusting my judgement and my perspective on things.

Discussing all the projects I have worked on with you is so helpful because you really have a way to get to the heart of what is there to capture in terms of meaning, process, and dynamics. I feel valued as a qualitative researcher in our exchanges regardless of how inexperienced I am, and this has really helped in giving me confidence!”

If you feel your resilience tank is running low (totally normal after 2+ years of a pandemic) or needs a booster, seek meaningful relationships with other qualitative researchers. This is one the lessons I learned this past year, and will be covering on June 24th when we meet live on Zoom.

Also, keep it in mind that Quali Q has several wonderful free resources you can access at any point in your research journey. For those who might be ready for one-on-one engagement and the work that comes with it, the Quali Q Coaching and Mentoring Program is open for enrolment! Together we can accomplish many things and overcome more than you can think of...

Talk soon,

Maira

** This blog post was originally published on September 7, 2021 and was updated on June 21, 2022.