Mental Toughness

It’s difficult to predict how people are going to react during a legitimate crisis. When you’re a manager, others will take their cue from your behavior. If you appear freaked out, your staff will freak out—which is not only counterproductive, it drains energy and resources when you need them most. So what can you do to “prepare” for a crisis?

First, recognize that you have agency. That means that you, and only you, control your actions. You are fully in control of your own energy, effort, and focus. You can’t always control your circumstances or environment but you can always control how you respond to them.

Practice looking for opportunity in every situation. When problems present themselves, ask, “What’s good about this situation? What can we learn from it?” This frees up your thinking to help you find solutions faster while managing your emotional investment in the situation.

Be intentional with your environment. Ever notice how draining it is to be around pessimists? They can skew your perspective and distract you from your goals. Consciously choose to spend your time with realists and optimists.

Stay solution focused. When situations arise you’ll notice that most people focus on the backstory or rationale. This orientation toward the past keeps you stuck processing the situation versus moving through it. Acknowledge that adversity and challenges are a part of business and turn your attention towards finding good solutions.

Developing these three habits will stand you in good stead when a real crisis occurs. Remember, it’s a combination of your mental toughness and your daily habits that bring success in your life.