The World Health Organization has called stress the global health epidemic of the 21st century. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of all employees view their job as the number one stressor in their lives. Why? In a word: Change. IBM reports that 5,247 executives in over 70 countries consider the “scope, scale and speed” of change to be increasingly disruptive. As these statistics suggest, the risk of physical and mental burnout is extremely high in our always-connected, always-on work culture.
How can we develop resiliency and psychological flexibility in the face of increasing demands, chronic stress, complexity and change? The latest research suggests that we do so by embracing our strengths, improving emotional intelligence and leveraging positive psychology techniques to promote well-being.
Leverage Your Strengths
At The Workplace Coach, we suggest taking an assessment such as DISC, StrengthFinder or VIA to identify your “signature strengths.” Once you’ve identified your strengths, pay attention to how you already engage your top three to five strengths, then consider how you might apply those strengths to challenges. For example, if gratitude or love of learning are among your signature strengths, you might reframe a fear of public speaking by bringing these qualities to mind. Such a reframing shifts your focus to your core strengths, giving you the energy and resolve to move forward effectively.
To make positive reframing a habit, choose a top strength and apply it in a new way every day for a week. Continue this until you’ve exercised all the strengths you’ve identified. Research has shown that this will boost work success, health and relationship satisfaction.
Boost Your Emotional Intelligence
The key components of emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Combined, these elements give us the ability to sense, understand and apply the power and acumen of our emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity. The science says that people with high emotional intelligence not only communicate better, but also reduce their anxiety and stress, which helps them to defuse conflicts, improve their relationships and overcome the challenges of life and work more effectively.
The TriMetrix EQ DISC assessment is an excellent measure of strengths, motivators and emotional intelligence. The goal of this kind of tool is to allow us to identify areas of below-average emotional intelligence, or EQ, so we can work to improve them. For example, an individual who is hyper and over-talkative will likely score low in self-regulation, an indicator that he or she may want to practice mindfulness or employ other tools to control their impulses and learn to think before acting.
Positive Psychology Techniques
Positive psychology is a neo-humanistic study of the strengths that enable individuals, groups and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves and to enhance their experience of love, play and work. Techniques such as gratitude exercises, mindfulness, meditation, savoring, forgiveness and “Best Possible Future Self” have been proven to increase resilience, creativity, psychological flexibility and sense of well-being.
One of the most powerful and studied positive psychology interventions is also one of the simplest: 3-good things. At the end of each day, just before going to sleep, write down three things that went well during the day. Alternatively, ask yourself, When was I at my best today? – again looking for three distinct times. Then ask why: Why did these things go well? Or why was I at my best then? Over time, you’ll notice a mental shift that I like to call, “I’ve got this!” Within about 30 days, most people begin to look for and anticipate good things during their day and to realize that they are in control of creating those good things.
Building Workplace Success
Today workplace expectations for senior leaders and executives are at an all-time high. Learning to leverage your natural strengths, cultivate emotional intelligence and employ positive psychology techniques will give you a distinct advantage –– the ability to maintain a sense of well-being in the face of uncertainty, high-stress and change. Expanding your psychological agility will allow you to remain resilient, reduce the risk of burnout and increase your propensity for success and productivity at work while enjoying your family and personal endeavors more fully.
How can we help you become your best?