Houston, We Have A Problem - with Our Mental Toughness and Wellbeing!

Have you looked around lately at your team?

I mean have you really looked at how your team are and how they are managing?

Are they thriving?

Or are they just holding it together with a very fine thread? Is the rocket ship starting to crack under the pressure?

Many teams are struggling at the moment. Change is an ever constant in organisational environments and although some are managing very well, others are struggling and are barely just keeping their heads above water.

Wellbeing is strongly linked with Mental Toughness which is basically a mindset that a person adopts in everything they do and determines how they perform under stress and pressure irrespective of the prevailing circumstances. Mental Toughness is more than resilience alone.

Mental Toughness allows us to not just survive but also to thrive.

We need to recognise when our team’s wellbeing is suffering and we can start to look for and identify the physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms which show quickly that something on the rocket ship just ain’t working.

Consider the symptoms that you could look for in your team which might indicate to you they are not managing their wellbeing:

Physical Symptoms

·        Muscle tension

·        Headaches

·        Excessive sweating

·        Neck, back and shoulder pain

·        Skin disorders

·        Butterflies in the stomach

·        Grinding jaw/teeth

·        Ulcers, chest pain, high blood pressure

·        Shallow breathing

·        IBS

Psychological Symptoms

·        Low confidence

·        Depression

·        Anxiety

·        Anticipatory anxiety

·        Anger

·        Self-blame

·        Excessive worry

·        Moodiness

·        Poor concentration

·        Poor memory

·        Impatience

·        Tension

Behavioural Symtoms

·        Social withdrawal

·        Aggression

·        Passivity

·        Poor or irregular eating habits

·        Insomnia

·        Substance abuse

·        Poor time management

·        Absenteeism

·        Presenteeism

If we identify these symptom’s (and these lists are by no means exhaustive) in either an individual or the team (and remember everyone is different) then we have an opportunity to provide skills to manage and develop mental toughness to assist them manage more effectively and give both individuals and the team a greater sense of control over the rocket they are in charge of.

In the 4 Cs framework of Mental Toughness, it has been identified that – Control, Commitment, Challenge and Confidence - allow us to recognise the traits that make up a mentally tough individual.

By combining use of the MTQ48 psychometric assessment  (to measure Mental Toughness and provide self-awareness) with a programme of targeted interventions, staff will be better prepared for what life ‘throws at them’ and be able to bounce back from setbacks and gain confidence to thrive in the face of challenges and better manage their wellbeing.

Want to know more about developing your team’s mental toughness? Send me an email at michelle@bakjacconsulting.com to enquire about coaching and training.

Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Wellbeing Strategist, Leadership and Wellbeing Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness Practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com