buffering stress: leadership and psychological hardiness dr. o. counseling psychological services center

1. Buffering Stress: Leadership and Psychological Hardiness

2. The Leadership Challenge When leaders are at their best: Challenge the process Inspire a shared vision Enable others to act Model the way Encourage the heart Handout: Ten Commitments of Leadership H.O. � Ten Commitments of Leadership Adapted from The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes & Posner, 2002) CTP � Confront + change the status quo (venture out) ISV � �What could be� EOA � Guide constituents on a journey they�ve never been ETH � Encourage + motivate H.O. � Ten Commitments of Leadership Adapted from The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes & Posner, 2002) CTP � Confront + change the status quo (venture out) ISV � �What could be� EOA � Guide constituents on a journey they�ve never been ETH � Encourage + motivate

3. Challenge the Process 1. Search out opportunities to change, grow, innovate, improve. 2. Experiment, take risks, and learn from the mistakes.

4. When people are at their personal best as leaders, their projects involve� creative, beyond-the-boundaries thinking�

5. Slice the Cake Cut the cake into as many pieces as possible using only 4 straight cuts The task How many pieces: 8?, 9?, 10?, 11?, 12?The task How many pieces: 8?, 9?, 10?, 11?, 12?

6. 11?11?

7. Solutions If think 3-dimensionally? 7 then slice horizontally = 14Solutions If think 3-dimensionally? 7 then slice horizontally = 14

8. 16 4 Stack (8) Stack again (16)16 4 Stack (8) Stack again (16)

9. Essentials for Innovative Change Taking risks Learning from both mistakes + successes Theodor S. Geisel�s first children�s book manuscript rejected 27 times. It�s eventual publisher sold 6,000,000 copies.

10. Approaching Stress Positively Psychologists Kobasa & Maddi studied + identified attitudes that minimize stress Executives @ Illinois Bell facing prospect of deregulation Upheaval Identified high-stress/low-illness vs. high-stress/high-illness groups executives Found important differences in attitude called psychological hardiness Attitude as central Stress tolerant, robust, resilient 10-year time period Physical illness Findings hold across different studies Viktor Frankl � Man�s Search for Meaning10-year time period Physical illness Findings hold across different studies Viktor Frankl � Man�s Search for Meaning

11. Psychological Hardiness � Favorable(High-stress/Low-illness) Were committed to self + various areas of life Sense of meaningfulness + purpose Strong involvement Had sense of control over things happened in their lives Experienced change as a positive challenge An opportunity for development The 3 C�s �Being the change�The 3 C�s �Being the change�

12. �Learning and Challenge Mindsets� Lifelong learning The world as your teacher Transformational events Events that alter the very fabric of one�s life John Wooden � �It�s what you learn after you know it all that matters most.� John Wooden � �It�s what you learn after you know it all that matters most.�

13. We need to believe that we can overcome adversity and rise to the challenge of sought-after change �You can never step into the same river twice, because the water is always flowing� � Ancient saying The constancy of change Success as an eventual by-product of failure (Formula 409)The constancy of change Success as an eventual by-product of failure (Formula 409)

14. Psychological Hardiness � Unfavorable(High-stress/High-illness) Felt alienated + powerless lacked connection also lacked integration attitude of external locus of control Experienced change as threatening felt taxed in response to the threat Why manage stress? �I do better under stress.� Stress, telomeres, and agingWhy manage stress? �I do better under stress.� Stress, telomeres, and aging

15. Psychological hardiness may be more important than other variables in protecting against stress

16. Implications Leaders need to: be psychologically hardy create an climate that promotes hardiness in others

17. Promoting Hardiness Organizations can create a climate promotes hardiness: Build commitment by offering more rewards than punishment Foster sense of control by assigning tasks congruent with person�s skill level Build an attitude of challenge by encouraging others to view change as full of possibilities Corporate cultureCorporate culture

18. Debrief Every Failure and Success What did we do well? What did we do poorly? What did we learn from this? How can we do better the next time?

19. Physical Emotional Intellectual Social Spiritual

20. �Be at peace with yourself. If you are not at peace with yourself, you are at peace with nothing� Ron Rathbun (1994)Ron Rathbun (1994)

21. �Where your mind is, is where you are.� If you are working � work If you are playing � play �The true meaning of being MINDFUL is experienced when you are living in the moment and enjoying it.� Mindfulness

22. Mindfulness Eating Meditation

23. Relaxation

24. Gauge the challenge vs. skill level Increasing responsibilityGauge the challenge vs. skill level Increasing responsibility