Institute of Positive Leadership

We all face challenges—from everyday stress to major life events. Resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship; it’s about adapting and growing through it. Building resilience benefits not only your personal life but also your work performance: ? Strengthening connections with colleagues fosters better collaboration and team support. ? Prioritizing wellness enhances focus, energy, and overall productivity. Finding meaning in challenges helps you stay motivated, set achievable goals, and tackle setbacks with confidence. ? Cultivating positive thinking empowers you to approach workplace challenges with a growth mindset, turning obstacles into opportunities. Resilience is a skill we can all develop, and in the workplace, it leads to better problem-solving, improved leadership, and stronger teams.

Failure and setbacks are inevitable, but how we respond to them can make all the difference. Take Douglas and Walter, two MBA graduates who faced layoffs. Douglas bounced back quickly, using optimism and resilience to land a new job. Walter, however, struggled to recover, overwhelmed by self-doubt and fear. Research shows that resilience, the ability to bounce back and even grow from setbacks, can be learned. At the Institute of Positive Leadership, we draw on evidence-based research to offer resilience training that helps employees not just survive change, but thrive through it. Our programs teach leaders and teams to develop mental, emotional and social agility —critical skills for navigating adversity and emerging stronger on the other side.

Research from MIT Sloan Management Review found that short-term interventions, such as strategic one-on-one meetings, can significantly enhance psychological safety within teams. A study conducted by Sandoz, a division of Novartis, tested these interventions with over 1,000 teams. The research focused on one-on-one meetings as a key driver for fostering psychological safety. The findings revealed that addressing individual needs is critical for teams with low psychological safety, while this becomes less important as psychological safety increases. This underscores the need to tailor interventions based on a team’s starting level of psychological safety—whether low or high. #psychologicalsafety https://lnkd.in/e6vxP26D

DiSC is a valuable tool for guiding individuals and teams through change. Understanding our unique styles and those of others fosters adaptability and growth. Feel free to reach out if you're interested in learning more about our in-person and virtual DiSC workshops, ideal for team offsites.

In times of uncertainty, people often avoid risks and refrain from speaking up to protect themselves. However, it is precisely during these times that organizations need to invest in psychological safety and communication to foster learning and innovation, and to successfully navigate change. Creating an environment where employees feel safe to voice their opinions is crucial. Read on to learn more about how to make it safe for employees to speak up. Reach out to discover our evidence-based programs on Psychological Safety and Navigating Difficult Conversations, designed to help your leaders thrive in challenging times. https://lnkd.in/eFmFzT8Q

41% of employees report experiencing "a lot of stress". A significant number of employees report feelings of loneliness, anger, sadness, and stress, highlighting the importance of effective management in addressing these concerns. Improving workplace mental health starts with prioritizing the mental health and engagement of managers, who are on the front lines and play a key role in fostering a positive work environment. Equip managers with the necessary skills to lead effectively in complexity. Reach out to learn more about how IPL supports managers to lead themselves and others through change with confidence. #change #psychologicalsafety #resilience #stressmanagement

Alina and Emma were out on the road last week facilitating our new leadership curriculum addition, "Leading through Change." Thoughtfully designed, this program helps individuals and teams effectively navigate change while enhancing well-being and preventing burnout. In today's fast-paced world, change is inevitable, impacting us both personally and professionally. How well we navigate change can significantly influence not only our adaptability but also our overall health and resilience in the face of constant challenges. William and Susan Bridges emphasize that the real challenge of change lies not in the external events but in the internal process of adjusting to new realities. Their Bridges Transition Model outlines three phases we experience during change: Endings, the Neutral Zone, and New Beginnings. Endings involve letting go of the old ways, the Neutral Zone is a phase of uncertainty and discomfort, and New Beginnings represent embracing new realities with renewed clarity and commitment. This framework offers powerful insights into the psychological and emotional dynamics of change, serving as a practical guide for leaders and teams to navigate complexity and uncertainty while maintaining well-being. In our Leading through Change workshop, we support people leaders and teams by focusing on the human side of transitions. Participants learn how to identify and manage their inner critic (which becomes louder during times of change, often reinforcing self-doubt and resistance). We introduce strategies to cultivate a growth mindset, transforming uncertainty into opportunities for growth, and explore how personality style differences influence individuals' responses to transitions. Effective change management is about understanding the psychological process and emotions behind the transitions, not just the processes and systems. By recognizing and addressing the psychological journey during each stage, teams can build resilience, reduce stress, and prevent burnout. Reach out to learn more about bringing this workshop to your team or organization. #change #transitions?

In our work with People Leaders, we emphasize the critical role of psychological safety in team success. Research consistently highlights that psychological safety is the top predictor of team effectiveness and performance. Amy Edmondson's groundbreaking research, along with her 2x2 model, provides a powerful visual tool that illustrates how psychological safety and performance standards interact to shape different team dynamics. This framework not only helps identify where your team operates collectively but also offers insights into individual team members' experiences. Comfort Zone (High Psychological Safety, Low Performance Standards): In the comfort zone, psychological safety is high, but performance standards are low. Here, people feel safe but tend to avoid conflict, leading to a preference for maintaining the status quo. While there may be a strong sense of connection, innovation and productivity suffer, as risk-taking and challenges are minimal. Apathy Zone (Low Psychological Safety, Low Performance Standards): In the apathy zone, both psychological safety and performance expectations are low. Team members disengage, resulting in low energy, minimal accountability, and weak output. This zone is characterized by disconnection, with little collaboration or creativity, as individuals do just enough to get by. Anxiety Zone (Low Psychological Safety, High Performance Standards): When psychological safety is low but performance standards are high, teams enter the anxiety zone. In this zone, there is a high pressure to perform, but team members don't feel safe to ask for help or share challenges. This often leads to burnout, stress, and fear-driven behaviors like hiding mistakes. While short-term results may be achieved, the long-term costs to morale and well-being are significant. Learning Zone (High Psychological Safety, High Performance Standards): The learning zone represents the sweet spot where psychological safety and performance standards coexist. Here, team members feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, and experiment, while remaining motivated to improve and grow. This zone fosters innovation, creativity, and sustainable development—where teams truly thrive. Leveraging this framework can help you assess and support your team’s development, creating an environment where psychological safety and performance standards go hand in hand. #psychologicalsafety https://lnkd.in/g2_Nykca

Chronic people pleasing often arises from a fear of disapproval. However, continually saying “yes” to avoid rejection can breed resentment and ultimately result in burnout. The next time you are asked to do something, reflect on your own needs and values before committing to requests, set clear boundaries by learning to say "no" when necessary, and practice self-compassion to overcome the fear of rejection.

True productivity is more than just adopting new tools and tricks. It's about nurturing a mindset that encompasses well-being and purpose. That's why we're thrilled to share some thought-provoking book recommendations that dive deep into the connection between mindset, well-being, and productivity: ?? Slow Productivity by Cal Newport ?? Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal ?? Deep Work by Cal Newport ?? Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman We highly recommend exploring these reads for a more holistic and sustainable approach to getting things done.