Keep calm and carry on….
Poet and novelist Rudyard Kipling wrote in 1939 of the importance of being able to “keep your head when all around you are losing theirs”.
I believe this message is more important today than ever.
As we say in Scotland, let’s keep the heid.
The world is in a state of flux. Job vacancies are sky-high, wars overseas, political upheaval in the UK, and a cost of living crisis. More considerable and challenging changes are yet to come in our macro environment in the next few years.
As business owners, we cannot control any of these elements. All we can do is manage our response to the things happening in the world around us.
“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”
― Pema Chödrön
This is where it is vital to have a growth mindset and a high level of Motivational Intelligence (MQ)and to practice the skills and tools that come with mastering our Motivational Intelligence (MQ).
Here are just a few things that help us weather the storms, in my view.
Keeping a calm head – to achieve this, we need to assess the situation without emotion, examine the evidence and weigh our options objectively. When we let our emotions take over business decisions, we lose our objectivity and ability to make good judgement calls.
Planning for things to go wrong – disaster planning is not fun……but essential. By identifying the key things that could derail us from our Vision and goals and planning strategies and tools to manage those challenges, we can feel confident in our ability to ride out any storm, adjust and adapt at a faster, more planned pace.
Having absolute clarity on our mission – when things around us are in turmoil and we are experiencing turbulence with the business, it’s challenging to know what decisions to make and when.
The one guiding light should always remain. Our Vision, Goals and Mission. These should still shine brighter than ever – knowing with clarity what we are trying to achieve and why means that when things get tough, we can bring everything back to that purpose……and we can learn to make the decisions that are most likely to bring us closer to our desired goals and outcomes.
“A man of calm is like a shady tree. People who need shelter come to it.”
― Toba Beta
As business leaders, our team looks to us during tough times to guide them, give them hope, and provide reassurance. We can only do that if we can see the road ahead; even if it is littered with obstructions and twists and turns, we need to see the light and have the Vision.
In our most challenging times in business, we have a choice – to give up and blame the world around us or to keep calm and carry on to try and ride out the storm.
“You can have success, or you can have excuses, but you cannot have both.”
Enas and I have experienced the fear of losing everything we’d worked for, which was terrifying. We could have let our emotional response (EQ) take over, but we took stock, took a step back, returned to our original Vision and forged a new plan to help us achieve our goals.
None of this is easy. But it becomes easier when we equip ourselves with the right mindset, tools, and techniques to help us manage change, be more resilient in the face of adversity and maximise opportunities.
What’s the answer?
Question 1: How can we help business leaders to thrive during the good times and become more robust and resilient through the bad times?
Answer 1: People with higher levels of MQ are less threatened by the prospect of change. Thus, they are more open to new ideas, approaches, and strategies. They are more resilient and adaptable. Thus, they are better equipped to cope with a highly dynamic environment.
Question 2: How can we help employees develop a growth mindset and look at challenges in life as opportunities?
Answer 2:: Employees with higher MQ take greater ownership of the move in meaningful accountable ways. People with higher MQ are more adaptable and open-minded. They can stay positive in facing resistance and challenges, always looking for new and innovative ways to solve the issue.
Conclusion:
Building and developing these skills means giving ourselves the best chance of keeping our heads when all around us are losing theirs. Our world-first SQA-approved Leading With Motivational Intelligence (MQ) Executive Diploma was developed from this approach.
Click the link below to learn more about how Motivational Intelligence training can help you and your business think bigger, be better, and achieve more.
📣 Executive Overview 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Leading With Motivational Intelligence.
In this 1 hour introduction to Motivational Intelligence (MQ), you will learn the critical differentiating factor between people who succeed and those who struggle or ultimately fail.
🧠 Motivational Intelligence (MQ) is the third and most influential level of human intelligence. Learn how to mentor and inspire people to take ownership, adapt to change, be resilient, increase productivity and have courage despite the uncertainty of turbulence, transition and change.
Your webinar registration details are as follows:
⏰ 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: Webinar Tuesday, 2nd August 2022 09:00 am – 10:00 am
📍𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: (Live Zoom Training session) Register in advance for this meeting:
https://www.thepowerwithintraining.uk/PL/LWMQ
James Fleming
The Power Within Training,
The Motivational Intelligence Company
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