What is Mental Toughness and why does it matter?

Mental Toughness means many things to many different people. A simple description is that it is the mind-set that a person adopts in everything that they do – from our performance in work to our lives at home.

Those who have higher levels of mental resilience are able to perform consistently at or near the top of their capabilities, regardless of the challenges, pressure and stress they face.

Research carried out has identified the four key components of Mental Toughness. These are called the 4 Cs.

Challenge / Confidence / Control / Commitment

The importance of mental toughness at work The current working environment is more challenging than at any time in recent memory. Almost a decade of austerity, coupled with a looming Brexit has meant that budgets and resources across the board have been slashed. Everyone is being asked to do more with less and against a backdrop of rapidly changing technology, markets, customer expectations and dwindling job security.

Stress has overtaken muscular skeletal injuries as the number one reason for workplace absence and cost UK companies over £6.5bn a year in lost productivity from 10.4million days lost. Part of the answer lies in developing mental toughness – a measure of a person’s mindset.

By developing our mental toughness, we can improve ourselves in many ways including:

✓ Improved productivity

✓ Improved attitudes and behaviours

✓ Increased well-being and ability to manage stress

✓ Improved ability to handle change

✓ Greater engagement and job satisfaction

✓ Higher retention rates and reduced absenteeism

✓ Better customer service

✓ Enhanced assessment of candidates

✓ World-class performance under pressure

Futureproof offer support in a number of mental wellbeing topics, get in touch for more information info@futureproof-training.co.uk or 01623 409 824.

Mental Health at Work

Developing Resilience

The results from a couple of recent sales development projects have been remarkable. Both companies had previously productised their sales approach, offering a package of services / products to new and existing customers. Introducing them to the concept of solution selling required a significant change in mindset for the whole business and was the main foundation of the programme before we continued to look at the skills and behaviours required to research and fully explore the wants, needs and expectations of their customers. The support and sales coaching provided by the management team was pivotal and focusied on ‘catching people doing it right’ and therefore embedding a repeatable set of skills. The ability of our training team to engage and inspire others to make a positive shift in attitude was fantastic to see in action. Get in touch if you want to transform your commercial sales and business development team and we can make a difference together!! info@futureproof-training.co.uk | 01623 409 824.

Try six thinking hats to help keep your meetings on track

Managing business meetings effectively can be a real challenge especially when you have a mix of different personalities, experience and opinions in the same room. Six Thinking Hats provides a strong structure for your discussion and allows the chair to channel the energy of the group to maximise productivity during the allocated meeting time.

Give it go next time you hold your next meeting.

• The White Hat calls for information known or needed. “The facts, just the facts.”
• The Yellow Hat symbolizes brightness and optimism. Under this hat you explore the positives and probe for value and benefit.
• The Black Hat is judgment – the devil’s advocate or why something may not work. Spot the difficulties and dangers; where things might go wrong. Probably the most powerful and useful of the Hats but a problem if overused.
• The Red Hat signifies feelings, hunches and intuition. When using this hat you can express emotions and feelings and share fears, likes, dislikes, loves, and hates.
• The Green Hat focuses on creativity; the possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas. It’s an opportunity to express new concepts and new perceptions.
• The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process. It’s the control mechanism that ensures the Six Thinking Hats® guidelines are observed

At Futureproof we are serious about making every meeting you attend as productive as possible. Project planning, quality assessment, sales reviews, problem solving and innovation meetings are typical discussions that take place in most businesses every week and if not manage correctly can waste time and develop rifts between those attending. If you need support get in touch and we can design and development a workshop that will help your meetings go smoothly and result in productive outcomes and actions.

01623 409 824 or info@futureproof-training.co.uk.

Making Meetings Work!

The art of conducting an effective interview really is a skill set that has been massively underrated. Recruitment offers an ideal opportunity to bring on board people who can make a real difference and play a significant part in the long-term success of the business. Summed up perfectly by Peter Drucker.

“of all the decisions an executive makes, none are as important as the decisions about people; because they determine the performance capacity of the organisation“

Like many other people management skills, the ability to conduct an effective interview very rarely comes naturally and over recent months we have seen an increase in demand for training and development support on the subject.

Our mix of interactive group workshops, ‘live’ interview skills practice and coaching support has proved highly successful.

Preparation, a clearly defined interview structure and behavioural questioning techniques have been the foundation of the sessions delivered with the opportunity to build in your corporate values and competency framework.

Please get in touch if you want to support your managers attract the right people.

info@futureproof-training.co.uk or 01623 409824

Or have a look at our standard workshop agenda and we can work with you to tailor the content.

Recruitment & Interviewing Skills

Are you looking for a team event with a difference? Then, why not try the National Space Centre in Leicester.

Whether you have a newly formed team or an existing team who would benefit from looking at ways in which they can work more effectively together, the Space Centre offers a truly unique experience. The Challenger Learning Centre is one of only two educational space mission simulators of it type outside of North America.

On arriving at the centre your team will receive a briefing before blasting off to take part in a mission in to space! The mission is conducted in a controlled environment which allows us to test how the group communicate, solve problems, handle pressurised situations, offer feedback to their colleagues, receive feedback from their colleagues and react to a difference of opinion.

Facilitated by Futureproof’s Training Consultants the event will provide a powerful mix of group interaction, an open and honest appraisal of team performance and group discussion linked to improving team work.

For more information – info@futureproof-training.co.uk #letsmaketeamworkfun