Why mental toughness is important

It makes absolute sense that top-performing salespeople are able to handle stressful situations and bounce back from setbacks. Top-performing sales people are not inherently detail-focused but take responsibility for their work and know the steps they need to take to get to a sales win. Ultimately, those scoring well on the facet of mental toughness in sports have a greater likelihood of being successful in sales. Translating the mental toughness research into action takes a blend of both art and science.

First it is important to build organizational awareness around why mental toughness is important, not just within the sales realm, but throughout the entire organization. Awareness, of course, is only the first step. Shaping and managing a mental toughness culture through targeted selection and development creates an environment in which employees are more likely to be resilient, effectively manage stress, maintain constructive emotionality, and persist through challenges.

Selecting the right talent is, of course, one of the most important aspects of building a mental toughness culture, as it is far easier to shape people who are hired in with innately tough personality attributes then it is to build new habits in those who may not necessarily have the natural proclivity.

In addition to new hires, it is also important to understand mental toughness strengths and gaps in existing employees. Quantifying the degree of organizational mental toughness through individual and aggregate analyses and composite indices allows companies to establish and tailor developmental journeys that focus on the aspects of mental toughness on which development can have the greatest impact.

Cultivating mental toughness traits does not happen through a typical sales training workshop, but creating a longer-term campaign to address mental toughness will serve to increase the efficacy of those traditional, training investments. By targeting the innate, personality-driven attributes of salespeople it is possible to reduce significant barriers to success, which up to now have likely been overlooked.

It is also important to skill sales managers in the areas of providing strong, structural guidance self-structure to enable sales performance, the goal would be to introduce and reinforce this concept through ongoing, sales coaching. Over the last 20 years or so, while other researchers and thought leaders have touted the importance of grit and mental toughness, the output has largely remained theoretically and motivational, lacking the substance to actually operationalize.

However with this mental toughness construct, organizations can leverage the same insights that professional sports teams have been using to draft top athletic prospects and use it to select and develop mentally tough talent that dominates within the competitive marketplace. Schoenfelder is an authority on psychological profiling, talent management, applied research, and organizational consulting. Being mentally tough brings a variety of benefits for individuals and organisations. Research conducted worldwide has concluded that those with higher levels of mental toughness, as indicated through the MTQ48 measure, enjoy the following;.

For these reasons being mentally tough for an individual or an organisation is immensely important, especially in times of great change. Leaders, aspiring leaders and those working in stressful, unforgiving occupations or in situations of uncertainty or dynamic change need to be mentally tough.

Organisations whether they be in the education, health, government, corporate or public sectors need to be resilient and mentally set and ready for change. Become a Partner.

Wellbeing — more contented. Positive Behaviour — more engaged. Without a doubt, mental prowess is necessary for athletes to achieve the best results possible when it comes to sports.

In these moments, athletes must have the drive and motivation to push through challenging and pressure-filled moments and continue on to success. Athletes need to remain just as engaged and focused on delivering a high-quality performance in dire situations as when they are feeling fresh.

Whether someone is racing against the clock or competing against other athletes, this toughness should allow the athlete to remain competitive and at the front of the pack, not just a presence on the field. It is easy to deliver a top-notch performance when the pressure is off or when people feel fresh. It is more important to keep that level of energy when fatigue or pressure sets in.

When pushing athletes to develop this toughness, there are some important facts that coaches need to remember. Remind the athletes that they possess more heart and strength than they give themselves credit for. Help remind them that their limits are only perceptions developed by their mind. When they feel tired or want to stop, tell the athletes that they are in control.

They can push harder. They can fight longer. Do not allow those mental blocks to progress to physical limits. Help instill the belief that they are capable of more than they ever thought possible.

No matter the activity, always encourage athletes to practice visualizing their success. This is a great way for athletes to overcome any mental limitations. Success for most athletes is achieving something that they have never done before.

In order to accomplish this, they will need to break down their mental barriers.