Building Stress REsilience: THE 21st CENTURY COMPETITIVE EDGE

In our “always on” culture, we can no longer ignore the ample statistics & science-based research informing us of the depleting & costly toll unmanaged workplace stress & burnout is taking on our people & the bottom line of our organizations. Check out my article below published in Forbes for ways to start burnout-proofing your life, your team & your company in 2020 & beyond.

The 21st Century Corporation’s Competitive edge: Building stress resilience

As published in Forbes on November 4, 2019 via Forbes Coaches Council

Burnout is the hidden and costly crisis in today’s corporate culture, and it’s making headlines all over the world. While people are beginning to understand the personal, human downside of chronic stress and burnout, we are not fully comprehending the universal detriment to the modern corporation.

Burnout is costly, with a $300 billion annual revenue loss in the U.S, alone due to absenteeism, sickness, accidents and mistakes attributed to chronic stress. The stakes are already extreme, and companies will continue to experience high turnover and loss of human capital as the pace of change continues to accelerate. Innovative and future-focused companies are adapting to better support and empower their colleagues with the work skills and healthy habits they need to succeed both in business and in life. This comprehensive skill set is the competitive edge corporations need to compete in the 21st century economy.

I know these changes sound big, scary and overwhelming. You will need support in the form of executive leadership buy-in on the importance of creating a healthier workplace. Changing your corporate culture takes time and consistent attention. You can start now with the simple step of empowering your executive leadership team to own your wellness as a fundamental part of your job. Set individual and team well-being goals, and commit to supporting and enhancing results with ongoing executive coaching and educational programming.

As an executive coach specializing in corporate burnout prevention and stress resilience, one thing I’ve found with every client is that companies are not set up for success in this new economy. From the 24/7 work cycle — which encourages people to work longer days toward excessive productivity with less staff — to the normalization of contact with executives after hours and while they’re on vacation, work takes center stage in high-performers lives. All work becomes essential, imperative and immediate; fire drills become vital to getting the job done.

The build-up of stress and adrenaline created from operating in crisis mode make active listening and acute focus impossible, resulting in unexpected, adverse outcomes and mental and physical exhaustion that inevitably lead to burnout.

Burnout creates excessive frustration that demotivates high achievers, creating lapses in communication and productivity and eventually affecting everyone around them. It can manifest in physical symptoms such as clouded thinking, weight gain from out-of-control cortisol levels and other chronic health issues such as high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain and heart disease. These are common signs of burnout and will eventually lead to the burnout domino effect, impacting every rung on the way up and down the corporate ladder.

there is good news:

There is good news: Companies can change their corporate culture from one that is an inherent economic drain to one that becomes their competitive advantage. While more complex than the traditional stress-busters like leadership forums or gym memberships, I have found that if you implement the following steps, your company will start down the path toward stress resilience and burnout prevention.

Establish Self-Mastery As A Fundamental Part Of The Job

The work starts from the executive suite, by establishing the idea of self-mastery as a fundamental part of the job, supporting and empowering executives and leaders to take ownership of showing up at their best. This is a top-down approach: Every executive must dedicate themselves to self-growth, self-development and self-care, including vacations that are true getaways, uninterrupted by work. Time and space away from work will allow executives and high performers to reach their ultimate potential as a human and leader, and it will also be reflected in their results.

Build Stress And Burnout Resilience

Traditional leadership training isn’t enough. Telling someone all the ways they are expected to lead in a perfect world will not have a sustainable impact if you don’t address the stress, emotions and importance of prioritizing individual well-being, no matter the circumstance. Many companies attempt holistic wellness (discounted fitness programs, superficial training or one-off workshops) yet don’t address the root causes of burnout. Innovators in modern corporate management hire executive coaches specializing in stress and burnout resilience before there are rampant issues. A good consultant can help identify costly burnout risk factors, introduce solid foundations in work-life blend initiatives and empower executives and leaders to cross the finish line at sustainable levels of excellence, purpose and fulfillment.

Foster A Spirit Of Compassionate Curiosity

Another helpful tool in the modern executive toolkit is fostering a spirit of compassionate curiosity: seeking understanding through thoughtful questions while having compassion for everyone (yourself included) in the process. Leaders can help shift anger or frustration into positive, powerful perspectives, creating new opportunities for growth and resilience. Once modeled in the executive team, others will follow, creating sustainable solutions over the long term.

Heroically Ask For Help

Asking for help is heroic, and should be treated as such across your organization. By changing the paradigm in your workplace around asking for help, executives can set the example and cultivate and encourage more integrated collaboration, better support networks and a more open, honest communication within teams.

Empower A Growth Mindset

Companies must start developing vocabulary and give voice to burnout. Start treating it as the pervasive and costly issue it is. Teaching executives how to make their stress work for them, shifting to a growth mindset and re-framing negative perception around mental health creates better leadership overall. Ongoing support and coaching in tools such as stress resilience, energy management, holistic well-being and lifelong learning around self-awareness is the way to empower your senior and emergent executives to live the message.

the bottom line

Companies that wisely invest in holistic corporate health for their modern workforce realize significant benefits in reduced costs, decreased absenteeism, enhanced job satisfaction, increased profitability and, ultimately, vast out-performance of the competition over the long term. Stress resilience and burnout prevention give you the 21st century edge that all corporations are looking for. The implementation of that edge starts today, with you.

{As published in Forbes.]

As the ultimate leader of your own life & of others, what would stop you from empowering & teaching yourself & your people how to show up at your best in this ever-changing global economy?

Prevention is the solution to costly Burnout & my healthy & vital approach to stress & burnout resilience is the secret weapon! Let’s connect & create a plan for you & your company.

We are all in this together so share your experiences & comments below & let’s increase awareness & elevate this important dialogue.

With smarts & heart, C