By Christian van Nieuwerburgh
Higher levels of mental toughness have been shown to correlate with enhanced levels of well-being, according to AQR managing director, Doug Strycharczyk.
Some 140 coaches gathered at Aston Business School in Birmingham for a conference on ‘Coaching for Resilience: Strengthening Your Organisation from Within.’
In his opening address, Strycharczyk said that mental toughness can explain up to 25 per cent of variation in performance between individuals. The event was organised by the West Midlands Coaching Pool and AQR.
Emeritus professor at Sheffield Hallam University, David Megginson warned of the “joyless depletion” which can be the result of relentless overworking. He invited the audience to consider whether vulnerability (the antithesis of resilience) was necessary for meaningful learning.
In the final keynote, Gaynor Lewis, director of business development at the Institute of Leadership and Management, offered delegates a glimpse of the “workplace of the future”, based on current trends.
A lively panel debate followed about the transferability of learning from the world of sports psychology into the occupational sector and the under-representation of women in local government leadership.
Samantha Darby, people and leadership consultant for West Midlands Councils, said she was excited by the “buzz and enthusiasm” of coaches. Megginson agreed, noting that “the topic of resilience seems to have touched a nerve”, while Ann Hancox, a delegate from Warwickshire County Council, said it was a “truly thought-provoking day”.
Twitter: @christianvn
Coaching at work, volume 8, issue 1