How do you react to adversity? Do you use it as a spring for new behavior?
Bouncing back from adversity is a difficult task for anyone to face, but we all have to do it at one time or another. Whether you’re an individual or on a corporate team, your mindset after adversity is what determines if you will succeed or fail in life.
Is adversity a setback or setup?
One of the first determinants on how to bounce back is viewing the situation as a setup. When you view it this way, it becomes preparation for something positive; it’s a new road that you turned onto. The opportunity is a chance to learn and grow and become even better.
If you view it as a setback, you will see it as as an obstacle or detour in reaching your goal. It’s a situation that you have to overcome to succeed.
You need to view the adversity as a place to bounce off of (setup) into success rather than a situation you need to bounce back from (setback) in order to get on the right track.
Avoid Thinking Traps
When adversity strikes, do you think of all the reasons why it happened, how it could have happened, and if you were to blame? These thoughts lead to a dead-end and have no productive answers. Instead, engage in questions that will help you react to the situation and help you solve the problem you are currently facing.
Shift to Active Thinking
Active thinking is the process of asking questions that you can control; which is the opposite of thinking traps. Specifying, visualizing, and collaborating questions are types of questions that help create this active mindset.
First, specifying questions help managers intervene and the more specific the better. It could be as simple as “How can I step up to make the most immediate, positive impact in my office environment?”
Next, visualizing questions are a way to shift the focus from the problem and instead focus on the solution. You could ask yourself what your role model would do in the situation, or how you want life to look at the end of it.
Finally, collaborating questions push you to reach out for others’ help and create joint problem solving. It is very important for managers to ask their teams who can help me and how can I get everyone involved.
Being able to bounce off adversity into success is a key for any individual or team to succeed. Change your mindset and view each situation as an opportunity to ensure a positive outcome.
Fun Team Building Can Help Change Your Mindset
Fun Team Building with Larry Lipman can help your organization reach its fullest potential with great professional development facilitation. Give Larry a call today at 770-333-3303 to ask how he can help! He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia.