Help I’m steppin’ into the twilight zone. The place is a madhouse, Feels like being cloned*
“You’ve just entered another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A place where finding new hires is a matter of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into the New Hire Twilight Zone. Baaaabababumpababump….
It’s hard to imagine a time in which we have been so challenged to find workers for open jobs. We are now in a new dimension, navigating the politics of federal and local government mandates along with the economics of running a business….all wrapped for the holiday season in Delta variants.
Many companies working short-staffed have placed the burden of handling increased business demands on their current employees. How long will these teammates tolerate drinking from the fire hose of dissatisfaction? Uh, not long at all. We all know somebody who is in this predicament and it’s not a pretty picture.
We Are Way Over Due For A Reality Check
As we know, employment demand cycles and it won’t remain this way forever. In the past, we typically had three choices to manage workflows:
1) Work faster…(Already doing that)
2) Delegate….(Nobody to delegate to)
3) Reprioritize & accept the reality of maintaining a social contract with our employees.
How do we navigate all this without going crazy with insane levels of turnover…?
As Ignatius of Loyola famously said, “Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you.” What might we do individually to handle the “as if it’s all up to you” part?
Add a Fourth Choice – Mental Toughness
Mental toughness is the ability to stay in the fight while maintaining positive relationships with our workforce. Those that do, although they are eating their share of pain at present, will eventually end up better than those that don’t.
A case in point is Ray, a restaurateur in southern Virginia. He has a big background from the London school of economics. You might think he could just crunch some numbers and focus on his bottom line. However, in addition to that, he chose to focus on the relationships between his staff AND his customers.
His bistro already had an excellent word of mouth reputation among the patrons for food and service. But Ray exhibited the traits that mentally tough people do who survive in business. He moved closer to his employees by giving them an immediate raise. They recognized his earnest and reciprocated by giving their best discretionary efforts and loyalty at a time when most other food businesses were floundering.
He was unafraid to raise his menu prices a little and communicate to his customers the reasons for doing so. This made his customers co-creators in the effort to retain the brand quality they had come to expect. Ray understood that he might have some lean times ahead as the owner but accepted the reality of ‘what is’ by re-prioritizing resources. It worked. And its shows up big in the attitude of his employees.
Additional Ideas To Stay Mentally Tough And Persevere
1) Think Bravely
Mentally tough people overcome fear in order to do what they need to do. They tune out noise and focus on the next step in front of them. They consistently keep doing what they have decided is most important now in the present. This does not mean they don’t experience fear, but it does mean they have decided not to allow fear to dominate their thinking.
2) Manage Energy
Mentally tough people discipline themselves to put aside things they have no ability to impact. Mental discipline is like strength training. The mind is a muscle that does not have an unlimited supply of energy. So don’t waste your brain power on things you can’t control. Be the change needed to address ‘what is,’ but don’t expect everyone else to change.
3) Recount Past Experiences
Mentally tough people maintain a reservoir of experiences to draw from. They may be either negative or positive, but they have a way of using the lessons learned from them in a way applicable to ‘what is’ now. They don’t engage in catastrophic thinking. Past failures are viewed as training. They doesn’t define who the mentally tough person is now. They let it go.
4) Never Complain Publicly
Words are powerful things, especially when others around you are experiencing ambiguity or uncertainty. Mentally tough people do not complain about their problems publicly. They may discuss them as ‘what is,’ but never in the context of defeat or worry. Rather they become opportunities for others to chime in with timely insights. They tend to keep positive momentum by “having what they say vs saying what they have”.
5) Celebrate Success Wherever It Is Found
Mentally tough people understand that success is not a zero-sum game. As Simon Sinek points out, in the Infinite Game, take the long view. Appreciate the success of your ‘worthy opponent’. Learn from their thought process constructively. When someone else succeeds, it is an indicator that something is working. Their success does not preclude your future success.
6) Run De-Frag for Your Brain (Daily)
Mentally tough people take some time each day before retiring to dump their mental cache. This is whatever they have been carrying around with them as random access data. They run De-frag for the brain. Envision your own mental hard-drive removing old files, corrupted files, or security breaches that can cause anxious thoughts. Hit the remove and delete buttons. Now fully enjoy your REM sleep. You have earned it.
A final thought about gratitude. We all have a lot to be thankful for. As we enter this Thanksgiving season, think about what you do have. Dwell on the blessings of your life. Notice how it shifts your mental perspective. It feels good to feel good…doesn’t it!
*Golden Earring 1982
