How to be a resilient manager: Strategies for dealing with stress and staying positive

Being a manager means dealing with constant pressure from all angles, whether facing employee issues, executive scrutiny, or adapting to new technologies. Managers need serious resilience just to stay afloat with these daily stresses. Staying positive is also a must-have skill for leaders handling operational and work culture challenges every day. Without developing these resilience and positivity skills, even the best managers risk burning out.

This guide looks at the growing stresses managers face, why resilience and positivity matter so much in today's climate, and outlines strategies to build these skills.

The Stresses Today's Managers Face

To lead effectively today, you need to be up to speed on emerging technologies, train your team, motivate employees, and adapt to rapid change. With hybrid work on the rise, preventing employee isolation and learning how to communicate effectively with remote staff has also become a critical skill.

On top of that, pressures seem to come from all directions - executives may demand growth and profits, while employees seek personalized support, career development, work-life balance, and increased flexibility. As a manager, you often end up stuck in the middle, trying to keep everyone satisfied.

What's more, handling business development, funding, HR, daily operations, and strategy leaves minimal time to recharge. Being "always on" can drain your resilience quickly. This can lead to ongoing stress, which impairs judgment, creativity, and communication. If left unaddressed, this constant stress will eventually result in burnout, particularly if you don't make any effort to manage it.

Do these mounting responsibilities and stresses sound familiar? If you find yourself struggling on a daily basis, it's time to think about how you can take active steps to strengthen your resilience.

Why Resilience and Positivity Are Crucial

Resilience gives you the mental toughness to quickly rebound from crises, criticism, and setbacks. The most resilient managers learn to adopt a growth mindset that sees obstacles as opportunities - not reasons to give up. This determination will ultimately inspire employees and boost loyalty and productivity, even when times are stressful.

With rapidly evolving technologies and a higher cost of living, building resilience as a manager is key to supporting team members through uncertainty and change. You can provide the stability and positivity that employees need in the face of these challenges.

Likewise, being positive means you're more likely to look for solutions rather than fixating on problems. As a positive leader, you'll nurture greater camaraderie in the workplace and are more likely to keep employees engaged in their roles. Ultimately, resilience and positivity directly lead to better operational performance.

Specific Habits to Build Resilience

To increase your resilience and gradually strengthen your mental stamina, here are a few best practices:

• Adopt a growth mindset that views setbacks as chances to learn, not personal failures. Reframe thoughts to view challenges as temporary obstacles you can overcome - consider small setbacks as chances to grow.
• Make self-care a priority through regular exercise, relaxing hobbies, quality sleep, and healthy eating. Set aside time for recharging. Don't view relaxation as a luxury you don't have time for - your brain and body need it.
• Establish clear work-life boundaries and stick to them. Use weekends to completely unplug from work - spend time with loved ones, travel, or simply enjoy the outdoors. Don't let work seep into your valuable personal time.

Reflect on any habits in these areas that could use improvement. Then focus on one specific goal at a time to steadily enhance your overall resilience.

Techniques to Maintain Positivity

Positivity is a skill leaders can and must build intentionally. The following techniques can make a huge impact:

• Take 5-10 focused minutes daily to write down your immediate goals and things you feel grateful for. This simple routine releases feel-good chemicals in your brain, leading to more positive thinking.
• Get active every day with exercise, yoga, or walks outdoors. Physical movement and daylight lift mood-boosting neurochemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
• Make time for recreational hobbies, passions, and social activities away from work. These outlets bring joy and help prevent burnout. Surround yourself with positive friends and mentors who uplift you.

Pick one small, easy step you can take this week to start building a more positive mindset. It could be as simple as going for a 10-minute walk outside each day.

The Power of Coaching

Many successful managers use coaching as their "secret weapon" for building resilience and maintaining positivity over the long term. When possible:

• Work with a business coach to build mental stamina using motivation and visualization techniques. A coach can also provide external accountability.
• Partner with a therapist or work peer to transform negative self-talk into empowering thoughts and beliefs. A professional will help you reframe unproductive thought patterns. Sharing your thoughts and experiences with a trusted colleague will give you a different perspective on managing stress.
• Join a peer support group for managers. Connecting with other managers facing similar challenges provides motivation and allows you to share practical tips on building resilience. Hearing from others can inspire you to keep honing your own resilience skills.
• Work with coaches to improve your emotional intelligence abilities like self-awareness, stress management, and conflict resolution.

If you haven't explored coaching yet, take the first step and research potential coaches, ask trusted contacts for referrals, or reflect on what's holding you back from trying it. Coaching can be a powerful way to sustain resilience and positivity.

Building Resilience for Personal and Professional Growth

The good news is that resilience skills can be strengthened over time using simple techniques such as those described above. The key is to stick with these habits over time. Even trying one new habit for a few days can positively impact your mindset and attitude. Don't try to overhaul everything at once; identify one or two manageable goals to work on first.

Not only will developing greater resilience help you personally - it will also improve your team's performance and positively contribute to your organization. By taking it step-by-step, you'll see the positive effects build over time as you and your people get better at bouncing back from challenges.