Leadership Today - Practical Tips For Leaders
Business:Management
Research demonstrates that becoming comfortable with discomfort is the key to progress.
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to episode 147 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we explore research demonstrating that becoming comfortable with discomfort is the key to progress.
Learning new things requires us to step out of our comfort zone. If we’re feeling comfortable, we’re not learning.
But it’s also natural to want to avoid discomfort. That can steer us away from new learning experiences.
New research shows that how we interpret discomfort impacts our ability to continue learning. The research by Woolley and Fishbach involved participants undertaking an improvisation class. Half of the group were given instructions for the activity and told the aim of the activity was to feel awkward and uncomfortable. The other half were also given instructions, but not instructed around feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
The researchers found that the group encouraged to feel awkward and uncomfortable spent more time actively improvising and took greater risks. They undertook more practice which gave them a greater opportunity to enhance their skills.
When we’re looking to grow and develop, we should anticipate and embrace feelings of awkwardness and discomfort. Instead of seeing these feelings as reasons to stop, we should instead see them as signs of progress and development. Changing our mindset around discomfort can help us to progress and develop.
REFERENCE
Woolley K, Fishbach A. Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort. Psychological Science. 2022;33(4):510-523. doi:10.1177/09567976211044685
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Episode 67 - Self-Control - Four Techniques that beat Will Power
Episode 66 - A Leader’s Role in Removing Frustrations
Episode 65 - The Four Core Skills of Leading in a Crisis
Episode 64 - Two Keys to Making and Breaking Habits
Replay - Psychological Safety
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Replay - Avoiding the Blame Game
Replay - Don't Ask for a Mentor
Replay - Operating in Uncertainty
Replay - Why Following Your Passion Isn't Enough
Replay - Lighten Up! How Humour Fuels Innovation
Episode 63 - The Power of Gratitude at Work
Episode 62 - Can't We All Just Get Along?
Episode 61 - "People Fifth" - When Good Values Go Bad
Episode 60 - Great Teams Manage Task, Process and Relationships
Episode 59 - Approach or Avoidance - It Comes Down to Your Personality
Episode 58 - Curiosity: Bad for Cats, Good for Business
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