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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Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day Two
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day One
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Introduction
Replay - Turning Criticism into Feedback and Growth
Episode 116 - Exercise Reduces Stress and Stress Reduces Exercise
Replay - The Four Best Ways to Learn at Work
Episode 115 - Eight Steps to Effective Delegation
Episode 114 - Who Said Showing Emotion Doesn’t Pay?
Episode 113 - Leading Remote and Hybrid Teams with Gina McCredie
Episode 112 - Is Your Smartphone Killing Your Dreams?
Episode 111 - Can You Overdose on Mindfulness?
Replay - Four Ways to Build Hope
Replay - How to Avoid Micromanagement
Episode 110 - Productive Failure
Bonus - (Re)Building Trust Webinar
Episode 109 - The Single Best Question to Build Community
Episode 108 - Three Keys to Dealing with Defensiveness
Radical Reflection Challenge - Day Five - Reflection
Radical Reflection Challenge - Day Four - Gratitude
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