Our Understanding of
Mental Strength & Resilience
In an increasingly complex and uncertain working world, the ability to handle challenges and emerge stronger is crucial. This ability is often referred to as resilience. At MOMENTUM, we intentionally speak of “mental strength” to emphasize the active development and use of inner resources.
Mental strength includes the ability to remain capable of action under pressure, make clear decisions, and stay motivated over the long term. It enables people to not only cope with stressful situations, but to use them as opportunities for personal growth. By fostering mental strength, we simultaneously lay the foundation for sustainable resilience – both at the individual and organizational level.
Scientific Sources
Mindfulness interventions ensure a reduction in perceived stress levels and experienced exhaustion. This, in turn, has a positive impact on employee performance.
Zollars et al., 2019 and Xu et al., 2021
A high level of perceived stress significantly impairs functionality and performance, making it a key metric in performance management.
Tamdjidi et. al 2024
Organizational resilience generates economic benefits because increasing coherence reduces internal friction losses.
Philipsen, Ziemer 2014
Organizational resilience increases the responsiveness of organizations as mindfulness, realism and situational acceptance increase.
Philipsen, Ziemer 2014
7 Key Factors for greater Mental Strength
Key Factors based on Heller, J. (2013):
Acceptance:
accept what cannot be changed.
Optimism:
move forward with confidence.
Solution Orientation:
focus on progress.
Self-Efficacy:
believe in your own abilities.
Responsibility:
avoid victim roles, taking responsibility.
ask others for help, gaining social support.
Network Orientation:
imagine a positive future, take good care of yourself.
Future Planning:
MOMENTUM…
… enhances individual mental strength and thus improves personal resilience.
… supports communication and networking within the team, thereby strengthening collective mental strength.
… creates conducive conditions in which employees and organizations can better respond to challenges and ensure their well-being in the long term.
… provides a valuable foundation for comprehensive resilience management.
Resilient Leadership
A mentally weak leadership cannot foster organizational resilience:
Leaders can only lead resiliently if they focus on developing their own personal mental strength. This involves cultivating mindfulness towards themselves and others (Philipsen & Ziemer, 2014). Personal mindfulness thrives on the foundation of a positive value orientation towards oneself and others.
Resilient leaders are characterized by realistic optimism and avoid errors of judgment by taking warning signs seriously and taking corrective action to save time and money. They confront fears, especially of change, as adaptability is crucial for a vibrant organization (Southwick, Martini, Charney & Southwick. 2017).
Flexibility is another characteristic of resilient leaders: they actively solve problems, accept what cannot be changed, learn from mistakes and look for opportunities in challenges. Flexibility at management level reduces the stress experienced by teams and employees. Moreover, resilient leaders build teams with diverse expertise and leverage the knowledge of others when needed to enhance the organization’s adaptability (Philipsen & Ziemer, 2014).
