Demystifying Mental Toughness

Today I chat with a leading authority for Mental Toughness, Doug Strycharczyk, where I share a short bite from a conversation that we had about psychological safety and its relationship with Mental Toughness. Doug goes on to introduce psychological safety which is highly relevant for those involved in teams or organisations. Key Learning Points: It's worth checking out the work of Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson who is an expert on psychological safety. Amy Edmondson describes psychological safety as creating a climate where people are encouraged to take risks and that they don't feel the need to censor themselves before talking. People are happy to ask questions and make their contributions without fear of criticism. A psychologically safe environment nurtures mutual trust, support and respect. Leaders are often more mentally tough than many of their employees therefore being self-aware is critical so that they communicate more effectively. Connect with Doug Strycharczyk: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougstrycharczyk/ Email: headoffice@aqr.co.uk https://aqrinternational.co.uk/ Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes Ep001: Doug Strycharczyk – The Importance of Mental Toughness Ep121: Doug Strycharczyk & Dr John Perry - What Is New? Developments in Mental Toughness Research and Practice Ep161: Paul Phillips – How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union Ep179: David Charlton - Great Captains: 8 Mental Toughness Characteristics That Can Inspire Others Ep180: David Charlton - How To Work With Team Units To Improve Culture In Teams Other Useful Resources Blog – Mental Toughness is a Hugely Valuable Trait Blog – Make Better Decisions to Help Your Sport Performance Blog - 5 Ways to Create a Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Blog - Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog – How Mentally Healthy is Your Club's Sporting Environment?

"Teamwork makes the dreamwork" – John C Maxwell. This quote is the motivation behind the latest episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness, where I look to challenge your thinking by considering the 3Cs Teamwork Cycle of cooperation, coordination and communication alongside the 4Cs Mental Toughness model created by Professor Peter Clough. After all, successful teamwork, often gives teams, clubs and organisations a lot better chance of performing well, on a consistent basis, as well as maintaining harmonious relationships. It's a must listen for coaches looking to challenge their approach and for those involved in team sports. Key Learning Points Co-ordination can improve confidence levels of individuals, as well as collectively in a team. Consideration for coaches is how they plan and prepare their teams, in the build up to matches. Optimism and a sense of can do can be the result of meticulous planning and consistent clear messages. Commitment levels can also be improved with less likelihood of the group losing sight of their goals. As a coach, how often and clearly do you check expectations of your players individually or as a group? Do you encourage players to question you? Low interpersonal confidence from players can make it difficult to know if they are clearly understanding coaches' messages. Especially if the player is able to mask their emotions well with a good poker face. Perspective is key for coaches and managers. Are you able to remain calm and contain your emotions allowing you to look at the bigger picture? This will likely harness co-operation in the team. Some coaches are great at focusing on solutions not problems do you? Do you seek to learn from your experiences as a coach with deep reflection? Considering what you say and how you say it in the build up to matches, during matches and afterwards - have you considered how the words that you use and the tone of your voice can influence your players and their willingness to work as a team? Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes to Improve Teamwork Ep147: Aaron Walsh – The Application of Mental Performance Coaching in Elite Professional Rugby Ep161: Paul Phillips – How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union Ep166: Mark Bennett MBE – How To Help Athletes and Coaches Reflect On Their Performances Ep179: David Charlton - Great Captains: 8 Mental Toughness Characteristics That Can Inspire Others Ep180: David Charlton - How To Work With Team Units To Improve Culture In Teams Other Relevant Blogs to Benefit Teams Blog - Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog – Make Better Decisions to Help Your Sport Performance Blog – 5 Ways to Create a Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Blog – How Mentally Healthy is Your Club's Sporting Environment? Blog – Mental Health Guidance For Coaches When Supporting Athletes

Are team development strategies taken seriously in elite sport when viewed from a psycho-social perspective? This question was the motivation for my solo episode today where I chat about the use of team units and the benefits of working more closely in team units. As I share my thoughts and ideas, I refer to some of the key sub-measures of Mental Toughness from Peter Clough's 4Cs model. Key Learning Points Purposeful regular team building activities when working with small sub-groups in teams, squads and organisations can have a very positive impact on the overall culture. Individuals get to know each other better as people, their background, traits and lifestyle improving emotional intelligence across the group. Regular team building activities should include fun and light-hearted activities, team communication, problem solving and trust building activities. In mental toughness terms, for goal orientation and achievement orientation, players were hugely motivated to achieve team and individual goals, a high degree of accountability also was evident which then meant not many players got sidetracked from the goals that were set. Conflict, and disagreements happened however they was dealt with speedily, resolved and didn't distract from the collective goals. For learning orientation, there were many opportunities afforded to players to realise their full potential, with less blame and fear imposed. Closer bonds between players, knowing more about each other as people, helped the group prepare and deal with challenges. Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes to Improve Team Culture Ep111: Michael Caulfield – How to be an Effective Sports Psychologist in Elite Professional Football Ep127: Paul Trainor – The Application of Mental Toughness Training in Elite Professional Rugby League EP147: Aaron Walsh – The Application of Mental Performance Coaching in Elite Professional Rugby Ep161: Paul Phillips – How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union Ep166: Mark Bennett MBE – How To Help Athletes and Coaches Reflect On Their Performances Other Relevant Blogs to Benefit Teams Blog - Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog – Make Better Decisions to Help Your Sport Performance Blog – 5 Ways to Create a Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Blog – How Mentally Healthy is Your Club's Sporting Environment? Blog – Mental Health Guidance For Coaches When Supporting Athletes

What makes a great captain in team sports? In this week's short solo episode I elaborate on this question where I focus on the 8 key sub-measures of Mental Toughness from Peter Clough's 4Cs model sharing my thoughts and ideas, some case studies and tips to help you, your players or students or your children. Key Learning Points When coaches face selection headaches often they choose the player that they trust more, the one who has some captaincy qualities, when dealing with difficult situations and pressure. As well as, performing competently on a consistent basis, captains need to be able to inspire confidence in their players, evaluate game plans and be flexible in their approach if circumstances dictate. The hallmark of a mentally tough captain is to deal with pressure well, they'll then make smarter decisions and communicate more effectively with their team-mates, coaches and the referee. A captain should be a leader, a skilled communicator, a calm decision maker, and an important link between team and coach. To remain calm perhaps create a 20 or 30 second rule, where you allow yourself time to settle, take in the event that has happened and breathe before reacting. Encouraging yourself and others with a positive "CAN DO" attitude is essential as a captain. When your team is behind in a game or struggling, a captain can really help a team by giving off an air of confidence to team-mates. Captains who encourage learning from mistakes and don't point the finger, playing the blame game can help team-mates play with more freedom. Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes to Improve Your Captaincy Skills Ep041: Paul McGee – How to Develop Interpersonal Confidence Ep120: David Charlton – Sport Coach Development: Helping Athletes Perform Better by Adapting How You Communicate Ep128: Paula Eddy-Wilcox – Can You Show Vulnerability and Be Mentally Tough? Yes! Ep161: Paul Phillips – How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union Ep166: Mark Bennett MBE – How To Help Athletes and Coaches Reflect On Their Performances Other Relevant Blogs Benefit Captains Blog: Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog: 5 Reasons Team Captains Should Work With a Sports Psychologist Blog: Mental Game of Football: An Error Many Footballers Make Applicable Mental Edge's to Stretch You as a Captain Mental Edge: How to improve the skills of team captains Mental Edge: Do you leave leadership skills to chance? Mental Edge: 10 Ways to take responsibility and keep moving forwards

This is a short episode where leadership is the topic that Paula Eddy Wilcox and I discuss, specifically looking at vulnerability in leaders, coaches or managers. From a mental toughness angle this links with a number of the measures from Peter Cloughs 4Cs Model of Mental Toughness. Namely, interpersonal confidence and being comfortable in yourself when you communicate to others, to emotional control where we can choose to or not, express our thoughts and emotions to other people. As well as, risk orientation, where we can decide to stretch ourselves or remain comfortable and learning orientation, where we can look to learn from mistakes. Enjoy tuning in! Key Learning Points: One way to explain whether you choose to show your vulnerable side or not is to focus on it from the lens of a P-I-E perspective, Performance, Image and Exposure. With 10% performance, 30% image and 60% exposure accounting for this. In terms of exposure, are you putting yourself out there and being vulnerable in a leadership role? Be honest about how you are and how you show up. Are you too comfortable in the way you go about things? Mentors and coaches can help you get more comfortable with the uncomfortable. A fixed mindset can prevent you from showing vulnerability. There are links with showing vulnerability and psychological safety. Connect with Paula Eddy-Wilcox LinkedIn Website Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Other Useful Podcast Episodes Ep065: Dr Amy Izycky – Encouraging Mentally Healthy Cultures in Sport Ep075: Grant Phyphers – How to Rebuild Your Identity Ep106: Amy Rowlinson – Why is knowing my WHY important? Ep123: Richard Dorney MBE – Supporting People: What Can You Learn About Resilience From The Military Ep128: Paula Eddy-Wilcox – Can You Show Vulnerability and Be Mentally Tough? Yes! Other Useful Resources Blog - 5 Ways to Create a Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Blog – 3 Tips to Deal with Bullying in Sport Blog - How to Find Your Why Blog - Mental Health Guidance for Coaches When Supporting Athletes Vlog - How mental toughness helps us understand psychological safety

In episode #177 of the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast, Lisa Avery, a positive psychology practitioner talks to me about how to help young people flourish using a positive psychology approach. In our conversation we focus on a measure of mental toughness, life control, which links to having a "can do" attitude towards life. We discuss identifying and cultivating positive emotions, character strengths, and virtues that contribute towards a feel good factor and overcoming our negativity bias as well as a lot more. Key Learning Points: Arguably, here in the UK we are behind countries like the USA and Australia in our use of positive psychology approaches when supporting young people. We all have a negativity bias in our brains where we are quick to notice the bad stuff not the good. In order to get to the point of being comfortable in your own skin, and valuing yourself and your personality traits, you've got to know who you are. In schools and colleges the starting point is always to work with the staff, usually the senior leadership team. Dr. Susan David speaks about the fact that if you know what your values are, every time you need to make a decision. You should simply ask yourself, "is what I'm about to say or do going to take me closer or further away from where I want to be?". The central framework to positive psychology comes from Dr Martin Seligman's work. He says that in order to thrive, human beings need positive emotions, a sense of engagement in their work and life, great relationships, a sense of meaning or purpose, and a sense of accomplishment. Abraham Maslow states "we either step forwards into growth or step back backwards into safety." Do you focus on the strengths of your kids or their weaknesses? This questionnaire will help you. - https://www.leawaters.com/sbp-quiz Connect with Lisa Avery Website LinkedIn Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn 5 Relevant Podcast Episodes Ep134: David Charlton – Observations: 3 Things That Stop You Achieving Your Goals Ep106: Amy Rowlinson – Why is knowing my WHY important? Ep098: Jon Bartlett – Do You Know Your Why? Ep075: Grant Phyphers – How to Rebuild Your Identity Ep021: Steve Hackney – How to Reach Your Full Potential 5 Valuable resources that can help you build a "can do" attitude Blog: Make Better Decisions to Help Your Sport Performance a Values List Conversations with Kids – Values Children and Youth Motivation for Sport Quiz for Children Child and Youth Motivation Quiz for Parents Performance Profile for Goalkeepers

In today's episode, I share a short yet very important extract from episode 122, where Professor Camilla Knight chats to me about the wellbeing of sporting children, communication between children and parents, parental stressors, as well as touching on self-care as a parent. Key Learning Points The sporting environment will naturally shape the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of children. Understanding what your child's typical behaviours are, is really important to be aware of, as you can then start to notice when their behaviours start to change. Regular conversations with children are key, understanding your child as an individual whilst not getting drawn into comparing them to others. An exclusive athletic identity too early for children can be detrimental. Parents have to deal with their own time and financial stressors which isn't easy for some. It's vital to recognise that the parent-child relationship is a relationship and that it is bi-directional. Connect with Professor Camilla Knight Email Website Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Podcast episodes related to the youth sport experience Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART Ep141: David Charlton – How to Help a Child Who Wants to Quit Sport Blogs and case studies to support kids in sport Blog 3 Tips to Help Children Enjoy Their Sport Blog: Pre Match Tips for Parents Blog: How does Counselling work in Professional Sport? Blog: 5 Reasons Why Being Released from a Football Academy is Difficult Case Study: How to Cope with Performance Anxiety in Gymnastics Case Study: Supporting a Young Footballer to Overcome His Fears Further resources for parents Sports Psychology Resources for Youth Sport (Blogs, Podcasts, Video's) Sport Psychology for Children and Parents Child and Youth Motivation for Sport Quiz Parent Motivation for Sport Quiz

Episode 175 of the Demystifying Mental Toughness podcast is for athletes, coaches or parents that fall into the trap of spending too much time mind reading others and making faulty assumptions meaning that they struggle to focus on the task in hand and perform to their optimum. Typical behaviours in sport that can be associated with those who look to seek social approach: they often go into their shells, their body language can be poor, they're communication is often impacted, they don't like attention and they can let games and matches pass them by. Key Learning Points: Social media use can arguably mean people become very impressionable, at an unconscious level without realising. Seeking social approval and fear of failure can complicate our thoughts. Judgement mode can be difficult for some people where they often judge themselves and their performances harshly and spend a lot of time thinking about how others will respond to them. Being able to accept, that thoughts about what others may be thinking, is normal, can help you. Seek to understand why you get drawn into worrying so much about what others think about you when you play. What is it costing you? What are the benefits? Connect with David Charlton Download THE FOCUSED ATHLETE CHECKLIST Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes To Help Athletes Who Crave Social Approval Ep017: Gio Valiante – How to Play Fearless Golf Ep095: David Charlton – David on Being Tough Vs Being Comfortable in Your Own Skin Final Part Ep112: David Charlton – How to Deal with Physical Insecurities as a Young Athlete Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART Ep142: Alessia Bruno – Is Striving for Perfection a Good Thing in Gymnastics? Other Relevant Blogs And Resources To Benefit the Athlete Who Worries About Others Blog: Coach Development Helping Athletes Overcome Fear Of Failure Blog: 5 Ways To Create A Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Blog: Body Image in Sport Blog: How To Play Well When You Aren't Feeling Great Blog: Does Your Warm Up Influence How You Perform?

Criticism is everywhere today, where people often share their opinions of other people very easily despite not knowing the person, online using social media. The criticism often goes too far, especially in a sporting context, when so much emotion is evident. Throw in general criticism on the side of a pitch from spectators, and negative feedback from coaches and team-mates. It really can be tough being involved in sport with no hiding place. You'll find some athletes and coaches brush off criticism, others though can find it very difficult to deal with. It can impact their well-being and relationships with other people. Sometimes they'll respond angrily or in an aggressive manner, in other cases they'll be overcome with sadness and get very upset. The key is to take the learning, from criticism, which isn't easy and is the focus of this bitesize episode, with Professor Paul McGee, one of Europe's leading speakers and a respected author. He shares some great stories and ideas to help you. Feel free to tune in! Key Learning Points: A bad game doesn't mean that you are a bad person. Recognise if you become defensive in the face of criticism. Acknowledge if your inner dialogue is overly critical and learn to be kinder to yourself. Perspective is vital. Useful Questions To Ask Yourself: Would you seek advice from the person who has criticised you? Does the person criticising you have your best interests at heart? Will I remember this incident in 6 months' time? On a scale of 1-10 how close to death is this situation? Connect with Paul McGee LinkedIn The Sumo Guy Website Books written by Paul McGee S.U.M.O. Your Relationships: How to Handle Not Strangle the People You Live and Work With S.U.M.O (Shut Up, Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Succeeding in Life Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes Ep041: Paul McGee - How to Develop Interpersonal Confidence Ep105: Hannah Bromley – Overcoming Psychological Challenges in Professional Women's Football Ep120: David Charlton - Sport Coach Development: Helping Athletes Perform Better by Adapting How You Communicate Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART Ep166: Mark Bennett MBE - How To Help Athletes and Coaches Reflect On Their Performances Relevant Blogs Blog: 3 Tips to deal with bullying in sport Blog: Communicating with children in sport Blog: Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog: How Coaches Can Help Athletes Deal with Mistakes Blog: 5 Ways To Create A Psychological Safe Sporting Environment Other Useful Resources Conversations with Kids - Dealing with Criticism Kristin Neff Website on Self-Compassion

A measure of Mental Toughness is interpersonal confidence, which reflects your ability to deal confidently with challenges from other people. Those with good interpersonal confidence are likely to be better at dealing positively with these situations and with people, tending to be more assertive. They are also more comfortable in social or team settings, especially when mistakes occur or as is often the case, especially in some sports, when criticism is dished out. Today's short bite taken from episode 03 of Demystifying Mental Toughness, touches on this topic where current Assistant Player Loans Manager at Newcastle United Football Club, Peter Ramage tells me about some of the situations he came across as a professional footballer, he also shares with you some helpful advice from some of the lessons that he has learned in dealing with others in a football environment. Enjoy tuning in! Key Learning Points: Dealing with a lack of game time as a young footballer. Coping with criticism from teammates, coaches and fans. Dealing with being dropped and pushing yourself when you're a squad player. Ideas on how to approach your manager when you are seeking answers or looking to improve. It is vitally important to be honest with yourself and take some time to reflect on your approach and mindset. Connect with Peter Ramage LinkedIn Instagram Connect with David Charlton Sign Up to The Mental Edge Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Relevant Podcast Episodes Ep003: Peter Ramage – Developing a Premier League Mindset Ep105: Hannah Bromley – Overcoming Psychological Challenges in Professional Women's Football Ep120: David Charlton - Sport Coach Development: Helping Athletes Perform Better by Adapting How You Communicate Ep151: Compilation - Football Psychology: 50 Ways You Can Improve Your Performance Ep161: Paul Phillips - How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union Relevant Blogs Blog: 5 Reasons Team Captains Should Work with a Sports Psychologist Blog: 3 Tips to Deal with Bullying in Sport Blog: Communicating with Children in Sport Blog: Why You Should Recognise The Power of Your Words Blog: How Coaches Can Help Athletes Deal with Mistakes Valuable Resources Football or Soccer Psychology Resources Sports Psychology Case Studies