Mental health issues challenge who we are – they question our identity. If we can help people better access the things that make them fully human, we can better equip them to have the answers they need when those questions get asked.
This article is part of our series on stress resilience and mental health.
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‘Having spirit’ is our best defence
The most common manifestations of unhealthy levels of stress in business are anxiety and depression. But the impact of these are greatly diminished when we retain a belief in ourselves and our potential – a spirit of hope, perseverance and love – and a faith that we can make a difference. 
These things give us a resilience to cope with more stressful situations than might be possible without them.
These things give us a resilience to cope with more stressful situations than might be possible without them.These things might be termed our ‘spirtuality‘ – as in to have ‘spirit’, or be ‘spirited’. A sense of resilience. A force for good. The determination to pick ourselves up and start again. They are the things we most easily lose during bouts of anxiety and depression. But they are also our best defence against those bouts, and sometimes our best chance of recovering from them.
Spirituality sets us apart
However, over recent decades, our prediliction for: the material in business; the purely rational in science; and polarity in politics and the media has led us to pay 
less attention to those things that cannot be explained in those terms. As a result, the concept of spirituality has been abandoned to more superstitious perspectives and we have lost sight of its true potential to balance materialistic and rational dominance. Sadly it is no longer a term that can easily be used without prejudice or misunderstanding.
less attention to those things that cannot be explained in those terms. As a result, the concept of spirituality has been abandoned to more superstitious perspectives and we have lost sight of its true potential to balance materialistic and rational dominance. Sadly it is no longer a term that can easily be used without prejudice or misunderstanding.we are not machines – so don’t think like one
But as the world grows ever-increasingly more complex and uncertain, materialism, logic, and binary arguments are insufficient to cope with the rate of change we are required to work within. As a result, their has been a realisation of how much we have allowed the balance to slip, and a resurgence in things like mindfulness, diversity, emergence, authenticity, vulnerability and trust.
Business is reawakening to spirituality
All of a sudden things like hope, love, loyalty, character, centredness, integrity, trust are back on the business agenda. And we are just about reaching the point where the term ‘spirituality’ can be reappropriated to mean something which reflects the impact and potential of all of those things. Which is just as well, because if we were to attempt to tackle what is coming without them, we would all have serious mental health issues.spirituality is key to tackling the challenges we face
So, in terms of mental health, how can we use this opportunity to help people to access and develop these things, and to better protect them from mental illness?
- Firstly, talk about it. Gradually rebuild their vocabulary to enable them to gain a better grasp of their spiritual side, and its importance to them. Launch discussions on topics like: authenticity; vulnerability; mindfulness; diversity; creativity; story-telling; personal narrative; trust; spirit … And build their insight, their understanding, and their ability to articulate their feelings in this area. Most of all, bring it back centre stage so they know this is normal. They do not need to suppress it.
- Secondly, introduce and build the role of creativity in your meetings. Creativity is a very spiritual act. Whether that is expressed in influencing images, writing, concepts or patterns of activity. Creativity changes our relationship with the way the world is and might be. It is about moving beyond the confines of our situation and tapping into things we do not fully understand. In doing so, it reshapes the world around us. And the joy that we feel in our spirit when that happens is a spiritual reaction to what we are doing – a connectedness with something bigger and more enduring than our physical selves.
- Thirdly, equip yourself and your people with a mindset of ‘adventure’.
creativity is a spiritual act
Develop a mindset of adventure
To clarify a mindset of adventure, I would like to contrast the example of two people working in the same role facing identical circumstances. Their workload is higher than they can reasonably cope with. Things go wrong from time to time. They inevitably get complaints and encounter blame. Further recruitment has been blocked. A brand new system has been introduced. And there is new initiative starting to look at changing the process, again.
- As a result, Jeb feels that: he is stuck; and suffering the consequences of bad decisions made elsewhere; the blame is unfair; mistakes are inevitable given the set up; nobody listens; his team-mates let him down; he wants to avoid the initiative; if his performance drops further he will be fired; and he just wants to make it through each day – all of which is totally true!
- While Aja: choses to stay; wants to learn from how she responds to the challenge; is curious to find how bad decisions might be reversed; empathises with the blame and with her team mates; wonders about options for self-help; sees the initiative as a way to fix mistakes; and to learn new skills; believes listening starts with her; knows they won’t fire her – and if they did, that will be a new experience; sees each day as a new opportunity.
it isn’t what happens to you, it is what you make of what happens to you
Even though everything else is equal, Aja is getting far more out of her day than Jeb, and is far less likely to suffer stress and depression. And the only difference is her spirit – her sense of adventure.
As time goes on, and all other things remain equal, Jeb will infuence and attract more Jebs. Aja will influence and attract more Ajas. And hopefully they will make her team leader because then maybe she can help the Jebs develop a sense of adventure too.
the future is an adventure, or a disaster – you choose – you literally choose!
The reality is that Jeb and Aja’s context is going to be a common consequence of the changing future of work. Increasing uncertainty and complexity will generate extra work, confusion, tensions and mistakes. It will also generate opportunity, new experiences and connections, learning, and insight. But if we are to equip our people to not only survive but thrive in this new world, we are going to have to help them engage with a mindset that emphasises the latter.
Leading by adventure
Waiting for someone to experience mental health issues is too late. For those who are mentally trapped within their circumstances and their minds, the levels of change we will experience will be overwhelming. But developing new strength is easier done way ahead of any damage ocurring. We need to take them on a journey into their imagination, their spirit, and the resources that are available to them now. We need to give them time to: appreciate new perspectives; develop new skills; and gain confidence in their spirit way ahead of the time that it is all that stands between them and a deep dark pit.
an adventure into ourselves and our potential
To begin this journey, we are starting a new programme called ‘Leading by Adventure’. It is a series of short weekly challenges that tap into exploring and developing different aspects of the mind. Helping people to see it as the untapped resource that it is, and lifting them to an understanding so that they can use it effectively under stress. We would be delighted if you would consider joining us on this journey – on your own, with friends, or with your team. Together we can help each other show the future just how powerful ‘being fully human’ can be. Sign up for your adventures here: LeadingbyAdventure.com