Grapple and Grow: Reinforcing the Cycle of Excellence-Encouraging Peak Performance by Making Work Challenging and Fun

By: Edward M. Hallowell

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Synopsis: When work doesn't lead to growth and positive results, it's often due to the chaos of modern life-the constant distractions and interruptions of the typical workplace and the pressure to do more (faster!) with fewer resources. In this chapter, bestselling author ("Driven to Distraction") and practicing psychiatrist Edward Hallowell focuses on "Grapple and Grow"-the combination of work and progress-as the fourth step in the Cycle of Excellence. This step is where you want your people to spend most of their time-working. But if you don't handle it right, work becomes drudgery and productivity sags. To succeed, you must tend to the first three steps of the cycle: Select what to focus on, create a positively connected atmosphere, and encourage imaginative engagement. Once you've done that, you'll notice that your people want to work harder and that work is what it ought to be-fun. Using real-life examples and new discoveries in the field of brain science, Hallowell also explains how you, as a manager, can minimize "toxic stress" and promote "positive stress" in the form of surmountable, growth-sustaining challenges your employees will want to embrace. The chapter concludes with a list of ten steps you can take to help your employees grapple with the demands of their jobs and achieve peak performance-every day. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 5 of "Shine: Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People."