HBR 10 Must Reads on Mental Toughness: A book review by Bob Morris
HBR Editions & Various Contributors
Harvard Business Review Press (2017)
How those who possess the right stuff can accelerate their personal growth and professional development
This is one in a series of volumes that anthologizes what the editors of the Harvard Business Review consider to be “must reads” in a given business subject area, in this instance mental toughness. I have no quarrel with any of their selections, each of which is eminently deserving of inclusion. If all of these articles were purchased separately as reprints, the total cost would be almost $100 and the practical value of any one of them exceeds that. Given the fact that Amazon US now sells this one for only $24.61, that’s quite a bargain. The same is true of volumes in other series such as HBR Guide to…, Harvard Business Review on…, and Harvard Business Essentials. I also think there is great benefit derived from the convenience of having a variety of perspectives and insights gathered in a single volume.
In all of the volumes in the HBR 10 Must Read series that I have read thus far, the authors and their HBR editors make skillful use of several reader-friendly devices that include “Idea in Brief” and “Idea in Action” sections, checklists with and without bullet points, boxed mini-commentaries (some of which are “guest” contributions from other sources), and graphic charts and diagrams that consolidate especially valuable information. These and other devices facilitate, indeed accelerate frequent review later of key points later.
There are ten articles in this book, plus a “bonus”: Sarah Green’s interview of Martin E.P. Seligman, author of “Building Resilience,” one of the other ten. The material in this collection will help you to achieve several important strategic objective. More specifically, you will learn how to
o Thrive on pressure like an Olympic athlete
o Manage and overcome negative emotions (your own as well as others’)
o Plan shirt-term goals to achieve long-term aspirations
o Surround yourself with people who will push you hardest
o Leverage challenges and consequent pressure to become a better leader
o Use creativity to get through and beyond trauma
o Understand how your mind helps you to recover from setbacks
Here are four brief excerpts that will, I hope, give you a sense of the thrust and flavor of the superb material provided:
o “For top executives, the adrenaline rush of the job can be so addictive that it’s difficult to break away. But unless you are able to put the day behind you, as athlete athletes can, you’ll inevitably run the risk of burning out.
o “Cognitive fitness can affect every part of your life. On an organizational level, it may be the ultimate lever for sustainable competitive advantage. Your critical task as a leader is to promote the highest levels of organizational performance by creating environments where people can achieve their brains’ full potential. Thinking through the four steps and deciding how they apply to the strategic challenges your company faces is a good way to begin.” Roderick Gilkey and Clint Kilts, “Cognitive Fitness”
o Glenn E. Mangurian was married with two children and well into a promising business career when an unprovoked disc rupture left the lower half of body permanently paralyzed. “I had to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be returning to my old life, but I didn’t yet know who I was becoming. Still in between two places was freeing. I refused to put limits on myself, even in ways I might have in the past…Rather than feel sorry for myself, I’ve chosen to use what I accomplished in my previous life as a foundation for building a second life full of purpose and possibilities, some of which only became visible thanks to my injury. My new life’s a work in progress, and I have to re-create parts of myself every day. I know that this life is full of new adventures, though, even if I don’t know what all of therm are yet. I may experience them sitting down, but in a way I’m standing taller than ever.” His HBR article, “Realizing What You’re Made Of,” is one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking in the book.
o “Control and power can be asserted most effectively by slowing down the pace of the negotiation, actively leading counterparts into a constructive dialogue, and demonstrating genuine openness to others’ perspectives. That isn’t giving in. It is being strategic rather than reactive. It’s thinking several moves ahead about how your actions might be perceived. And it’s making tactical choices that elicit constructive responses and advance your true objectives.” Jess Weiss, Aram Donigian, and Jonathan Hughes, “Extreme Negotiations”
I also highly recommend the annual editions of HBR 10 Must Read anthologies, a new series that was launched in 2015. The latest, offering excellent insights into the challenges leaders will face in 2018, was just published.