How can I use grit in my job?
Steps to obtain grit in your job:
- Find your passion: identify what you love about your job or the industry that you are in.
- This could be a particular aspect of your work, the impact it has, or the skills it allows you to use and develop.
- Set long-term goals: once you’ve identified your passion, set long-term goals related to it
- These should be challenging yet achievable targets that require consistent effort over time.
- Embrace perseverance: understand that achieving these goals will take time and there will be obstacles along the way.
- Embrace the journey and view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow rather than as setbacks.
- Stay committed: even when things get tough, stay committed to your goals.
- Remember that progress might be slow, but as Angela Duckworth suggests “effort matters a lot.”
- Be flexible: while it’s important to be persistent.
- If something isn’t working, be open to changing your approach or reevaluating your goals.
How do we encourage grit in others?
- Model it:
- Love what you do and let others know.
- If you fail, openly share your frustration but go out of your way to point out what you have learned from the experience.
- Celebrate it:
- See grit, draw attention to it.
- Praise passion
- Enable it:
- The paradox of grit is the determination of individuals made by the warmth and support of friends, families, teachers, and mentors.
- Sample of a wide variety of interests → specialize in any one area.
Why should managers hire gritty people and develop grit in their employees?
Managers should prioritize hiring gritty individuals or fostering grit in their employees for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, gritty people are more likely to achieve challenging goals due to their unwavering passion and perseverance. Their resilience in the face of adversity equips them to bounce back from setbacks and navigate uncertainties effectively. Additionally, grit fosters a commitment to continuous improvement, with gritty individuals actively seeking opportunities for learning and development. In team environments, grit promotes collaboration, as gritty individuals recognize the value of collective efforts and strive towards common goals. Gritty employees also tend to align closely with organizational values and missions, contributing to a cohesive and values-driven workplace. Furthermore, their determination enhances problem-solving skills and innovation. In customer-centric industries like healthcare, gritty individuals persistently strive for superior outcomes, positively impacting customer and patient satisfaction. Grit contributes to long-term employee retention, reducing turnover rates and associated recruitment costs. Gritty individuals also exhibit adaptability to change, crucial in fast-paced industries. Lastly, cultivating grit sets the tone for a gritty organizational culture, fostering resilience, passion, and high performance throughout the workplace. Ultimately, investing in grit pays off in terms of individual and collective success in achieving organizational goals.