Can stress be a partner in achieving our goals? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Dr. Steven Stein, a world-renowned clinical psychologist and expert in emotional intelligence, to explore the concept of hardiness. The discussion centers on the three C's of hardiness: Commitment, Control, and Challenge, and how these factors help individuals and leaders effectively manage stress. Dr. Stein explains the difference between hardiness, resilience, and grit, and why understanding these differences is crucial for personal and professional growth. He also offers practical advice for leaders on how to apply these principles to enhance their leadership and support their teams in stressful situations.

Listen For

00:08 Introduction
03:45 EQ and Hardiness
04:35 Early Career and Computers
05:36 Founding of Company
06:14 Emotional Intelligence Journey
07:09 Stress Discussion
08:22 Misconceptions about Stress
08:56 Pre-COVID Mental Health Awareness
09:21 Thoughts on Stress and Mental Health
10:28 Hardiness Definition
11:12 Research on Executives
12:18 The Three C's of Hardiness
14:12 Difference between Hardiness and Grit
14:39 The Three C's Overview
15:16 Comparison with Resilience
16:16 Athlete Examples
18:25 Commitment
19:32 Reigniting Commitment
20:50 Control Discussion
22:07 Realizing What You Can Control
24:05 Challenge Discussion
25:48 The Hardy Stress Response
29:25 Conclusion

Meet Steven

Steven's Story: Dr. Steven Stein co-authored Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals with Paul T. Bartone and is the author of The EQ Leader and Emotional Intelligence for Dummies. He is a world-renowned clinical psychologist, international best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and founder and Executive Chair of Multi-Health Systems (MHS), a publisher of scientifically validated assessments for over 40 years, which has been named a three-time winner of Profit 100 (fastest growing companies in Canada), one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2013, and Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures (2016, Waterstone). A leading expert on psychological assessment and emotional intelligence, he has consulted with military and government agencies, as well as corporate organizations. Dr. Stein currently teaches at the Directors College, an Executive Program from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, Canada.