
CPR: taking the stress out of practicing public speakingÂ
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
by Shlomo Ben-Hur Published July 4, 2021 in Brain Circuits • 3 min read
In order to achieve sustained change in employees’ behaviour, managers should also use the key levers summarized in the MAPS model: motivation, ability, psychological capital and supporting environment. In part two  we looked at motivation. In this segment we will look at psychological capital.
Developing psychological capital
Psychological capital refers to the crucial inner resources a person needs to thrive and succeed. It affects a wide range of work-related outcomes, such as job performance, work satisfaction, citizenship, absenteeism and stress. Personality and self-esteem are also crucial elements, which managers can significantly strengthen through support and creating the right work environment.
The four elements of psychological capital are self-confidence, optimism, willpower and resilience.
Self-confidence refers to one’s belief and level of trust in oneself and one’s abilities. Confident people are more likely to work hard and keep going; achieve behavior change; react positively to training; and learn practical and complex interpersonal skills.
Self-confidence is directly related to internal locus of control – when something goes well, a person believes it is because they have done well. An increasing internal locus of control therefore makes behavior change last longer.
Managers can help their subordinates build confidence in several ways:
Optimism focuses on positive thinking, taking credit for good events and viewing bad events as temporary. Pessimists tend to over-generalize, personalize and have an “all or nothing” attitude. Optimists cope better with setbacks and are more likely to sustain change, but they may underestimate risks and be underprepared for setbacks.
Willpower is the capacity to exercise self-control, to start, continue or stop doing something. Willpower can be built by encouraging people to look after themselves (enough sleep, healthy eating, less stress), to practice simple self-discipline (keeping a diary, good posture, developing the non-dominant hand) and to stop distractions and build focus (via positive, motivational or instructional self-talk and mindfulness).
Resilience is the ability to cope with adversity and grow stronger, to develop alternative ways of doing things when faced with difficulties and failures. It can be built in three ways:
In part four we will look at how to create an environment that supports change.
Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Professor Shlomo Ben-Hur works on the psychological and cultural aspects of leadership, and the strategic and operational elements of talent management and corporate learning. He is the Director of IMD’s Changing Employee Behavior program and IMD’s Organizational Learning in Action, he also co-directs the Organizational Leadership: Driving Culture and Performance program, and is author of the books Talent Intelligence, The Business of Corporate Learning, Changing Employee Behavior: a Practical Guide for Managers and Leadership OS.
July 16, 2025 • by Robert Vilkelis in Brain Circuits
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
July 15, 2025 • by Ben Bryant in Brain Circuits
Knowing how much vulnerability to show and when to maintain distance is a key leadership skill. Consult this checklist to gauge whether you’re keeping too much in, and check out the four...
July 10, 2025 • by Jean-François Manzoni in Brain Circuits
From absorbing stress to finding your authentic voice, nine leaders of global companies share the wisdom that has helped them excel in their roles.  ...
July 8, 2025 in Brain Circuits
According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1tn each year, predominantly from reduced productivity.  Here are six simple habits, taken from design thinker Vishakha Singh’s SHIFT...
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience