“Mental fitness helps you shift from a negative to a positive mindset,” said Kristen Fox, Practice Leader of Coaching and Leadership Development at TalentRise. In a recent RPO Leadership Forum webinar, she showed talent acquisition (TA) leaders how to make that switch using the Positive Intelligence (PQ) framework. This approach gives TA leaders the keys to mental fitness. These tools can boost their leadership skills in today's tough talent market and rising costs.
Suzie Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Client Delivery at BroadLeaf Results, talked about her experience. She focused on implementing PQ during major organizational changes and her career growth.
To see how mental fitness changes leadership, we need to look at its science. "We need to learn how to shift out of negative feelings into something more positive. That's the act of mental fitness," Fox said. She said that mental fitness grows with regular training, just like how you build strength at the gym.
Fox stated that the Positive Intelligence (PQ) framework comes from thorough research by Dr. Shirzad Chamine. This research spans four fields: cognitive behavioral psychology, positive psychology, performance sciences, and neuroscience. This research used factor analysis to find three key mental skills leaders need to grow:
Understanding these mental muscles begins with identifying the patterns that hold leaders back.
Fox observed that every leader faces an inner critic called the judge, which creates self-judgment and criticism of others. Research shows that this universal saboteur can affect leadership. It points to nine other mental patterns that disrupt effectiveness (see Figure 1).
[Figure 1: Saboteur Grid showing mental patterns organized by motivation type]
"I was feeling really unstable and insecure. "The judge loomed over me in every conversation and meeting," Mitchell said, reflecting on her time during the change.
Fox highlighted three saboteurs that particularly impact talent acquisition leaders. The controller brings valuable organizational skills but may stifle team autonomy through micromanagement. The hyper-achiever aims for results and stays focused on goals. However, they often find it hard to feel satisfied with their achievements. The stickler focuses on quality by paying attention to detail. But, this can lead to unnecessary stress because of perfectionism.
Once leaders recognize their saboteurs, they need practical tools to shift their mental state. "These techniques provide ways to breathe, stop, and integrate just a small pause that allows us to shake off negative energy," Fox said. "We don't have the luxury of parking these emotions until we can do a yoga class at the end of the day."
[Figure 2: PQ Rep Options showing reset techniques]
Leaders can put in place several quick techniques that activate the prefrontal cortex, home of sage thinking:
Deep Breathing: Take three focused breaths, releasing tension with each exhale. Sensory Focus: Direct complete attention to immediate sensory experiences. Visualization: Spend 10 seconds studying a family photo.
Fox stressed that TA leaders can boost mental fitness by using an operating system approach in their daily tasks. This system can transform reactive patterns into thoughtful responses through the four "R's."
Recognition begins with awareness of the emotional state. Notice physical signs, like tension in your shoulders. Pay attention to mental signals, such as racing thoughts. Also, look for behavioral cues, like sharp email replies. These indicators signal saboteur activation.
Reset techniques provide immediate intervention.
Pick the right PQ rep for your needs:
Reframing transforms challenges into opportunities. When candidates turn down offers or needs change during the search, leaders stop to think about possible benefits. "Sometimes the gift is simply knowledge," Mitchell said. "Knowing more today about this situation or how to handle this person than you did yesterday."
Response draws on these techniques to address situations productively. When recruitment campaigns fail, leaders get curious. They switch to explorer mode to discover new channels.
"This approach is powerful because it’s practical. You can use these steps right away, even during tough times in your leadership journey," Fox said.
With consistent practice of reset techniques, leaders develop access to deeper mental resources.
Sage perspective represents the ability to find opportunity within challenge. When leaders deal with tough stakeholders or tricky situations, this view helps them stay focused. It keeps their strategy clear, even during daily pressures.
The framework identifies specific sage powers that leaders can develop:
Empathy: Mitchell found particular value in the inner child technique. "When dealing with a difficult person, I might imagine their inner child. People aren't intentionally mean or difficult to work with; sometimes life circumstances shape them that way."
Exploration: Approaching situations with curiosity rather than judgment opens new possibilities.
Innovation: Accessing creative problem-solving by moving past reactive thinking.
The effectiveness of these mental fitness practices becomes clear through measurable results.
[Figure 3: Before and After Assessment Results showing Mitchell's transformation]
Mitchell's initial assessment showed she operated with a positive mindset 63 percent of the time. Through consistent practice of PQ techniques, she dramatically improved her sage perspective access. "Part of it is putting things into perspective," Mitchell said. "While our business is critically important, we're not doing heart surgery. If something gets pushed to tomorrow morning or moves from priority one to priority five, it's still going to get done."
"I'm in a totally different space now," Mitchell said. "Using sage techniques and PQ reps really help with tough challenges."
These tools and techniques gain power through consistent application in daily leadership practices.
Fox stressed that, like physical fitness, mental fitness grows with regular training, not quick fixes. Each small shift toward a sage perspective builds momentum toward sustained positive impact.
Ready to strengthen your mental fitness? Begin with three focused breaths when facing challenges. This key technique helps you reach your full leadership potential. You can achieve this through mental fitness training.
We encourage you to visit the RPO Academy to help build your mental resilience for diversity recruiting and hiring.