At the end of every school year, school campuses across the country recognize students for their academic achievements: top math student, best in science, language arts champion. But, in recent years, there’s been a noticeable shift. Teachers are being encouraged to hand out awards like “Best Smile,” “Most Friendly,” or “Best Attitude.”

On the surface, this seems like a beautiful sentiment: everyone is special and deserves to be seen, but underneath that well-meaning philosophy is a growing cultural trend that’s now showing up in our workplaces...a lack of mental toughness.

The Rise of the “Everyone Gets a Trophy” Mindset

We’ve lived through a few decades of trying to make sure no one feels left out. Combine that with the aftermath of pandemic-related isolation, and you get a generation that often hasn’t been asked to handle adversity. The result is they aren't equipped to handle it.

Many parents today are what psychologists call “lawnmower parents”. They don’t just hover like helicopters; they clear the path entirely. The intention is love. The outcome is fragility.

This lack of resilience is showing up everywhere:

• Candidates showing up to interviews with a parent or relative
• Virtual interviews with cameras off, messy backgrounds, or distracting filters
• Missed meetings, ghosted communication, and poor follow-through
• The “Gen Z Stare”, a blank look in the face of feedback or confrontation
• An inability to handle difficult conversations or uncomfortable feedback

What’s missing isn’t intelligence. It’s grit.

Why Mental Toughness Is a Soft Skill

We often treat “soft skills” like emotional intelligence, communication, and teamwork as the nice-to-haves. But the research shows otherwise.

According to the Carnegie Foundation, The Stanford Research Institute, and Harvard University,  85% of job success comes from people skills, not technical knowledge. That means emotional resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate discomfort are not optional. They’re foundational.

And while soft skills matter across the board, we need to recognize that mental toughness is one of the most important soft skills we can teach, it's and a cornerstone of emotional intelligence.

It’s the internal grit that allows someone to:

• Receive feedback without shutting down
• Show up on time and stay focused without micromanagement
• Face discomfort without running from it
• Communicate clearly, even when the conversation is difficult

Timeless Truths from Ziglar and Sandler

Years ago, I was introduced to Dave Sandler’s No Guts, No Gain, a program that went beyond sales tactics and taught the mindset needed for success.

Some of the core principles included:

• We grow when we’re uncomfortable – Discomfort isn’t danger; it’s opportunity.
• People buy emotionally, justify logically – Emotional control is the key to influence.
• The way we do anything is the way we do everything – Consistency builds character.

Sandler wasn’t just teaching techniques. He was teaching self-mastery.

Zig Ziglar, one of the most influential voices in personal development, reinforced the same ideas, though he didn’t always use the phrase “mental toughness.” Instead, he taught:

• “Failure is an event, not a person.”
• “You don’t drown by falling into water. You drown by staying there.”
• “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”

Zig’s philosophy was simple: you build confidence through consistent action, attitude, and personal integrity.

What Employers Can Do About It

If you're a leader frustrated by a lack of initiative or professionalism in your team, don’t write off your younger employees. Instead, consider how your environment might be contributing to the issue, and how you can help them grow through it.

Here are a few ways to start:

1. Normalize Discomfort

Growth happens outside the comfort zone. Encourage feedback, set high standards, and hold people accountable. Discomfort is not punishment; it’s preparation.

2. Model Self-Management

Show your team how you handle stress, conflict, and deadlines. Demonstrate emotional regulation, communication, and follow-through.

3. Teach the “Why”

Purpose drives performance. Help employees understand the why behind the work, not just the process or task.

4. Celebrate Effort and Growth

When we recognize persistence and mindset shifts, we aren’t handing out trophies—we’re affirming courage and maturity. Celebrate progress, not just results.

5. Bring in Outside Coaches

Sometimes the message hits differently when it comes from someone outside the organization. Hiring coaches and trainers can offer a fresh perspective, reinforce your values, and develop the kind of workplace culture where people can thrive.

Resilience isn’t about being tough for toughness’ sake. It’s about learning to show up, consistently, courageously, and with clarity, even when things are hard.

Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, or job seeker, mental toughness isn’t a luxury. It’s a competitive edge.

The good news? It can be taught. It can be practiced. And it can be mastered.

Are you seeing this resilience gap in your team, or in yourself?

Let’s talk about how to build the emotional intelligence, confidence, and communication skills needed to thrive in today’s workplace.

Contact me for information on how you can help your team, or yourself, develop resilience and mental toughness.