Why Mental Toughness Alone Is Failing Leaders—and What Jeff Standridge Says to Do Instead

Conway, Arkansas Aug 2, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Mental toughness. High performance. Grit. These have long been the buzzwords of elite business leaders, entrepreneurs, and athletes. But for Jeff Standridgeseasoned tech executive, investor, and leadership strategisttrue strength is only half the story.

His new book, Grit and Grace: How the Pursuit of Mental Toughness and Emotional Intelligence Changes Everything, challenges the conventional wisdom that more pressure equals more results. Instead, Standridge presents a timely case for resilient leadership rooted in intentional recovery, self-awareness, and emotional agilitywhat he calls grace.

We dont have a resilience problem, says Standridge. We have a reactivity problem. Weve trained leaders to push through anything, but not to pause, reflect, or recalibrate. Grace isnt weaknessits wisdom.

This perspective isnt coming from the sidelines. As a former corporate VP who led global initiatives and scaled startups to acquisition, Standridge knows firsthand the cost of burnout and unchecked drive. Grit and Grace draws from that experience and decades of coaching executives across sectorsfrom health care to high techwho are quietly asking: How do I keep going without losing myself?

A Message Thats Striking a Nerve

Since its debut, Grit and Grace has surged to #1 in three of Amazons most competitive business categories, including:

• #1 in Workplace Behavior
  
• #1 in Knowledge Capital
  
• #1 in Business Etiquette
  

Readers are calling it eye-opening, reassuring, and what every executive needs to read before their next board meeting. This book goes beyond leadership tacticsit offers a lifeline for leaders trying to stay steady in nonstop environments.

Get a copy of Grit and Grace at https://amzn.to/4jYfUXF. 

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Jeffs message is part manifesto, part mirror. While hustle still gets the spotlight, Standridge points to clarity, boundaries, and emotional control as the real edge in leadership.

The New Leadership Edge: Clarity, Not Chaos

Standridge introduces frameworks throughout the book that blend neuroscience, habit-building, and strategic reflection. Topics include:

• Navigating uncertainty without emotional hijack
  
  
• Building a team culture rooted in stability and optimism
  
  
• Creating space for both intensity and recovery
  
  
• Why mental toughness alone leads to fragilityand how grace builds durability

The best leaders I know dont just push throughthey pull back when it matters, Jeff writes in the book. They have the courage to lead with both strength and softness.

His goal? To equip leaders not just to winbut to last.

About Jeff Standridge

Dr. Jeff D. Standridge is an accomplished executive advisor, speaker, and educator who helps organizations drive innovation, strategy, and growth. A former VP of Global Operations at Acxiom Corporation, he has led business units across five continents and now serves as Chief Catalyst for the Conductor, Co-founder of Cadron Capital Partners, and faculty at the University of Central Arkansas. A decorated veteran and recognized business leader, Dr. Standridge brings global experience, military discipline, and award-winning training to his work with companies and executives worldwide. He lives in Conway, Arkansas, with his wife, Lori.