Following our recent ‘Leading in Crisis: Peer Support’ event Alison Pritchard, Head of Support, reflects on discussions and shares top tips for maintaining wellbeing during a crisis.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP IN CRISIS
We’re lucky at WCVA to have a Chief Executive who knows what she’s talking about when it comes to psychology and mental wellbeing. Dr Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, to give her full title, has a Doctorate in Applied Psychology.
For us, this means lots of internal conversations about psychologically informed environments (prevalent in housing and homelessness services but applicable to all workplaces), emotional intelligence and, well, bees.
For those who could join us for the Leading in Crisis event, this meant a crash course in the elements of our psychology that inform how we handle crises. Here are some key points we covered:
- People who work in caring professions and charities are likely to have experienced need in early life, informing how they deal with things in their work.
- We are able to reframe how we think about something – we can choose what meaning to apply. We can decide if something is a personal crisis or a challenge we will overcome.
- We can change how we respond to crisis in front of us.
- Being in fight, flight or freeze for too long (for example, since March 2020!) can lead to things like toxic competition and compassion fatigue.
- Desensitisation, becoming less emotionally responsive to something over time due to repeated exposure, can sneak up on us and impact how we react to situations.
- Polyvagal theory looks at how our body perceives threats and responds. We can use this science to learn to be calm and feel safe.
LINDSAY’S TOP TIPS
We also heard some top tips from Lindsay and some from the other leaders in the room:
- Practice self-compassion, be as kind to yourself as you are to those around you.
- Eat properly – give your brain the chemicals it needs to be there for everybody else.
- ‘Badassery is required’; take up space and be bold.
- Reframe those negative and troublesome thoughts.
- ‘Know what you have, see what you can do, do what you can. And get some sleep!’
- Don’t lose sight of who you are outside the charity mission.
- Practice gratitude – even if its just three small things a day to keep the positive things at the forefront of your mind too.
- Meditation, yoga, walking – just for yourself to think and feel.
PEER SUPPORT – A PROBLEM SHARED…
A problem shared isn’t necessarily halved, but it does make you realise that you’re not alone in how you feel about it.
‘It’s really useful to hear others communicating the same feelings – the reminder that we aren’t alone.’
Connecting with others was a real theme throughout the discussions. It was evident that even on Zoom, connecting with peers was helping those present to deal with the situations they find themselves in. One attendee remarked:
‘Thanks guys… In the overwhelm you’re giving me the words for how I’m feeling!’
SOURCES OF SUPPORT
Here are some of the sources of support we discussed:
- WCVA will be running more networking events for leaders and members moving forwards. Keep a look out in our weekly newsletter for details of new events.
- The County Voluntary Councils (CVCs) also run county-level networks. Find your local CVC and their contact details on the Third Sector Support Wales (TSSW) Knowledge Hub.
- The Knowledge Hub also features the Your Network area – a place for you to connect with peers from across Wales, either under the banner of specific topics (funding, governance, volunteering, safeguarding etc) or just in general.
- Start your own peer support group! ‘Cocktails and Cock Up’ networking events started to be discussed in the meeting – WCVA and TSSW would be happy to promote events being set up in this space.
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
Consider accessing counselling or similar therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy to help break out of negative thinking patterns and fight or flight mode:
- RCS delivers personalised support, training and therapies to help people and businesses across Wales improve their wellbeing for work.
- We have commissioned Platfform to provide counselling and other support services for people working in safeguarding and high safeguarding environments. This is thanks to Welsh Government funding and is free to access.
- Check what is available through any workplace health support scheme that you have in place (leaders could consider this investment if its not something you have in place currently).
- Find support privately through the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Get a coach or mentor to give you space to voice your feelings and help you unpick your professional challenges:
- Ask someone in your network to become your mentor
- Academi Wales offers coaching and mentoring services, accessible to people working in registered charities
- Seek out a professional coach
Get reading. Lindsay has suggested the following ‘brave books for brave leaders’:
- Everything is F*cked collection – Mark Manson
- My 31 Practices: release the power of your values for authentic happiness – Alan Williams & Alison Whybrow
- Beyond collaboration overload – Rob Cross
- Drive: the surprising truth behind what motivates us – Daniel H. Pink
- Stolen focus: why you can’t pay attention – Johann Hari
- I thought it was just me (but it isn’t) – Brené Brown
- Dare to lead – Brené Brown
- The gifts of imperfection – Brené Brown
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