In New Zealand our Pohutukawa flowering tells us Christmas is coming (picture taken in Auckland Domain yesterday). As we struggle to make it to the end of another tough year it's the perfect time to reflect on how much you have achieved despite personal, professional and global challenges. Take the time... it will be time well spent.
If you would like talk through structured reflection techniques for you and your team, please get in touch.
Although individual resilience is talked about a lot, there seems to be a opportunity to focus more on collective team resilience. Defined as “the collective capability of a team to manage stress, remain healthy, adapt to and learn from unexpected challenges…” (McEwan)
Surely there is great potential in taking a wider systemic view of resilience, including interrelationships between team members and their environment. The whole can be much greater than the sum of the individual parts.
A few points to get a team discussion on resilience started…
· Do we adapt well to change?
· Do we promote self-care in our daily routines (e.g. take regular breaks, limit work hours)?
· Do we provide positive support to each other to get the job done?
· Do we encourage each other to feel part of the team?
· Do we focus on positivity not negativity?
If you would like to talk more about potential in collective team resilience, please get in touch. It's and interesting and valuable area to work on, particularly now in our challenging times.
I (in Auckland) was in a training session last week, and my training buddy (in Melbourne) was asked to share what she was noticing as she listened to my dilemma. One of the things she mentioned were the birds in the background, and she wondered whether they were relevant. (The birds she could hear were Tui’s. Although I live pretty much in the centre of the city, there are many trees that attract native birds. I can even hear Moreporks most days.) And yes, I think the Tui’s were telling me something. Something about taking wide and adventurous perspectives with my dilemma.
Use ALL your senses and notice as much as you can when actively listening. You may just notice something that really triggers something meaningful.
If you or your team would like to practice active listening skills, please get in touch. I’m sure the Tui’s would love to be involved too!
