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Tag: Performance

  • Suffering from stress at work? 5 steps to building resilience

    According to HSE.Gov.co.uk almost one million people (976,000) in the UK are suffering from work-related stress that is making them ill, resulting in sick leave and absenteeism.  It is estimated that 12 million working days are lost each year in the UK due to stress-related illness. 

    WHAT IS STRESS? 

    The dictionary defines stress as “ a forcibly exerted influence usually causing distress or strain.”    In short, stress is any factor, positive or negative that requires a response or change. Medical research recognizes that chronic ongoing stress can lead to illness, aggravate existing disease conditions and accelerate aging.  Common stressors include many aspects of a Western lifestyle including work, financial, emotional and environmental issues, as well as a nutrient poor diet that inflicts undue stress on your physical and mental bodies.  

    The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge.  Clearly these concepts are not the same.  Challenge, if at the appropriate level, energizes both mind and body.  It motivates to learn new skills and master new and more challenging job roles. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied, proud and perhaps even excited about what has been achieved. 

    WHEN DOES A CHALLENGE BECOME STRESSFUL?   

    This is a bit like asking “How long is a piece of string?” As each one of us are different and unique, there cannot be a one-size fits all answer.  However, there are some aspects in the Western lifestyle and work ethic that can and do contribute to an individual suffering from work-related stress. For example, when the goal cannot be achieved because it looks and feels overwhelming or when demands cannot be met, due to capability and or lack of necessary resources.  It might, on the other hand, be caused by relationships, or more importantly poor relations with someone that you have to work with, due to their bullying, manipulating habits.  Perhaps you are working in a toxic environment due to poor or inappropriate leadership that is causing an overly competitive work environment, playing one person off against the other. Under any of these circumstances or a combination of circumstances, very quickly the situation can change from focused and motivated to mental and physical exhaustion from trying and the sense of ability to accomplish turned into feelings of stress. 

    COVID AND WORK STRESS 

    Post Covid society is going to be looking at millions of people who have been affected negatively by the lockdown processes and are now suffering a variety of mental and likely physical illnesses due to measures brought in to limit the spread, by the many governments all over the world.  Many are living under an umbrella of fear that has been working away at healthy people, slowly destroying immune capability through increasing stress caused by the fear of catching SARS-Cov-2.  Not being able to “vent steam” through sport, visiting family and friends has blocked the usual avenues of lessening impact of negative events or at least balancing them with laughter and joy through regular social contact, touching, hugging and face to face conversation in close proximity to those we love.  No one anticipated that by protecting one group of vulnerable people, you create another. A model created by the “Centre for Mental Health” last year predicted that, due to Covid, around 8.5 million adults and 1.5 million children in England alone will need support for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders and other mental health difficulties in the coming months and years. 

    WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS? 

    Early symptoms include tiredness and lack of energy, tension headaches, and poor sleep, with perhaps even dizziness, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and migraines.  When stress becomes more ingrained and bordering on or causing adrenal overload, these symptoms are still evident, but become stronger and more constant, and are often joined by other symptoms including, sweaty hands and feet, insomnia, circulating thoughts, nightmares, inability to get back to sleep, mood swings, anxiety attacks, stomach pains, heart burn and palpitations, depression and if that’s not enough – a permanent feeling of being exhausted all the time.  

    Subjecting the body to constant stress means the fight and flight system is no longer able to turn off. This is the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. In other words, your body is in a constant state of alert, whether there is danger or not. Stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released which sends blood to the areas of the body that most need it including the heart and muscles in order to get you away from the immediate danger.  When the perceived fear has gone, the hypothalamus should tell the system to go back to normal, but when constantly under stress this system becomes incapable of regulation resulting in excess cortisol and adrenaline, flooding the system causing the many symptoms mentioned.   

    5 steps to building resilienceWaiting for anyone to heal you is going to be a long wait.  Life throws many curve-balls at each one of us that we have no control over, however there is much that you can do to manage the impact by building resilience. The only person who can be responsible for your health is you.  As stress has deep impact on both the mental and physical body, it is important to put some simple steps in place to limit the impact and build your resilience before it becomes a permanent feature that requires intervention by a health expert. Often these interventions use pharmaceutical products that mask the symptoms so that you can live with them, continuing the same lifestyle pattern and avoiding dealing with the actual problem. 

    5 SIMPLE STEPS TO PROACTIVELY MANAGING THE IMPACT OF STRESS   

    Assuming the stress factors are work-related the following are some helpful tips for proactively protecting you from adverse stress as well as managing the body’s reaction in the early stages through re-balancing your natural circadian rhythm through life experience – your diet, lifestyle and physical movement. 

    1. PRACTICE GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE:

    • Be in bed by 10.30pm 
    • Make your bedroom a “no zone” for electronic devices  
    • Keep the bedroom dark and free from electric or “blue” light 
    • A minimum of two hours before going to bed: 
    • Stop using all electronic devices in order to calm the brain and allow it to produce sleep-inducing melatonin.  Read, meditate, take a warm bath with calming essential oils or simply share relaxation time with your family instead. 
    • Complete any vigorous exercise and allow the body time to calm down and relax to avoid lying awake trying to go to sleep. 
    • Eat your last meal allowing time for complete digestion. 
    • Drink a cup of calming herbal tea such as Lime Blossom, Chamomile, Lemon Melissa and/or Lavender before retiring 

    2. BE ASSERTIVE:

    • Know your limits and practice saying “No” when the boss or a colleague becomes over-demanding. 
    • Openly and positively confront those who have taken it upon themselves to make your life stressful. 
    • Deal with conflict, don’t push it under the carpet hoping it will go away. 
    • Speak up for yourself – share your opinion, ideas and feelings before they become overwhelming.  It is alright to feel how you feel, just because it might be different to how others are feeling, does not make it wrong. 
    • Avoid procrastination in all areas of your life as it does not positively serve you. 

    3. PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK AND HABITS:

    • Observe how you speak to yourself and avoid negative self-talk that emphasizes what is not right about yourself, what you have done wrong, what you should or could have done in any particular situation and so on. Negative self-talk is destructive and only creates further mental pressure to be or do something differently. It does not provide a positive framework to change the aspect of your behaviour or performance that you are not happy about. 
    • Express gratitude daily for those things in your life that you are grateful for.  Find a time of the day that is convenient, such as first thing in the morning or last thing at night to give gratitude for the small things in your life, that make a big difference. 

    4. SET BOUNDARIES AND MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF:

    Rushing around accomplishing things and crossing them off the to-do list can be very satisfying,  but it does not feed body and soul nor does it always accomplish what is important to you, your team and your organisation.  All of us require down-time to do what feeds our soul, whether that is doing nothing, walking, meditating, taking a hot bath or lying on your sofa reading. 

    • Schedule down-time for yourself each week even if it is only for 30 minutes twice a week, this is your time and is as important, if not more so, than many other things on your to-do list.  Keep to it! 
    • Educate and encourage others to respect this time as being sacred and necessary for you to renew yourself and fill your tank.
    • Block time without interrruptions that gives you space to accomplish top priority tasks.  If necessary make yourself unavailable by putting a sign on your door or sending out an email to inform your colleagues. 
    • Enjoy  and appreciate space and silence, avoid being tempted to fill it with “noise”. 

    5. BE ACTIVE AND MOVE

    • The body and mind becomes stagnant, as does your energy when you sit all day in front of a computer, television or on the sofa. This can often lead to circulating thoughts which go round and round with no route of escape. By moving you energize the body by getting lymph moving, while also feeding the brain with serotonin (feel good factor), especially if going out into nature.  Build time into your day to move, even if that is get a cuppa or walk to the corner shop.  Periodic stretching away from your computer also helps increase energy and resilience. 
    • Moving does not need you to run a marathon, but rather to do regular exercise whether walking, Pilates, Yoga, swimming or playing tennis to release any pent up emotions that are stiffening up the neck and shoulder muscles, your back and overall flexibility. Connecting with nature as you do your favourite exercise brings double benefit to mind and body. 
    • Taking a massage or doing reflexology regularly also has many beneficial effects in relaxing the body, promoting energy through effective movement of lymph and keeping muscles toned, overall helping to manage stressful events and build resilience. 

    Engaging in a balance of activities, being mindful of what you eat and how you eat, allowing time to create space and silence as well as connecting with nature, building in time for human interaction and connection and being active when combined with setting boundaries and increasing assertive behaviour helps to improve resilience as well as sustain good health, wellbeing and overall performance by resyncing your physical and mental bodies.

     

    To find out how to improve you or your team’s workplace stress, see our E-learning courses for Wellbeing in the Workplace.

  • Suffering from work-related stress? You are not alone!

    According to research nearly half a million people in the UK have work-related stress that is making them ill, resulting in sick leave and absenteeism.  It is estimated that 12 million working days are lost each year in the UK due to stress-related illness. (HSE.gov.co.uk)

    WHAT IS STRESS?

    The dictionary defines stress as “ a forcibly exerted influence usually causing distress or strain.”    In short stress is any factor, positive or negative that requires a response or change. Medical research recognizes that chronic ongoing stress can lead to illness, aggravate existing disease conditions and accelerate aging.  Common stressors include most aspects of life in the Western world – work related, financial, emotional and environmental, as well as nutritional factors.

    The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge. Clearly these concepts are not the same.  Challenge, if at the appropriate level, energizes both psychologically and physically.  It motivates to learn new skills and master new and more challenging job roles. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied, proud and perhaps even excited about what has been achieved.

    When does a challenge become stressful?  Either when the goal cannot be achieved because it looks and feels overwhelming or when demands cannot be met, due to capability and or lack of necessary resources.  Very quickly the situation can change from focused and motivated to exhaustion from trying, and the sense of ability to accomplish has turned into feelings of stress.

    WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS?

    What are the symptoms of stress?Stress doesn’t just lead to workplace absenteeism, is can cause illness in many forms. Read this blog to learn the symptoms of stress, early warning signs, and what you can do to offset stress. #stress

    Early symptoms include tiredness and lack of energy, tension headaches, and poor sleep, and even dizziness, stomach tension and diarrhoea.  When stress becomes more ingrained and bordering on or causing adrenal exhaustion, these symptoms are still evident, but stronger and more constant, and are often joined by other symptom including, sweaty hands and feet, insomnia, circulating thoughts, nightmares, inability to get back to sleep, mood swings, anxiety attacks, stomach pains, heart burn and palpitations, depression and if that’s not enough – a permanent feeling of being exhausted all the time. 

    IS STRESS MAKING YOU SICK?

    Is stress making you sick?Stress doesn’t just lead to workplace absenteeism, is can cause illness in many forms. Read this blog to learn the symptoms of stress, early warning signs, and what you can do to offset stress.

    Subjecting the body to constant stress means the fight and flight system is no longer able to turn off.  In other words your body is in a constant state of alert, whether there is danger or not.    Stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released which sends blood to the areas of the body that most need it including the heart and muscles in order to get you away from the immediate danger.  When the perceived fear has gone, the hypothalamus should tell the system to go back to normal, but when constantly under stress this system becomes incapable of regulation resulting in cortisol flooding the system causing the many symptoms mentioned.

    Stress doesn’t just lead to workplace absenteeism, is can cause illness in many forms. Read this blog to learn the symptoms of stress, early warning signs, and what you can do to offset stress.

    Some helpful tips for managing the body’s reaction in the early stages of stressSOME HELPFUL TIPS FOR MANAGING THE BODY’S REACTION IN THE EARLY STAGES OF STRESS:

    • Practice good sleep hygiene  – be in bed by 10.30pm
    • Make your bedroom a “no zone” for electronic devices
    • Stop using all electronic devices at least an hour before bed in order to calm the brain.  Read, meditate, take a warm bath with calming essential oils or simply share time with your family instead
    • Vigorous exercise to be completed a minimum of 2 hours before going to bed
    • Allow two hours for digestion of your last meal before going to bed.
    • Drink calming tea such as Lime Blossom, Chamomile, Lemon Melissa and or Lavender before retiring 

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton is an entrepreneur who owns and manages Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health. Working with local and multinational organisations, she is a public speaker and trainer in the spheres of leadership, communication and customer excellence. She ensures sustainable productivity and profitability through healthy self-management and leadership practices, ensuring a focused and successful workforce.

  • Swan-like leadership – a festive thought moving into 2018

    At this time of year many of us try to be the archetypal model of a swan, gracefully gliding over the surface whilst paddling like fury under the water line trying to get everything done both in the work environment and at home!  I can relate to this, especially with so many events that come one after another.

    Above the surface we may seem calm and our leadership style appears in control, but minds are racing as we try to make sure that everything is in place to ensure we can enjoy the few days off from our place of work over this festive period, whilst at the same time multi or triple tasking to do all the things for the family to make the time together special.  As minds are on ‘organisational alert,’ we risk asking the retrospective question of ‘was it worth it?’  We ask this because our minds weren’t there to enjoy it … they were on other things!  In all of this we know that this isn’t the real ‘mature’ or most effective way to live, to enjoy this season and to enjoy life as a whole.

    What should we do to avoid this trap of frenzied living?

    There are other levels in life, from deep spiritual to intense physical times.  Often these happen unexpectedly and in these times we can and do experience deep joy, a sense of perspective, a sense of peace and calm.  Frequently these times of true living are missed. When I think of life and how easy it is to fall into the ‘swan’ model, I know there is more.  There are other levels to know and live a fuller life.  I am not saying that we should ‘down tools’ and not work hard towards the good things we want for ourselves and others.  To me it is all about ‘multi-level living as opposed to triple tasking!’  Seeing clearly what is important and working with commitment and in full presence.

    In the coming year I hope to be ‘swan-like’ as I do my part to organise and put into place all resolutions, goals, events etc. I wish everyone a level of spiritual calm that puts things into perspective showing us what is and is not important, a resource that gives a deeper sense than that of frenzied paddling, leading to a sense of balance, bringing about refreshing leadership, clear decision making and a fun place to be as well as a fun person to be with.

    Wishing everyone joy whilst celebrating this special festive season and inner calm to ensuring effective and fun self leadership and leadership of others in 2018.  May all your goals and resolutions be achieved with ease.

  • Take Control of Your Back to Work Fears

    This month’s blog is focused on the return to the office working environment and how you might be feeling about going out and about after the long period of social distancing, working from home and generally controlled contact on public transport and in crowded places. 

    Good news – yesterday morning the prime minister, Boris Johnson announced that we can all start hugging again.  Hugging, a form of physical contact with others is essential to us human beings. It is normal and natural that we shake hands, hug, casually, briefly touch each other during conversation and sit within reasonably close contact.  Infact it is not only normal and natural it is essential to our wellbeing, and the sooner we get hugging the better for our mental, emotional and physical health. The thought of going out into crowded places to get to the office, take a lunch break and use public transport, for some after such a long break, might be overwhelming, causing anxiety attacks and even agoraphobia. 

    WHAT IS AGORAPHOBIA? 

    According to NHS England “Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn’t be available if things go wrong. Many people assume agoraphobia is simply a fear of open spaces, but it’s actually a more complex condition. Someone with agoraphobia may be scared of travelling on public transport.” 

    VERY OFTEN SYMPTOMS OF AGORAPHOBIA ARE:

    • Fear or anxiety almost always results from exposure to the situation 
    • The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger of the situation 
    • Often with agoraphobia you avoid the situation, you need someone to go with you, or you endure the situation but become extremely distressed 
    • These feelings of significant distress or problems with social situations, work or other areas in your life result because of the fear, anxiety or avoidance 
    • This phobia and avoidance can last up to six months or even longer. 

    TYPICAL TRIGGERS OF AGORAPHOBIA ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC INCLUDE:

    • Leaving home alone 
    • Crowds or waiting in line 
    • Enclosed spaces, such as movie theatres, elevators or small stores 
    • Open spaces, such as parking lots, bridges or malls 
    • Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or train 

    Take Control of Your Back to Work FearsDo you or any of your employees resonate with this definition and are feeling insecure, nervous and perhaps even anxious at having to travel on public transport and go back into the office environment, or are you welcoming this development with open arms?

    Agoraphobia is classed as a mental disorder as it can have the same debilitating effects as other mental disorders such as general anxiety disorder, depression and panic disorder. 

    WHAT CAN ORGANISATIONS DO TO HELP EMPLOYEES WITH AGORAPHOBIA, FEELINGS OF ANXIETY OR AGORAPHOBIC TENDENCIES? 

    Below are 5 things that can help leaders in organisations to identify and address employees that are suffering agoraphobic tendencies; 

    1. Be understanding and empathise. The person you are talking to might appear quite rational, calm and balanced, until such time as they are faced with having to leave the house, use public transport or even enter the office that was so familiar up until March 2020, which makes the conversation seem unreal and perhaps even a “try on” to return to or remain home-working. Show empathy, give time willingly and avoid judgement. 
    2. Notice changes in behaviour. Be attentive in conversations with employees and notice any change in behaviour, however slight.  Create an opportunity to open up the conversation around how they might be feeling about coming back to work in the office. If already back in the office, how they might feel about work back in the office and how they have adapted and changed their personal circumstances to accommodate this change. 
    3. Listen without commentary. When an employee begins to tell you about how they are feeling and the challenges they might be having around the new regime it might include issues in connection with childcare, the difficulties that might be caused by working part time at home and the rest of the time in the office.  Perhaps there are some family issues going on in the background that is distracting attention and performance.  Listening without trying to find the solution can be the most powerful gift that you give anyone.  Very often just being listened to is enough to feel secure, and to find the way forward by themselves.  The job of a leader is not to “fix” others, it is to help others fix themselves through listening. 
    4. Keep in touch. Once an employee has found their own solutions which they are comfortable with, check in now and again to see how they are getting on and what has changed in how they feel. Has the anxiety or agoraphobic attacks become less, more or gone away completely? If increasing, advise them to visit their doctor and encourage them to add practices such as meditation, deep breathing and mindfulness to their daily regime. 
    5. Do not assume that the most confident of your employees are not struggling. As leaders we often leave those that are the most confident and competent to “get on with the job,” to give time to those who need guidance, input and training. Why? They know what they are doing and therefore why get in the way or interfere? Agoraphobia and agoraphobic tendencies are not reserved for the less confident, it can affect anyone at any time. 

    The essence of what is in this blog is to avoid underestimating the impact that not only Covid has had on the physical body, but on mental health as well.  Living in an environment of fear for the last year has taken its toll on many of us and the true impact of isolation, social distancing and other lockdown regulations, may only be starting to show now.

     

    Worried about agoraphobia or other mental health issues in your office? Try Green Key’s Wellbeing in the Workplace E-learning course to help your team’s productivity!

  • Leadership – Living Your Truth

    “No magic bullet, not even the Internet, can save us from population explosion, deforestations, climate disruption, poison by pollution, and wholesale extinctions of plant and animal species.  We are going to have to want different things, seek different pleasures, pursue different goals than those that have been driving us and our global economy.”  Joanna Macy

    There are many definitions of leadership and what or who makes a good leader.  I personally have been training high potentials and business leaders for many years. It takes COVID19 to make me stop and think about the question: What is leadership?

    Leadership is defined in terms of goals, the purpose and the context in which leaders are placed. For example a leader of a country, whether Boris Johnson, Donald Trump or President Putin are all tasked with the same role and goals, in comparison to an army general leading his men into war, the goals and context are vastly different, thus affecting the definition of leadership, and the extension of that – the characteristics of a good leader.

    Perhaps the one common aspect or definition is that leaders inspire and influence others to want to do things. Leaders defined in this way are in every nation and every society. In most cases they are highly visible and have an effect on many aspects of our lives including how we think, how we act, our product choices, lifestyle, values and for whom we vote.  A case in point in the run up to the election in the USA.

    Looking around the world we see leaders who serve the common good, speaking their truth, and we see leaders who believe their position allows them to embezzle, manipulate, corrupt and steal from those they lead through mistruths, subtle or open lies and actions of blatant personal gain.

    It is seldom, in the list of characteristics of a good leader that we see values, words and statements that are reflected in their true behaviour such as speaking their truth, commitment to the common good, to world and planet sustainability, the importance of taking a long term view and decisions that impact not only the short term, but long term as well.

    WHAT IS LONG TERM IN AN ORGANISATION? 

    The answer probably depends on the type of business you are in, the country in which you are operating and the goals of the business.  I remember in my early days of working in the hotel industry at the London Hilton, where every 2-3 years the General Manager would be replaced, the outgoing person moving on to greater things and the incoming on the same trajectory.  What did this mean?  It meant that every GM wanted to leave his or her impact on the profitability of the operation.  You might say, that is natural and that it should be that way.  My view is slightly different, especially when profitability affecting the employees who work so hard to give the “promised” service to each and every guest are left with insufficient tools to do the job, uniforms that need replacing and no longer give pride to the neglected employee who is wearing it.  Who wins here?  The GM who is promoted onwards?  Such short-sighted decisions take time to show the true impact on morale, reputation, performance and turnover.  Long gone are those that were instrumental in this demise.

    Leadership - living your truthAre governments any different?  Clearly not. We can see in the UK how a change of party spends a great deal of time, taxpayer’s money and effort to undo policies, decisions and actions that the previous government put in place.  Why do we allow this?  Long term needs to be no less than 30 years and Is it not about time that leaders live their truth, lead by example, and invest in personal growth?preferably 50+ years to develop sustainability, policies that actually come to fruition to positively impact generations of people, the immediate environment, nature as well as the whole planet in which we all share and live.  At the moment, enjoyment of this planet depends on which side of the exploitation you are!  For example, exploitation of the rain forests, an essential part of the world ecosystem being raped to replace it with a short-term crop of soya which is grown to feed cattle to eventually end up on someone’s plate.  Is this effective leadership?

    How many leaders do you know who invest in their personal development, their true nature – the inner consciousness and knowing that comes with connecting to oneself and the inner knowledge that is shared through connection with all other sentient beings?  The true reality of the self can only be revealed through self-exploration that is beyond logic, information and skills we have gathered along the way, it is about being.  Being comfortable with who you are, being comfortable with the truth, without ego and science.  This is the intuitive self and is a person who is in touch with their soul and their true purpose in this life.

    The Dalai Lama in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize said “Because we all share this small planet Earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature.  That is not just a dream, but a necessity.”

    Is it not time for leaders within governments and organisations to evaluate their honesty motives and actions to understand whether they are in accord with harmony and peace, with nature, each other and themselves?

    This time of COVID19 seems to be inviting our leaders and each one of us to question our ideas and beliefs, our habits and actions that are neither serving us as individuals, the organisations in which we work, our nations and countries, and Mother Earth.  It is a time to connect to our hearts, our inner wisdom, which we all have, and create inner peace and world peace, joy and happiness through true connection, nurturing and compassionate leadership that manifests joy, values-based leadership and unconditional love for all those you lead.  These characteristics do not take away from having to make difficult decisions such as redundancies of hard-working people, but simply how we go about doing this.  Nor does it negatively influence the profitability of organisations. It might take longer to show this profitability, but in the long term it will be sustainable and more.  Once again Nelson Mandela springs to mind with his gentle, compassionate ability to positively influence even his captors and enemies through living his truth and in doing so, showing others the way.

    How long is it going to be before each and every one of us changes, stops paying lip service to ideals such as sustainability, wellbeing and leadership and actually lead by example through living these qualities, characteristics and ideals?

    This blog was inspired by Robert Rabin and the book he wrote in 1998, Invisible Leadership, and the person who recommended I read it – Owen Bailey.  To both I am extremely grateful as it has helped me order the outer expression of my inner self. 

     

    To find out more about how Green Key can help you and your leadership journey, contact Rachel directly.

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton, Founder of Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health is a leadership trainer, medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in corporate health through face-to-face, on-line and e-learning development solutions.

  • Leadership – service provider or security pre flight specialist?

    I recently had the displeasure of being subjected to the pre flight security at Terminal 5.  On the best occasions this is not fun, but a necessity.  On average I travel through an airport approximately every six weeks.  Not a lot some might say?  Irrelevant of how you perceive the frequency, this last experience got me thinking about the role of personnel responsible for pre flight security screening.

    The experience was probably the worst experience of security in this particular airport for a good 2-3 years.  I followed the winding line to the point where instead of watching others, I got to put my hand luggage, coat etc in trays to put it through the scanner, before walking through yourself.  As usual there were two lines of x-ray machines for one line of people.  Well planned and thought through.   However, one line of machines was not working for some unapparent reason.  There was no explanation as to why, it just was not, and all the personnel stood around ignoring passengers as best they could.

    Finally it was my turn to put my things into the tray, surprise no trays!  On asking one of the “unengaged” security specialists from the other line for more trays, I was told “ask him over there” and the specialist concerned went back to her conversation.  In addition, the person checking that your belongings were placed correctly was non communicative.  This job would probably have been done better by a robot?

    On the other side, after the X-ray, people were collecting their belongings and blocking the process as trays backed up with no space for new trays to come through, thus halting the active line.  Did anyone from security even try to encourage people to take their belongings and “re-assemble” themselves in the place dedicated for this where there are places to sit?  And yet, in front of this x-ray line was a desk with not one, but three supervisors enjoying early morning conversation.

    After this 25-minute experience, of course I hit the red button, the one with the dissatisfied face.  Not only that, I took the time to fill in a feedback form and post it in the box provided.  I wait with baited breath for a response.

    As a result of this experience, the question swimming in my head was, “What is the role of a security specialist whose reason for having a job is to screen people and their belongings to ensure we are all safe?   For the safety aspect, I am grateful.  Asking the same question about a barista in Pret a Manger, or sales assistant in Pink or any other clothes shop, the answer is clearly to sell clothes, muffins, sandwiches, coffee etc.  If that sales assistant, or that barista, were to sell their merchandise in the same way that the security team did, surely we would all go somewhere else?  The fact of the matter is we cannot go somewhere else when it comes to pre-screening security.

    In reality, every security specialist’s job is to take care of passengers and provide a service that is paid for indirectly through airport taxes.  Thinking about their role from the customer perspective, puts a completely different slant on the role and how that person and the teams fulfill that role.  Every person that travels through is a customer, many of whom are leaving the UK after a visit to enjoy our culture, sights, events and so on.  Is my experience the last impression we want to give about our country?

    Selling a muffin, coffee or salad with no attention to the customer does not change the quality of the product, but it does change the customer experience.  Perhaps its time our security change their perspective on what they do, giving everyone a positive experience?

  • Lessons from Janus the Two-Faced God

    Janus, the Roman god, to whom we owe the naming of the first month of the year, January, looked forward into the future while also having the wisdom for reflection and resolution of the past. Starting a new year is a perfect time for closure on things as well as to reflect while making plans for the coming year. In reflecting we might ask questions such as:

    • What worked well last year?
    • What systems, processes and procedures are not working so well? Why?
    • Where do we need to make improvements?
    • Who within my team has learning and development needs to help them perform better, to step into a new role and so on?

    Asking these and many other questions, helps us plan and budget effectively. What happens if managers and leaders are unable to reflect both on their personal performance and the performance of those they lead? Ever worked with or for someone who always seems to have a reason why something cannot be done, won’t work, didn’t work, wouldn’t fit, does not make sense or any other similar phraseology, simply wanting to protect the status quo appearing lethargic, stubborn and perhaps even toxic in making any changes that might take them out of their “comfort zone”.

    Staying in a comfort zone, as it suggests, feels easy remaining in the familiar – “better the devil you know than you don’t know.” “We’ve always done it like this.” Challenging our comfort zone requires effort, change to be more effective, to try something different or new and to temporarily move into the unknown. “Comfort zones are our default behaviour – our routines, habits and patterns.  Comfort zones are not necessarily comfortable, they are familiar. They are what we know and they are ways we organize much of our lives”.   (The Bigger Game, Laura Whitworth, Nick Tamlyn)

    Linking this to positive thinking and a positive, constructive approach, a comfort zone is something that we do not necessarily see, rather it is “just the way we do things”. Our patterns of thought and behaviour. The key to changing ingrained patterns that do not necessarily serve us personally as well as those around us is to be open to hear when someone challenges the way we do things or the way of thinking at that moment. Encourages reflection and analysis of situations, thoughts and ideas to challenge the status quo, the comfort zone. Accepting that there might be another way to do something does not necessarily mean choosing what is being suggested. However, it does require that we examine that particular pattern of behaviour and make a conscious decision as to whether it is actually serving our individual interests as well as those of a department or whole organisation, question where we are now in the process, where we want to be and therefore what we want to achieve.

    Negativity, such as the inability to listen – “I believe I am right”, avoiding accountability and responsibility, lack of energy to try, giving no support for something new, focusing on the past rather than the present, is simply a toxin that saps lifeblood from the person themselves, from the system, from the team and ultimately the organization as a whole.  

    Everyone in the organization needs to feel fulfilled. Feeling fulfilled does not mean that life is easy. Fulfillment can coexist in a challenging environment, when we are out of our comfort zone and when times require extra effort to rise to the challenge being ready to step out and step up not only to overcome the challenge, but also to learn and grow, leaving our comfort zone behind while moving into the new state. And then like Janus reflecting on what has been achieved, is it serving well and how can it be improved moving forward?

    Keeping a balance between looking forward and planning the future requires the wisdom of Janus to be open with ourselves and others, to admit when something is not working well, needs upgrading, changing or deleting only comes through open reflection and the willingness to resolve issues.

  • Moral courage in leadership

    “If you are a leader. A person that other fellows look to, you’ve got to keep going.”

    Sir Ernest Shackleton

    As we speed to the end of 2022 and begin 2023, on our minds is the inevitable “New Year Resolutions.” What, if any are you committing yourself to do or be? Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist in our NHS sparked my thought process to think about new year and my resolutions.  If I am to set any, the word “courage” comes to mind.

    Courage as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” When referring to courage, based on this definition we are already including the word moral and therefore it is not necessary to refer to “moral courage”. In the words of Daniel Goleman, courage is based on self-confidence and people with this competence are able to:

    • “Present themselves with self-assurance and self-confidence creating a “presence”
    • Are able to and will voice views that are unpopular, going out on a limb for what is right
    • Are decisive, able to make sound decisions despite uncertainties, pressures, obstacles, as well as fear.”

    Courage, in short is the ability to overcome fear in the face of perceived danger for what you believe is right. How many leaders today, do you know who are doing just that? The Mandelas, Churchills and even Shackleton, the explorer are long gone. It is only self-confidence and courage that gives you the strength to make tough decisions or follow a course of action that you believe in, despite opposition, disagreement and even the threat of being dislodged, smeared and ridiculed by those with an equally strong, but opposite belief. Whether you agree with what Dr Malhotra is saying, is irrelevant, but he is standing up for what he believes and leading the way for those that believe the same, but yet, lack the self-confidence and courage to speak out due to fear of what might happen, if they do.

    Fear, which I have written about in a previous blog is something that is based on irrational beliefs, events, persons or feelings that will result in negative, disastrous, disturbing, unsettling or even life-threatening consequences for the person who is in fear. Our fears can and do take us hostage, preventing and blocking us from living powerfully, being who we are without fear of retribution, because of a negative state. Surely, living in a democratic society means that we can share personal opinions and views openly in an appropriate manner, allowing others to having an opposite viewpoint whether in public, our teams or in organisations?

    Our brains are hardwired to look for danger and pain, warning us to stay away.  In order to act courageously you have to convince your brain to look for and see the benefit of a particular action. I remember several situations in my career where courage to speak out about what I thought would be perceived as a negative decision by those who were on the other end of it, and in the short-term detrimental to those same people. The risk was high, but it was the only way that I saw for us all to weather the storm, and survive, thus in the medium-term would and did benefit all. That did not make it easy, because the brain is trying to convince you that you are not doing the right thing, therefore you are not only dealing with the feelings and opinions of those who are on the end of your decision, but also your own self-doubt and sudden disappearance of inner confidence and calm. How will you feel and what will you do if it goes wrong? Those questions driving shame, guilt and fear, perhaps even anger before it has arrived. How do you overcome fear in order to step outside your comfort zone and secure base and look danger in the face, not recklessly, but with enough self-confidence to eliminate the fear and to use it towards achieving a positive outcome.

    1. Identify the fear – just what is it that you are afraid of? Write it down and examine it for what it is, using the questions: Why do I have this fear? Where is the fear coming from? What is driving it?
    2. Go deeper and reflect on aspects of the past and what may be contributing to this fear in the present. Have you stirred an old wound that you have been suppressing?
    3. Think of someone who you can share and talk about your fear with. Someone who can be your “base,” an ally who will listen and walk with you through your fear.
    4. Visualise yourself overcoming your fear and succeeding in your quest.
    5. Act by taking the necessary steps to make it happen. It is only when you have acted that you truly have overcome your fear.

    Courage is a very essential characteristic of a leader. George Kohlrieser in “Care to Dare” talks about “Playing to win.” Playing to win takes the perceived threat and fear out of the equation. When a leader plays to win, he or she is able to take the necessary risks to succeed. When playing to win you have a high focus on relationships, therefore not sacrificing your people for your own ego. It is about the fine balance between the relationships and the level of challenge that enables you to reach the highest levels of performance. You support your team members, creating a safe place, but at the same time stretch them through high expectations, challenge, direct and constructive feedback. Feeling safe and challenged, your team members will be fully engaged in exploring possibilities, being creative, as well as taking the risks necessary to allow for them to take the steps needed for change. Practicing the balance of “caring and daring” you will not pursue options that allow others to “lose.”

    Nelson Mandela, Sir Ernest Shackleton and other great leaders all played to win overcoming their own fears and taking the “bull by the horns”. They led at their best despite setbacks by creating a safe base for their followers, even though working against the odds, having a deep impact on their followers and ultimately on the outcome. Leaders in business who act in the same manner also play to win, not just for themselves, but all those they lead. Dr Malhotra is doing just that.

    In my humble opinion it is time for our leaders, whether in government, in organisations or small business, to pick up the gauntlet, overcome their fears and show courage by speaking out and sharing what in your hearts you know to be true. Perhaps if we all did that, our world would be a more humble, tolerant and caring place?

    Are you ready to stick your head above the parapet and speak up for what you believe is true and right?

    References:

    Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman

    Care to Dare, George Kohlrieser

    Hostage at the Table, George Kohlrieser

  • New Year – New Opportunities

    The start of a new year is for me always a time to clear out – clear out wardrobes and drawers of clothes I haven’t worn in the last year, storage areas that have been stuffed full of things that “might just come in useful,” as well as my brain, mind and body. In truthfulness body comes a little later in the early days of spring. I find trying to remove the old, dusty and sluggish me difficult to do in the winter months when foods craved are wholesome, warming and consequently heavier in nature. Lymphatic cleaning is is much easier and consuming salads, juicing and lighter foods also easier when the weather is warmer and the days starting to get longer.

    Clearing and cleaning out facilitates space to think, to create and for sure being human will once again over the coming year get filled up, maintaining the cyclical nature of hoarding. There is a saying “I need to clear my head”. This phrase is representative of how I feel about this time of year and the importance of ensuring my head is clear for what is ahead, whether plain sailing or challenges. For most a mixture of both. Above all to have space and the eyes to be able to see new opportunities.

    Clearing out also brings the opportunity to manifest what you want in 2023, by letting go of the old, with thanks and welcoming in the new. After approximately two years of doubt and uncertainty due to Covid fall-out we can look forward to a healthy, positive, forward moving 2023. While the outlook according to “Capital 500, London Quarterly Economic Review” (Q4 2022), sponsored by Haysmacintyre, for the London Chamber of Commerce and commented on by Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Advisor and Board Member, Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) while not being the most positive forecast, is at least showing an upward trend within London businesses:

    • 17% expecting their workforce size to increase over the next 3 months.
    • 21% reported an increase in investment in training in the last quarter of 2022.
    • 14% reported an increase in investments in plant and equipment.
    • 24% reported an increase in cash flow in the last quarter.

    In combination with this positive upward trend, there is a worrying trend in rising costs. Nothing that we don’t all know already, but never-the-less:

    • 70% reported an increase in their fuel costs last quarter.
    • 79% reported an increase in energy costs last quarter.

    Business confidence which is perhaps one of the most important markers was also showing an upward trend. An important point here is that the field work for this survey was conducted before the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 19 November 2022 and before the recent industrial unrest.

    • 28% expect their profitability to improve over the coming 12 months.
    • 37% expect their turnover to improve over the next 12 months.
    • 21% expect London’s economy to improve in the next 12 months.
    • 22% expect the UK’s economy to improve in the next 12 months.

    Positivity is half the battle, if we start the new year feeling positive and upbeat there is a strong likelihood that we will manifest more of the same. Remember the Law of Attraction that states, “Like attracts like.”  This means, on a daily basis, putting into the ether, our environment and lives, positive thoughts, actions and ideas in order to get back more of the same. Following are some tips and actions to take to start manifesting positivity and abundance in your personal and business lives, in no order of importance:

    1. Be grateful for the small things. Many small things add up to create larger things.
    2. Find others, your colleagues, team members, your boss, family and neighbours doing things right. Give them positive feedback on the spot to encourage more of the same.
    3. Be thankful for the abundance in your life – friends, family, clients, colleagues, partners, food, travel, nature etc
    4. Regard challenges in a positive way. Think about why you are facing this challenge and what it is trying to teach you. Experiences are the best teacher.
    5. Don’t take life too seriously – keep your sense of humour.  Life looks so different when you can laugh with yourself and with others.
    6. Feed your brain as well as your body. If you eat *dead foods you lessen your energy, ability to focus and concentrate, ultimately your mental and physical output.
    7. Nourish your mind, body and soul. Take regular downtime to switch off, tune in to yourself and your environment in order to nourish the soul.
    8. Let go of negative emotions in an appropriate manner. Harbouring negativity is detrimental to mental and physical health.
    9. Do something every day, even if only for 10 minutes that brings you joy and fills your heart, making you smile.
    10. As in the film with Julie Roberts “Eat, pray, love.”  (A film based on a memoir of the American journalist Elizabeth Gilbert.) Enjoy your food, give gratitude and love life by taking in every moment in a fully conscious state.

    Wishing you all a healthy, happy, abundant and beautiful 2023.

     

    *Dead foods – all processed and fast foods, simple carbohydrates – bread, cakes, pasta, sugar-laden foods.

  • Nurturing Leadership – The New Norm?

    COVID19 has replaced Brexit as the trigger for urgent and critical business change. Organizations have become decentralised as teams and individuals are made to work remotely from home. Or they are temporarily disbanded where staff are furloughed. Most companies will have now completed all the actions necessary to decrease costs, meet the government directive to “stay home” and put contingency plans in place with the view to still being in business at the end of this pandemic. If ever there was a time for leaders to be nurturing, both of themselves and others, it is now.

    WHAT ARE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THESE CHANGES ON INDIVIDUALS?

    We know through our experience in performance management that one of the key motivators for being employed to work in a company as opposed to working from home alone is the fact you get to mix with others on a daily basis. The opportunity to talk something through with a colleague over a coffee, the metaphoric and perhaps literal shoulder to cry on when going through a tough time personally or professionally, and not to forget the morale boosting office “banter”. Unless you are a key worker on the front-line of the coronavirus crisis, you will be cut off from all this now.

    The issues facing key workers are different and will not be addressed here.

    POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF ENFORCED HOMEWORKING MIGHT INCLUDE:

    • Lack of motivation as social and face-to-face physical contact has disappeared overnight. 
    • Difficulty balancing time effectively as the working day is no longer segregated from family responsibilities. Not to mention the fact parents have the extra responsibility of educating and entertaining their children. Children who may well act up as a result of the highly irregular circumstances that they find themselves in. As well as the need to prepare meals, and generally keep the house going. No matter the motivation and dedication, it is likely that productivity will suffer.
    • Mental and physical exhaustion as individuals try to play super mums and dads to cope with extended duties such as being home educators, as well as shopping for and checking in with vulnerable family members and elderly members of the community. All the while they are trying to be productive so they can earn the salary that keeps the ship afloat.
    • Worry and anxiety about where is the money going to come from to meet financial obligations and therefore obsessing over the question; “How are we going to manage?”
    • Dealing with the impact and fear of keeping well especially if there are people dependant on you.
    • Living a relentless cycle with little or no respite and “down-time” as everyone “stays home”, and the challenge this brings of trying to stay healthy and keep everyone else healthy.

    HOW DOES LEADERSHIP NEED TO CHANGE?

    In asking this question, it is easy to forget that those designated as leaders also have personal issues and are impacted by the changes to their home environment work set up. Therefore, it is paramount that the time spent on leading is quality time, relaying supportive, inspiring and nurturing messages to all team members that show genuine interest, empathy and understanding.

    Nurturing leadership is going to become the new norm as organisations realise that in order to navigate this crisis successfully, the priority is going to be people. Tailoring your approach to each team member relative to where they are at, as opposed to achieving short-term goals and driving profitability using a one-size-fits-all approach.

    How do you nurture your team in times of crisis?WHAT DOES NURTURING LEADERSHIP LOOK LIKE?

    When nurturing something or someone “we care for it whilst it is growing and developing” (www.Cambridgedictionary.com). Translating this into how leaders are to respond, they should take care of the individual and the business as a whole: each employee that a particular leader is responsible for needs to be supported in helping them find the new norm, encouraged to be kind to themselves and not beat themselves up when missing deadlines, forgetting reports and finding the new ways of using technology a challenge. Me included in this last point!

    A nurturing leader will be able to listen empathetically, listen without the need to “fix” the current situation for their employee, enabling the individual to find their own solutions that work for them and their individual circumstances. Giving them the encouragement to keep trying and to make that breakthrough on something that may on the surface look incredibly simple, and perhaps would ordinarily be so, but in fact is extremely challenging in their new daily environment.

    We know that challenge presents an opportunity for growth. The importance for every leader to create the right environment to allow for growth and development through trial and error is essential to show support, inspire to keep trying and to succeed, whilst at the same time providing a safety net should it be needed.

    A nurturing leader will be tuning into his or her sixth sense of intuition and feeling, to “see” when one of their team is struggling, and to use gentle coaching questions to encourage the sharing of frustrations, venting of anger and disappointments.  At the end, finding empathetic and inspiring words to show respect, kindness and warmth that willingly drives the person to keep searching until they eventually find the model, of the new norm that works for them in their current reality.

    Just as importantly, each leader needs to protect his or her inner emotional and spiritual self through leading by example showing that nurturing is vital and to also take the necessary time to nurture themselves.

    Under present day circumstances, I believe there is no space for the hard-nosed focus to drive profitability, as this will likely push well-intentioned and loyal employees who are desperately trying to be productive right now, away from organisations when the tide turns. It is a time for being. A human being, not a human doing!

    Green Key Personal Development – Nurturing People, Nurturing Business, Growing Potential through these challenging times.

     

    To learn how we can help you and your organisation, email Rachel directly at rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton is an entrepreneur who owns and manages Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health. Working with local and multinational organisations, she is a public speaker and trainer in the spheres of leadership, communication and customer excellence. She ensures sustainable productivity and profitability through healthy self-management and leadership practices, ensuring a focused and successful workforce.