Last year I was supporting David at work. He came to me and asked to have a confidential conversation. It was any ordinary day but for David it was a day that his world imploded. He sat with me sobbing in despair and feeling hopeless and ‘broken’. David was not new to the realm of mental health. … [Read more...] about STOP ‘BREAKING’ PEOPLE! The notion of Psychological Safety
Resilience
Learning to Learn Socially
“LEADERSHIP is TIME and a simple CUP OF COFFEE” Brian Darlington, Mondi I took a leap of faith 3 years ago and stepped away from my consulting business to immerse myself into being an employee. I wanted to be part of the machinations, to connect, to engage and grow with the people all working … [Read more...] about Learning to Learn Socially
Resilience and Safety
Resilience and Safety The ability to adapt, ‘bounce back’, learn, cope and manage adversity is an essential attribute when we consider the nature of work and safety. We live in a world where things sometimes go wrong (for a host of reasons). Life is uncertain (risk) and the world is governed by … [Read more...] about Resilience and Safety
Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm
Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm. Download a copy of the paper (includes the Bibliography for the references): Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm The prevention of harm is about trying to see, predict and control all things that may deliver an undesired outcome. … [Read more...] about Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm
Y is Being and Doing
Y is Being and Doing Parents of young children know about the ‘why cycle’. Kids around about 3 or 4 years of age learn the loop of why. Young kids discover that asking ‘Yes, but why?’ can go on forever. Yet, at the heart of this discovery is the passion for discovery itself. They really do want to … [Read more...] about Y is Being and Doing
The Safety Anthem, Control All and All in Control
One of the quotes of note in Hauskeller’s book Mythologies of Transhumanism states (p.62): ‘There is an obvious gap between what we want to do, or wish we could do, and what we actually can do due to the limitations of our bodies. In order to close this gap, we are supposed to turn our bodies into … [Read more...] about The Safety Anthem, Control All and All in Control
The Challenges for Organisations in Dealing with Mental Health
The Challenges for Organisations in Dealing with Mental Health How does adopting a ‘reductionist’ approach impact on mental health at work? Organisations world-over[1], including in Australia[2], are challenged by the difficulties[3] of dealing with mental health[4] in their workplaces. Factors … [Read more...] about The Challenges for Organisations in Dealing with Mental Health
Wellness, Mindfulness and Resiliencing in Psychological Safety
‘mindfulness’ is one of those expressions interpreted a dozen ways, particularly if one is fixated on brain-centrism. However, the essence of Mindfulness is really about ‘person-ness’ not head-centredness. In Sociopsychological thinking we capitalise Mind to denote whole person. Too often the word … [Read more...] about Wellness, Mindfulness and Resiliencing in Psychological Safety
How to Do the Best Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is a form of strategic planning and strategy methodology. The process attempts to think about the future by reflecting on the past. Most strategies are built upon specific beliefs about the future unfortunately, the future is unpredictable. The worst risk assessment is the one that … [Read more...] about How to Do the Best Risk Assessment
The Mystery of the Emotions
The Mystery of the Emotions One of the puzzles of human ‘being’ is the uncontrollability of the emotions. The idea that the brain can just ‘will’ or ‘turn on or off’ the emotions is one of the delusions of the behaviourist/cognitivist construct. Why is it that some people have less fear than … [Read more...] about The Mystery of the Emotions
