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This module covers group resilience and what makes groups effective at dealing with emotional upheaval, including helping and supporting one another.
Watch with 28 minute video.
Meeting our social needs - The positive power of social contact
A well functioning group supports individuals to cope with difficulties and manage their emotions.
This is important because humans are social beings. Our neurological systems are designed to help us 'resonate' emotionally with the people around us, via the vagal nerve response (which we met in the Relationship Resilience module).
If our social groups are functioning well, we can use our empathetic response to support others when they are going through difficult emotions or we can work together to get through crises or losses which affect all of us.
Just to remind you about the importance of our social system for helping us manage our 'vagal nerve response' to stress.
The vagal nerve
Your vagal nerve is your main neurological system which allows you to calm yourself or, when you are under threat, to go into fight or flight mode. The vagal nerve manages your bodily experience of what is happening in your
emotional world.
Polyvagal theory
Being with other humans is very important to our vagal nerve tone. This can have a positive influence if we are around people who are good at managing their own emotions, however it can lead to difficult emotions being passed
among the group.
Supporting each other with our emotional responses to change
Elizabeth Kubler Ross’ research into our emotional responses to bereavement extended our understanding of the human response to any important loss (or perceived loss).
For example, even something as ‘practical’ as an unexpected organisational restructure can make us feel we have lost valued relationships, power, status or control – or all of the above!
When things shift in our work or personal lives that create a sense of personal loss, there is an inevitable process which we all go through – even if we are not aware of it.
In our response to loss, we usually pass through a series of natural emotional states (e.g. shock, denial, anger, depression etc.) before we are able to accept the new situation and can move on.
If we able to talk about our thoughts and feelings with trusted colleagues, we can share our experiences and support each other with finding new ways forwards.
The more we can do to create an accepting environment to work through our emotions, the more effectively we can work through the process together.
Leading from any chair
When we are working in teams or communities, it is hugely important to have effective 'group coping strategies' which allow us to deal with emotional stresses and strains.
Introducing the Leading Libraries series. It covers the findings from the C21st Public Servant research, the origins of the four 'Leading for' capabilities and explains how to use the materials.
This set introduces you to resilience and why it is important for leaders. It covers emotional resilience; mental resilience; relationship resilience and social resilience.
It covers the key concepts of dialogue and why it is important for leaders, listening and inquiry skills, an introduction to 'conversational moves' and how to create a space for dialogue.
Emphasising the need for inclusive practice in our services and communities. It covers the foundations of inclusion, barriers to inclusion, power and privilege and allyship skills.
Building creativity and design skills for leaders. It covers the innovation cycle, diagnosis and perspective shifting skills, creative idea generation and safe-to-fail experimentation.
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