CARM SUMMIT
5 Ways to Build
Resilience and
Productivity in
Times of Change
By Theo Heinman
Human beings possess an innate primitive survival mechanism
that constantly scans the environment for what can
cause harm. This goes back to the days when early humans
were exposed to the constant threat of wild animals
and other tribes. When feeling threatened or afraid, the amygdala
in the brain activates the fight or flight response by releasing stress
hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In addition, blood is
moved out of the forebrain and into the hind brain, increasing focus
on the threat and hopeful survival. Over time, this fight or flight
response evolved to allow humans to react without thinking and
improve chances of survival.
Listening to the news, the
fear of the unknown or
worrying about finances
triggers the same stress
response as if being chased
by a sabre tooth tiger.
Human beings – because of the size of the forebrain – can turn
on the stress response just by thought alone. Listening to the news,
the fear of the unknown or worrying about finances triggers the
same stress response as if being chased by a sabre tooth tiger.
Top of form
Speaking at a daily COVID-19 press briefing, Dr. Brent Roussin,
Manitoba’s chief medical officer of health stated, “Fear is
also contagious.”
The problem is that fear only makes a bad situation worse. When
experiencing fear, humans disconnect from the executive function
in the brain. This causes a loss of access to intuition, the ability to
solve problems, to see possibility, to dial down fear and more. On
top of that, fear and anxiety suppress the immune system, making
people more susceptible to illness and disease. On the other hand,
studies clearly show that people who perform better with their
health, relationships and businesses in times of stress do things differently
than those who don’t.
5 ways leaders can foster resilience
and productivity in their teams
1. Limit news and social media. Encourage employees to
get needed news from credible sources and then turn it off.
Constant exposure to dramatized news over time alters people’s
perception of reality and the associated fear puts them into
sympathetic overdrive or the stress response.
2. Make the unknown known. Whether the news is good or bad,
be straight-up with employees about the future of the company
and their jobs. Remind staff of the facts, like 80 per cent of
people infected with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or do
not even know they are infected and over-all, approximately
97 per cent of people recover. People who are at real risk have
underlying medical conditions and a compromised immune
system. Remember that knowledge is power; good safe work
Theo Heinman
PHOTO COURTESY OF 1LIFE WORKPLACE SAFETY SOLUTIONS
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