DOMAIN 4: SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS–INFORMED LEADERSHIP
Item 9
Strategies for Leaders:
- Take the time to understand the challenges faced by staff across your organization by hearing from them directly and observing the reality of their day-to-day work.
- Regularly ask staff for feedback on existing organizational supports and what additional supports would be helpful.
- Create space for staff to share their opinions directly to ensure that organizational efforts to address STS match staff needs. This can be done in individual check-ins or in focus groups or via anonymous surveys. The key is that this should be done regularly and not just in reaction to a crisis or negative event happening.
- Work with staff on understanding the zones of control based on Stephen Covey’s work. What is in their control, what can they influence and what is not in their control. Leaders should also be clear on these questions for themselves as well.
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Implementation Resources:
Activities
- “Circle of Influence” tool, an exercise based on Stephen Covey’s work on the Circle of Control, from thensomehow.com. The premise of the Circle of Control is to identify the things that you have control over and focusing on those versus on the things that you have little control over.
- What About You? A Workbook for Those Who Work with Others. Refer to page 40 for an exercise called, “A Day in a Life,” in which staff shares what a day in their life on the job looks like.
Select Action Plan to begin to organize and implement next steps.