Strengthening Stress Resiliency and Brain Agility with Humor and Natural SPEED

My participation as the “Stress Doc” ™ at the USPTO Health Fair reminded me of two basic facts:  1) people like to laugh, especially when they can share a gentle and knowing laugh at their own flaws and foibles and 2) especially in a high demand-production work environment and a “TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven- and Distracted World, many folks are hungry for concepts, tools, and strategies that will impact and improve the quality of daily life.  In particular, professionals want to: a) facilitate stress resiliency (to bounce back with energy, conviction, and spirit from a high tension-demand situation) and b) enhance brain agility (to address or anticipate problems effectively and efficiently; building upon yet moving beyond familiar patterns of thought, cognitive focus and flexibility yields deep and diverse, productive as well as innovative viewpoints and real-time action plans).
Let me illustrate the high energy, interactive, and time-conscious approach with participants visiting my vendor table.  Within five minutes, the use of fast-paced, purposeful, and personal questions stimulated both engagement and open-mindedness about strengthening a stress management regimen and overall work-life balance. Specifically, I employed a two-step approach:

First, getting people’s attention by using an unconventional method of evoking memories of past performance pressure situations and then breaking the tension with a knowing laugh, and

Second, offering the “Stress Doc’s Formula for Natural SPEED,” that is, asking people about key mind-body health-life style choices along with communication-relationship styles; my goal is to help others more purposefully think about and plan ways to strengthen personal everyday stress resiliency and brain agility.

Finally, whenever possible I tried to inject some self-effacing mirth.  Remember, people are less defensive and more open to a serious message when it is gift-wrapped with humor.

Preparing the Mind with Humor

My opening gambit was offering those strolling by a “free stress-relieving laugh.”  In general, people took the bait.  While handing them a copy of an old “Shoe” cartoon, I suddenly declare, “Okay, but you have to get serious for ten seconds.  You’re back at school, you have a tough professor, facing a tough final exam…Read this to yourself – begin!”  Most quickly adopt a serious game face, and then proceed to read the caricature:  Shoe’s teenage nephew, Skyler, is ready to take a big exam.  Skyler declares, “I’m psyched, I studied all night…let’s go.”  He suddenly sees a box asking for “Name.”  Skyler is confused, blurting out:  “Name who?  Name what.”  Skyler starts climbing onto his desk as signs of panic distort his face.  Finally, hitting his head, the teen sheepishly says, “Oh my name…Come on Skyler, get a grip!”

Whether reading alone or with a group of “test-takers,” an array of knowing smiles and chuckles along with some laugh-out-loud guffaws invariably emerge or erupt.  Personal experience definitely affects the intensity of the reaction.  Nonetheless, almost all can relate to a previous “deer in the headlights” test-taking or stage fright type of experience.  Several parents ask to keep the cartoon, wanting to share it with a child.

Having effectively captured the individual’s or group’s attention while creating some anticipatory curiosity about this Stress Doc character, I now ask if they are ready for a rapid-fire quiz.  More specifically, “Would you like to assess and/or strengthen a capacity for personal stress resiliency and brain agility?”

All it takes is a slight nod of the head, and I’m asking participants self-reflective questions around my “Formula for Natural SPEED” – Sleep, Priorities-Passion, Empathy, Exercise & Diet.  Are you ready for the quiz?

S = Sleep.  Are you getting at least seven hours of sleep a night?  Alas, many people aren’t; either they have trouble falling asleep or getting back to sleep upon waking during the night.  Sufficient sleep is critical; for many people, consistently getting less than six hours of sleep is associated with an array of mind-body problems including deficient information processing and memory retention, along with mental mistakes and a greater propensity for accidents.  Recent sleep studies suggest that chronic insomnia may lead to both the loss of brain volume and the build-up of Alzheimer’s-related brain plaque.

In addition, chronic sleep deprivation is associated with cardiovascular complications, strokes, as well as obesity and eating disorders, as well as the onsite of diabetes symptomatology.  (Of course, there is a physiological-family predisposition factor, that is, biologically some people can function well on less than six or seven hours of sleep; however, this minority often have learned the art of “power napping.”)

Here are some “Sleep Hygiene” tips:

1.  Unplug:  Turn off all visual electronics one half hour before getting into bed.  Watching TV and especially being on the computer or tablet typically stimulates your brain.  If you were a cabdriver, now’s the time for that “Off Duty” sign.

2.  Transition to Sleep Mode:  To facilitate drowsiness, consider such sleep transition activities as taking a bath or shower, light reading, listening to soothing music or a sounds of nature CD (helping induce a meditative state); if work angst persists, itemize the things that are troubling you or make a next-day “to do” list, and then continue into sleep mode.  Of course, if sleep problems are disruptive and chronic, affecting your day-to-day mood, mindsets, and performance, then seek medical and/or psychological consultation.

3.  Power Napping:  Some folks have difficulty taking short “cat naps.”  Listening regularly to soothing sounds as part of bed-time preparation may well generalize into a capacity for a “ten to fifteen minute” rejuvenating post-lunch or mid-afternoon nap.  Wellness savvy companies are discovering the link between brief nap intervals and sustained employee productivity.

4.  Nutritional and Supplemental Support:  Some folks opt for warm milk, chamomile tea, or a small bowl of low-sugar granola cereal to help prepare for bedtime.  Others find supplements such as melatonin a useful sleep aid.  A hormone made by the brain’s pineal gland, melatonin helps regulate your wake-sleep cycle, rising in the mid-to late evening and dropping during daylight.  Seasonal (and artificial) light affects the body’s melatonin production, as does aging.  Natural melatonin levels slowly drop with age.  Some older adults make very small amounts of it or none at all.  Trace amounts are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. (Consult with a medical professional about melatonin and other sleep aid supplements.)

P = Priorities.  Three questions were posed to establish “priority consciousness”:

1) Are you comfortable saying “No” to people?

2) Are you comfortable disappointing others?
3) Do you understand when “being mindful” needs to replace “multitasking?”

In my mind, the first two questions are linked, though a number of folks might say “yes” to one question and “no” to another.  As people acknowledged, difficulty saying “No” or setting limits leads to being stretched too thin (trying to be “everything for everyone”) or being used or stepped on “like a welcome mat,” to quote one quiz-taker.  A perpetual pleaser, someone who never wants to disappoint, is inviting trouble.  Remember, burnout is less a sign of failure and more that you gave yourself away!  Consider this golden rule, a requisite of adult maturity:  “If you don’t find a balance between giving of yourself and giving to yourself, you are surely at risk for losing your “self”!

Some quick tips for saying “No”:

1.  With a Colleague – when a colleague, friend, or family member asks for a favor and your plate is momentarily overloaded, after hearing them out, say, “Right now I can’t assist you with “abc” but I may be able to help with “def.”  Or, call me back in two days, and I might be able to help with “abc.”  (You are allowed to put some responsibility on the favor-asking party.)  Of course, some may be grumpy with your new boundaries.  Again, hear them out and concisely reaffirm your initial position. Over-talking or excess justification erodes a sense of integrity and conviction, both in your own mind and in the eyes of others.

2.  With a “Big Boss” – when this authority declares there’s an “emergency,” the “sky is falling down,” it is critical not to let this person’s false sense of urgency become your anxiety.  (Remember, emergencies are truly life and death matters.)  Take a few breaths and respond, “I know this is a very important issue.  Because it’s critical, let’s take five minutes.  Help me reprioritize so I can give this important project the time, energy, and focus it deserves.”  Don’t just jump off a problem-solving cliff when asked or ordered; down the road, this only invites mistakes and misunderstandings.  By reframing the emergency as an “important problem” and by asking for some guidance, you are actually establishing appropriate, reality-testing boundaries, as well as gaining some stress-reducing time and sense of control.  And you may even be massaging the boss’ anxiety and ego.  (Okay, at least think about it.)

Finally, the third question about “multitasking vs. mindfulness” is actually a trick question.  Increasingly, research is revealing that our brain doesn’t multitask but quickly switches back and forth among the various tasks.  Unless the activities are simple or rote, or involve non-distracting background “noise,” multitasking yields all too predictable results:  compromised concentration and reduced performance.  When constantly “switch-tasking” the brain never gets sufficient opportunity to warm up to a specific task, thereby inhibiting the mind’s optimal potential for productive and imaginative problem-solving.

P = Passion.  The second “P” is linked to Priorities; when viewing our “TNT” world through a Natural SPEED survival lens, one must set work-life boundaries to purposefully design “Passionate” space-time; especially for the high priority of a personal hobby.  Hobbies that stimulate both mind and body like sewing, gardening, cycling, dancing, playing an instrument or a sport, etc. not only are relaxing and nurturing, but may also facilitate skill development, expand curiosity and new learning curves, along with a tangible sense of accomplishment.

In addition, research has found that activities that exercise the brain-body, e.g., formal dancing, with its need for both precise and spontaneous moves along with quick decision-making, is especially effective in helping slow down cognitive decline or dementia.  (For me, an equivalent experience/hobby was running a weekly AOL “Shrink Rap and Group Chat” group for a number of years.  As Instant Messages (IMs) would flood the screen in real time, orchestrating cross discussion, adding some concise insight, having my responses challenged, asking thought-provoking questions, and providing useful tips, while quickly setting limits on inappropriate comments, definitely kept my fingers flying and brain humming.)

E = Empathy.  My question: “Do you have a Stress Buddy (SB) in your life, especially at work?”  For example, when you’re upset with a supervisor, ready to storm into his or her office, your SB is the colleague to whom you turn:  “Before I put my foot in my mouth or someone’s butt…talk me down!”  Alas, it’s not so easy finding a mutually supportive, give and take partner.  First, listening to or reassuring others can at times itself be stressful.  Second, some folks just do a lot more taking than giving or listening.  Just make sure the shoulder lending is not a one-way transaction.  If you are always the pillar, those who lean on you may not be quick to see when you're feeling shaky.  Remember, “E” is for the “Empathy” found in a caring shoulder, but all give without take is a big mistake for now you shoulder a boulder!  Beware playing the heroic, self-denying superman or superwoman role.  Have at least one Stress Buddy with whom you can let your hair down (especially on a "bad hair day”).

E = Exercise. Do you get thirty minutes of brisk exercise three-five times a week?  Regular exercise provides both physical and psychological advantages.  Thirty minutes (or even two fifteen minute segments) of vigorous, non-stop, large muscle movement activity – brisk walking, swimming, bike riding, dancing, etc. – releases brain chemicals such as endorphins and dopamine which are the mind-body's natural mood enhancers and pain relievers.  It's less a runner's high and more that we can step back and see things with a calmer disposition and fresher perspective. 

When stressed, everything feel’s up in the air.  The answer: to feel grounded.  There is nothing like a brisk thirty minute walk for creating a beginning and end point for a tangible sense of accomplishment and control.  Actually, you’re developing a “success ritual.”  And while I don’t always love to exercise, after my ten-minute “while still in bed” morning routine of stretching, sit-ups, push-ups, yoga positions, etc. and my early evening walk…well, I do like feeling virtuous.

And finally, in addition to mood, endurance, and cardiovascular benefits, daily exercise aids peak performance – whether in the boardroom or bedroom!

D = Diet.  And the last question:  “Do you engage in “Brain Smart” eating?”  A diet high in saturated fats (red meat, whole milk products, fried oyster po-boys; having lived in New Orleans, I’m convinced the restaurants are owned by the cardiologists) and simple sugars (sodas, Twinkies, even most fruit yogurts are loaded with fructose or sugar) may induce a short-lived energy boost.  However, many of these selections invariably induce drowsiness and mental torpor, not to mention fostering clogged arteries and diabetes.  And too much alcohol and caffeine is a roller coaster headache – moodiness or depression often follows aggression and agitation.

To get a mind-mood advantage, try this nutritional regimen:

1) Omega 3 Fatty Acid Fish – salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel; especially good for brain health; these fatty acids counteract free radicals that can cause oxidative damage (akin to the rusting) of brain cells; may improve the efficiency of nerve signal transmission at synapses

2) Antioxidant Fruits and Berries – blueberries (aka “brainberries”), strawberries, raspberries; “the purples” – prunes raisins, plums, and cherries; also reduce oxidative damage to cells; in addition to slowing cognitive decline, diets rich in fiber may lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, obesity, and diabetes; may also lower bone loss; a recent study also revealed that the men in Asian cultures with high fiber/bran intake have significantly lower rates of prostate cancer and problematic polyps

3) Leafy Green and Cruciferous Vegetables – broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, red bell peppers, beets, onions, corn, eggplant; loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants these veggies promote brain health, heart health, and have cancer fighting potential; a ten year study of 13,000 nurses who ate more cruciferous and leafy vegetables in their 60’s had a lower rate of decline on a variety of learning and memory tests; the more of these vegetables eaten, the better the test scores

4) Go WACky Over Nuts – three nuts with body-mind-mood benefits are walnuts, almonds and cashews; walnuts are high in omega 3 fatty acids, decreasing cardiac risk and increasing blood flow; eating almonds daily is associated with reduced rates of heart attacks; almonds also lower blood sugar and insulin levels after meals; cashews have similar properties to heart healthy olive oil and may reduce the intensity of migraine attacks; these nuts have minerals such as magnesium, phosphorous, and copper that strengthen bones and teeth while relaxing nerves; however, don’t go nuts over nuts – have 7-10 nuts at a time to maximize dietary and weight management benefits

5) A Quick High Fiber Snack – try a celery stalk with almond butter – helps lower blood pressure and has Vitamin K, which helps fight osteoporosis; one INOVA Hospital nurse who took the SPEED test mentioned that celery may also help reduce the incidence of breast cancer.

Finally, remember, just because taking some vitamins is good don’t assume taking more is better.  There are vitamins, like Vitamin E, that can be dangerous in high doses,.  Also, vitamins and other herbal supplements can also interact with prescription medications, lowering their effectiveness or causing harmful side effects.  Again, consult with a medical or nutritional expert.

Closing Summary

I can’t think of a better way to conclude this essay than with the closing verses from my “24/7 SPEED (Shrink) Rap ™.”  (Email stressdoc@aol.com for the entire poetic lyric.)

It's time to end this Shrink Rap

With final tips for you:
"A firm 'No' a day keeps the ulcers away, and the hostilities too."
So to lessen daily woes, "Do know your limits; don't limit your 'No's!"

Ponder this Stress Doc wit and wisdom

Try to live it day after day:
Burnout is not a sign of failure
You simply gave yourself away.

Remember, sometimes less is more

And more is really less.
Balance work and play, faith and love
And, of course...Practice Safe Stress!
 

Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is an acclaimed keynote and webinar speaker and "Motivational Humorist & Team Communication Catalyst" known for his interactive, inspiring and FUN programs for both government agencies and major corporations.  A training and Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Consultant for the National EAP/Wellness Company, Business Health Services in Baltimore, MD, the Doc is also leading “Stress, Team Building and Humor” programs for various branches of the Armed Services.  Mark is the author of Practice Safe Stress and of The Four Faces of Anger.  See his award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" – www.stressdoc.com – called a "workplace resource" by National Public Radio (NPR).  For more info on the Doc's programs or to receive his free e-newsletter, email stressdoc@aol.com.

 

The Evolutionary Passing of a “Keynote Speaker”: The Rise and Rethinking of Motivational-Interactive Engagement -- Part I

The Stress Doc is jolted out of a stable yet outdated state of mind and method after two recent highly interactive 1.5 hour keynote programs – the first involving 100 technical and administrative government employees, the other with 150 nurses and social workers.  One dynamic and fun small group exercise would build on the other.  Now strands of energy, engagement, education, and empathy spiral and intertwine feverishly as recombinant nurture-nature-culture changing DNA.  What emerges is a wildly colorful (and occasionally “loud”) tapestry of individual and interpersonal threads of human interaction and expression. This dynamic transactional web is setting the evolutionary stage for an invigorated, purposefully playful, as well as a potentially more open and adaptive, richly diverse yet connected community.  Expanding on communication guru, Marshall McLuhan’s pioneering insight, perhaps now the message and the matrix comprise the medium!

“Suddenly” seeing the obvious…this presenter needs a new brand-identity.  The term “Keynote Speaker” is not the right fit for what the Doc and his audiences are creating together.  Part I captures the evolutionary, economic, technological, and cultural forces shaping this paradigm and positioning shift.  Part II will name, elaborate, and illustrate the key components and processes of this vibrant and holistic, purposefully playful and participatory-performance paradigm.

The Evolutionary Passing of a “Keynote Speaker”:  The Rise and Rethinking of Motivational-Interactive Engagement -- Part I

Two recent keynote programs helped clarify a label that increasingly has had me feeling like an impostor.  The label is “Keynote Speaker.”  Why the identity disconnect?  A few years ago I participated in a speaker showcase and I realized being out of my element.  Almost all the speakers had a personal story or passionate idea or program that they wanted to impart to the audience.  And each proceeded to talk about or dramatically act out their message.  I’m a bit hazy here, but there may have been a magician who interacted with a small group of folks to reinforce his points on creative thinking.

However, in my ten-minute segment, after a few opening remarks about stress and conflict, (without belaboring my own personal burnout experience), I quickly involved the entire audience in small group and dyadic role play-like exercises.  The two exercises:

1) the Three “B” Stress Barometer Exercise – individual group members acknowledge, “How do your Brain, Body & Behavior let you know when you’re under more stress than usual?” and

2) the two-person Power Struggle Exercise – members pair off and each person imagines confronting a real-life “pain in the butt” (hopefully, not the person you are eyeballing); in a brief back and forth sequence, each decries, “You can’t make me”/“Oh, yes I can!”; and then, after a few verbal volleys, both aver what they really would like to voice to his or her antagonist (the “pain” on the mind)…without getting out of their chair ;-).

These activities were the head and heart of my energizing, motivating, and engaging platform.  Participants’ definitely had reactions and responses to the interactivity – what the exercises stimulated, as well as the common and divergent experiences.  And invariably, people shared a knowing laugh at their own expense or over a colleague’s flaws and foibles.  This informational and improvisational group gumbo proved to be both medium and message; this meal was definitely seasoned with mirth.  In addition, my exercise debrief invariably evokes some learning and laughing lagniappe (“a little extra,” as we would say in New Orleans).  Now shared participant data or elicited comments become ad-libbing ingredients for added “fast food for thought” or “en-light-ening” – both informative and humorous – interplay.  (And remember this Stress Doc aphorism:  People are less defensive and more open to a serious message when it’s gift-wrapped with humor.)  Everyone – both presenter and participants – contributes to the interactive energy, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” show.

Wandering in the Keynote Desert

So while the title of “Keynote Speaker” has weighed uneasily on my mind, I have not been ready to seek or design an alternative designation.  Though I suspect my subconscious mind has been smoldering on “a pass in the impasse.”  And, in fact, things have been coming to a head.  In the last couple of years, the state of the economy and the groundswell of technology have generated a mind-field for dramatic and semantic upheaval.  Let me explain.

Until recently, in the past two years or so, I had not presented to an audience with over a hundred people.  As organizations and companies tightened their budgets, there has been a cutback on holding conferences and on money for sending people (including speakers) to conferences.  And invariably, though somewhat paradoxically, during downturn periods, “soft skills” or “employee wellness” training is frequently the first item on the chopping block.  Another and related contributing factor to my prolonged speaking “dry season” is the impact of technology.  To save on travel and meeting expenses, companies and government agencies are increasingly turning to Internet-webinar and video-based training.

Watching vs. Being the Fireworks

Yes, I have done a number of webinars in the last few years, and while I enjoy them, leading a webinar or video conference cannot fully spark my passion.  To fire on all cylinders, I must be able to literally reach out and touch or eyeball an audience member or, while walking around the room, feel the riveted attention, be vigorously challenged on a concept by a participant, sense the anticipatory buzz, see the sparkle in people’s eyes, and take in the musical uproars of people being playfully yet purposefully “out-rage-ous.”  And, of course, it doesn’t hurt to receive enthusiastic feedback.  [See testimonial at the end of the essay.]

Even with their immediate data generating-feedback potential, for me, web-based surveys can’t compare to the live and electric energy and engagement of “hands on” interactivity.  It’s like the difference between watching fireworks on TV and being able to see, hear, and smell the kaleidoscopic “rockets’ red glare…(cherry) bombs bursting in air,” the awe-inspiring sights and sounds up close and personal.  And, even better, the audience and I are the ones creating and igniting the pyrotechnics.  (Actually, one of the most memorable compliments I’ve received as a presenter came from a Ft. Hood First Sergeant.  Speaking with his colleagues about my military retreat/workshop programs, he referred to the Stress Doc as “a firecracker.”)

The Danger and Opportunity of Technology Transition and Shifts in Information Processing

Actually, the one-two punch of economic stagnation and technological innovation had definitely induced a state of “thrustration” – being torn between direct action and frustration, that is, when you haven’t quite recognized the critical question(s), let alone figured out how the puzzle pieces can productively recombine in novel yet realistic fashion.   And ironically, as mentioned earlier, “the pass was in the impasse!”  Wandering in the keynote desert compelled an “incubation vacation” – to let go of or at least begin musing over some of my tried and true training assumptions, materials and methods.  Allowing for some disengagement and uncomfortable uncertainty proved critical for hatching a new workshop and speaking perspective.  As I once penned:  One must begin to separate; one must be separate to begin!  Or as the acclaimed 20^th c. French-Algerian Nobel-Prize-winning author, philosopher, and humanitarian, Albert Camus, observed:

Once we have accepted the fact of loss we understand that the loved one [or loved idea, position, framework, etc.]  obstructed a whole corner of the possible, pure now as a sky washed by rain.

In addition, the omnipresence of digital technology and the growing numbers of the “TnT – Text and Twitter – Generation” challenged me to really absorb two powerful realities:

1) Participants’ attention spans in general and, especially, for what I call “vertical-unidirectional” information exchange (mostly passive, one-way listening to the expert’s knowledge) is shrinking and

2) The desire to dissolve rigid superior-subordinate boundaries and the need for personal and interpersonal “hands on” shaping of “lateral-collaborative” learning along with a more collegial sharing-critiquing-consulting-innovating experience is rapidly expanding.

Interaction, Interface, and the Power and Possibility of “I”s that “C”

Today, with greater numbers of individuals enclosed in their cubes, along with in- vs. out-group friction, and too many insulated departmental silos, and even some teleworkers feeling isolated (and overloaded), not to mention the seemingly ubiquitous tension from actual or anticipated reorganization, it is more critical than ever:

a) For people and groups to literally interface, to intermix knowledge, ideas, and experiences,

b) For newbies to connect with more senior members, to facilitate that professional rite of passage (one benefit of a recent interactive keynote cited by the Conference Coordinator),
c) For employees to believe that management is “transparent and trustworthy” (another touchy if not volatile “TnT” dynamic),
d) For leadership to demonstrate openness toward and serious consideration of diverse, “from the trenches” input, and
e) For the troops to periodically circle the wagons and experience that sense of psychological strength and support, the recognition and resilience, that especially comes from connecting with folks who not only walk in your shoes, but can truly feel your bunions!

The Need to Balance “I” and “Team”

And finally, I believe our cultural zeitgeist is trying to find a better balance between two driving motives – ambition and affiliation.  For example, this new generation believes “recognition for all” has its place along with reward for individual achievement.  This perspective does not necessarily devalue competition, more it desires to uplift the meaning and merit of multi-faceted/multi-cultural inclusion.  Paradoxically, “Internet Natives” also live more (some might say “cocooned”) in an auto-designed and digitalized life-space.  So while both technical and social (or at least, social media) engagements are vital, I suspect the TnTs (along with other generational reps) are increasingly questioning that traditional team-building mantra:  “There’s no ‘I’ in team.”

Actually, a few years ago, I amended the above all or none slogan:  There may be no ‘I’ in team…but there are two “I”s in winning!  And these “I”s can definitely “C.”  Winning teams synergize a motivational and multi-faceted mix of “Individual Creativity” and “Interactive Community.”  The creative individual potentially adds challenge and growth-inducing “chaos” (along with, hopefully, new perspectives and hope, new operational procedures and possibilities) to the “stable” or “set in its ways” team, organization, or community; ideally, the collective provides the iconoclast (actually, all members) real world roles – including being “the outlier” – as well as meaningful responsibilities and resources, along with down to earth limits and linkages.  Such solid pillars and links help build a parts-whole bridge that:  a) reinforces mutual informational transactions and the development of partnerships, b) reduces the likelihood of an innovator falling off, or impaling and imploding on the creative edge, and c) enhances the “search for meaning” and the quality of interconnected living and future adaptation for diverse individuals and groups as well as the collective.

Closing Summary and Continuing Saga

The last couple of years, not having the opportunity to do keynote events definitely generated some unspoken frustration.  And though workshops, critical incident consulting, and phone coaching partially filled gap, there still was a gnawing void.  However, as noted, wandering in the keynote desert set the stage for some powerful understanding regarding the speaking medium and the recent return to the keynote forum.  Consider these “Key Notes and Insights”:

1. Identity disconnect – the term “keynote speaker” did not capture the interactive energy and interconnectivity generated recently by the mix of real life, thought-provoking, and Fun small group exercises; and this animation was further enhanced by subsequent discussion both between myself and individuals/the audience as well as among the attendees, i.e., improvisational ingredients for additional “fast food for thought”

2. Soloist and orchestra leader – while doing some solo presentation-performance – the brief dissemination of basic concepts-tools-stories, even a touch of poetry – and also closing with an ever popular psychologically humorous rap, the pioneering “Shrink Rap” ™ Productions – facilitating the small group exercises is the crux of the program; I feel more like an orchestra leader, helping participants and team members bring out their best – solo and team – music or “key notes” of energy, engagement, education, and empathy

3. Keynote desert wandering – keynotes/conferences dried up due to the slowed economy and the expanding technology, that is, webinars, video conferences, etc. replaced larger speaking gigs; alas, for me, when it came to doing presentations, the virtual world couldn’t hold a candle (or a “firecracker”) to the real one

4. Thrustration and incubation vacation – while frustrated by the inactivity, I had time to reflect on my tried and true material and method; if I was to upgrade my impact in a “TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven and Distracted World,” I would need to streamline if not relinquish some key components of a format that had been pretty consistently successful; the angst around “letting go” combined with an enforced “incubation vacation” helped induce a new perspective and paradigm; hopefully, a new “whole corner of the possible” would emerge

5. Impact of technology and “Internet Native” cultural values – another sobering realization was that technology was influencing the way people of all ages, but especially the TNT – Text n’ Twitter – Generation, processed and played with information; people did not want to be passive learners, but interactive “hands on” partners; inclusion and involvement were key cultural-collaborative buzz words; these days, attention must be paid to the state of attention!

6. TNT real world consequences – as “Time-Numbers-Technology”-driven and distracted organizations increasingly deal with “do more with less” and “lean and mean” whiplash effects, administering and orchestrating some healing and harmonizing is not a luxury; it’s essential for sustaining individual well-being and for team and organizational productivity, coordination, and morale

7. Fast-paced ebb and flow between engaging exercises-discussion and educational ideas – so taking time for interactive and fun “R & R” – (individual) Resilience & (team/community) Rejuvenation – is just what the Stress Doc ordered!; generating a safe yet stimulating atmosphere with time and space for hopes, frustrations, and fears, for sharing tears of laughter and sadness, as well as feeding off one another’s ideas while building intimacy and interconnection, is the sunlight, water, and rich soil for nurturing and growing our keynote “seeds” of energy, engagement, education, and empathy

8. The “winning team” formula:  Two “I”s that “C” – today’s leaders, workers, and workplaces are  increasingly facing the “sturm und drang” of technology, increasing cultural diversity, and shifting generational attitudes, predilections, and values; there’s a dramatic need for individual reinvention and systemic innovation; at all levels leaders and educators, individuals and groups are being challenged to discover and/or design “hands on” and synergistic high task-tech and high touch-tolerance systems, whether small (teams) or large (organizations); the “No ‘I” in team” slogan is being overshadowed by the two winning “I”s, “I”s that clearly “C” – Individual Creativity and Interactive Community (IC²)!

And the closing segment will elaborate and illustrate the specific IC² conceptual components and interactive processes of this vibrant and holistic purposefully playful-participatory-performance paradigm.  So stay tuned for Part II:  “Reinventing and Reimagining the Stress Doc ™.”  Until then…Practice Safe Stress!

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Subject:   THEY LOVE YOU IN DAHS
Date:     3/25/2013

Hi Mark,

Hope you had a great weekend.

I spoke with Gail this morning and she is absolutely DEE-lighted with the Stress Doc! 

[Gail Ledford, Department Director, was going to share her observations with Dept. of Public Work's Director James Patteson.]

WE have had nothing but rave reviews from the staff

“Engaging and Educational”

“Just a note to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s event at the Government Center.  I think it changed the attitudes of many because not only were we ‘away’ from the office but also having Mark Gorkin as a guest speaker helped everyone connect better….and laugh. Thank you!”

“We are already using some of the tools and suggestions from the training. Our vote is more like this, whether it’s him or similar activities.”

I will be in touch. All the best,

Robyn L. McCoy
Resource Development and Training Manager
Department of Administration for Human Services

703-324-3597
Robyn.McCoy@fairfaxcounty.gov
“Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other.” ~ John F. Kennedy

[Fairfax County Government/Dept of Administration for Human Services; Keynote for 100 on "Energizing and Expanding Team Mindset, Motivation & Morale"]

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Mark Gorkin, the Stress Doc ™, www.stressdoc.com, acclaimed Keynote and Kickoff Speaker, Webinar Presenter, Retreat Leader and Motivational Humorist, is the author of Practice Safe Stress and The Four Faces of Anger. A former Stress & Violence Prevention consultant for the US Postal Service, "The Doc" is a Team Building and Organizational Development Consultant as well as a Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Expert for Business Health Services, a National Wellness/EAP/OD Company. Mark leads highly interactive, innovative and inspiring programs for corporations and government agencies, including the US Military, on stress and brain resiliency/burnout prevention through humor, change and conflict management, generational communication, and 3 "R" -- Responsible, Resilient & Risk-Taking -- leadership-partnership team building.

Email stressdoc@aol.com for his popular free newsletter & info on speaking programs and phone coaching sessions.

Stress Doc Mantra: "Think out of the box, perform outside the curve (the Bell Curve) and be out-rage-ous!"

Engaging and Energizing Military Spouses through Purposeful Play: An Interactive Exercises Model and Method

In early fall of 2006, an email came unsolicited from the spouse of a senior officer of the Fort Hood, TX, Wagonmasters Batallion, 1^st Cavalry Division.  The division was about to be deployed to Iraq at a particularly difficult time in the fighting.   This woman, (I’ll call her Leslie), highlighted the level of tension amongst the spouses; for many this was their first deployment.  Why the major concern?  Clearly, most recognize the potential for danger when a soldier enters a battle zone.  In contrast, the level of stress for the spouse, especially an uninitiated spouse, does not always get its due.  The predeployment phase often heightens separation angst, including leaving “angry” to make the break between the couple less painful.  (For example, “I’m glad he’s going already.”)

Even if the separation isn’t stormy, deployment often means uncertainty and waiting, at times, sporadic communication with a partner, suddenly becoming a defacto “single parent” (and the oft unspoken fear of this actually coming to pass), along with the implicit, if not ever-present and patriotic, injunction, especially when living on the military base, “Be strong for your soldier.”  All these tasks and trials can certainly be trying if not daunting, even at times overwhelming.  The soldiers have been training for months – mentally, physically, and spiritually, bonding as a squadron and company – before moving “into harm’s way”; the spouse is often learning on the fly.  (However, spouses are encouraged to find a “stress or battlefield buddy,” a like-situated peer who not only can walk in their shoes, but also feel the bunions!)

The Drive to Humor and Hope and the Map to Make It Happen

Leslie had discovered my website, and asked, actually “hoped” I would come to Ft. Hood and lead a spouse program in conjunction with the battalion Family Readiness Group (FRG).  The FRG is a support group for spouses run by spouses, often with the assistance of civilian military staff and, occasionally, professional social work “family life” consultants.

I called Leslie and discovered that, despite limited financial resources, Leslie and her cohorts were determined to raise enough money to at least fly me in and perhaps provide a small honorarium.  Their revenue-raising plan:  yes, the proverbial bake sale, but also designing and sewing blankets and pillows with the soldiers’ pictures on them, and selling these items to friends and family members, as well as others in the community.  (A pillow with the battalion insignia remains a treasured possession.)  Finally, Leslie did reveal that the Battalion Commander was skeptical, not sure all this hoopla was necessary. 

So, in conjunction with the FRG, along with considerable volunteer exertion and persuasion, I was brought to Ft. Hood to lead a rear detachment “Stress and Humor, Morale and Community Building” Deployment Program.  (That afternoon, at a base gymnasium, along with family and friends, I witnessed the quite moving departure ceremony for the last contingent of deploying soldiers.)  That night, one hundred and fifty spouses showed up, along with the Rear Detachment Commander and about a dozen soldiers.  

Fortunately, we had a great time.  Leslie later wrote: 

Nov. 1, 2006

Mark,

Thank you again for your fabulous workshop!  Everyone I have spoken with today thoroughly enjoyed it.

Once again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  The Stress Doc presentation was everything I had hoped it would be.  I have some nice shots and will forward them along....

Sincerely,

Leslie

Program Coordinator
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Even the Commander had a change of heart:

Mark, great presentation this week.  We needed that.  Leslie was so right in bringing you down.  Looking forward to hearing from you.

COL Larry Phelps

Commander, 1CD Rear

[Ed. Note: Larry Phelps is a truly larger than life individual, with a heart much bigger than his head, yet still is one of the sharpest minds I know.  I’m proud to say he and I have since become “brothers.”]

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The 4 “C-ing Catalyst for Humor, Wholeness, and Hope

So what made the evening such an affirming and mind-opening, such a resiliency-, hope-, and community-building success?  While I presented some ideas on preventing burnout and building stress resiliency as well as dealing with transition, loss, and change, I believe the real catalyst was the interactive and fun group exercises.  Having participants engage in relevant and real world exercises that encourage:  a) the sharing of genuine emotions, especially the release of aggression, b) laughing knowingly at one another’s personal-situational challenges while chuckling together over respective flaws and foibles, and c) collectively stimulating and encouraging the mind-body-spirit, heightens individual and team commitment, learning, and bonding.

In general, during times of uncertainty or change, people are looking for tools, techniques, and tips for getting a home and work life handle on stress and conflict.   Many are highly receptive to “4 ‘C’-ing” learning forums that help foster or reinforce a sense of personal Confidence and Competence, team Camaraderie and Collaboration.  People want to be energized and synergized, that is, to be part of a dynamic sharing-learning-inspiring-connecting process and structure that nurtures and facilitates:  a) the expression-exchange of meaningful ideas and problem solving or resiliency skills (Competence), b) a sense of discovery and hope, that is a an imaginable future with promise and opportunity (Confidence), c) being playful, even a little “outrageous”; have you noticed, the middle word in out-rage-ous is “rage”; remember, helping others safely and playfully work out even a little of their aggressive energy and emotion while enhancing self-awareness is a gift (Camaraderie), and, finally, d) the whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts (through Collaboration).  Most want to be connected to an open, vital, uplifting Community.

Three for the Show:  Purposeful and Playful Workshop Exercises and Strategies

Let me describe three interactive workshop exercises that gradually cultivated this synergistic happening.  These exercises can be operationalized in a variety of settings – from a handful of team members to hundreds of conference participants.  I will also list the “how to” working principles that enable these exercise-interventions to enhance stress resiliency while facilitating engagement and motivated performance, along with team and community morale.  The three exercises are:

A.  Empathic Icebreaker Exercise.  To get people in an open, playful, and moderately risk-taking frame of mind, psychically warm them up.  Try my “Three ‘B’ Stress Barometer Exercise.”  Break up a larger audience into clusters of a half dozen or so.  Then, with a volunteer recorder in each group, have the individuals briefly (3-5 minutes) discuss:  “How does your Brain, Body and Behavior let you know when you are under more STRESS than usual?”

Several groups report back their “3 B List.”  Not only do we obtain a broad and highly recognizable compilation, but there’s opportunity to discuss the double-edged nature of many of the stress smoke signals:  a) mind – your mind can be racing one moment and then shortly after you feel like you are experiencing brain freeze or brain fog, b) sleep – some days you don’t want to get out from under the covers; then there are those who are on Ebay or watching the Home Shopping Network at 3am, and c) eating – I’ll ask the audience how many folks will eat more when under stress, to stop that anxious, gnawing feeling in their gut; a sea of hands go up.  Next I ask, “Are there any folks who lose their appetite and eat less when under stress?”  A few hands wave tentatively.  My immediate reply:  “And we hate those people, don’t we!”  And invariably, laughter echoes throughout the room.  One other favorite smoke signal is muscle tension, neck, shoulders, and my former problems with a “Boomer Back.”  Oh, and TMJ.  My answer to the question, “We know what TMJ really stands for, don’t we…Too Many Jerks!”

Clearly, this exercise helps folks realize they are not alone when it comes to stress and “smoke signals.”  And of course, acknowledging their pain while laughing at themselves and laughing with others, not only is a stress reliever, but it’s also a social bonding agent.  Finally, this “light-hearted” take on signs of stress facilitates moving into a more serious discussion on chronic stress and burnout.  Remember, people are less defensive and more open to a serious message when it’s gift-wrapped with humor!

B.  Power Struggle Exercise.  Now for the second exercise that pairs Person A and Person B.  Imagine you are caught in a power struggle with a problematic individual or, at least, someone who can be a “pain in the butt.”  This individual can inhabit either your professional or personal life.  For this mind game, the specific issue is not critical.  Let’s say the general content involves issues of control, status, or who has (or doesn’t have) the right or power to make a decision.  For simplicity sake, let’s say Person A is an employee or a junior family member and Person B is a supervisor or a more senior family member, e.g., an older sibling.  (In other words, while you are looking at your exercise partner, you are imagining facing off with the antagonist in your head.)  In this exercise, the battle begins with the Person A/employee declaring, “You can’t make!” and the Person B/supervisor countering, “Oh yes I can!”  My workshop instructions specifically caution antagonists about getting out of their chairs.  But the players can be as aggressive or as whiny as they wish.  After a couple of verbal volleys, the participants are encouraged to say what they would really like to say to their antagonist.

Not surprisingly, at some point during this exchange, for many folks there is an eruption of laughter.  (Actually, at another military spouse program, the outpouring was so loud and animated, that the soldiers in a room across the hall were so startled and concerned, they were about to storm into our meeting.)  Perhaps it’s the somewhat artificial and absurd nature of the interaction.  Also, some people cover up intense emotions, such as raw aggression, through nervous laughter.  And for a group of folks that have been holding in a lot of emotion for a good while, e.g., the military spouses, the exercise allows them to break out of character and/or role, to engage in a good “primal scream,” as it were.  Still, for me, the number of people who get hooked by the battle, who “want to win,” seems significant.  Why are so many so quick to get caught up in power struggles?  I’ve come up with “The Six “C”s of Power Struggles:

1.  Control.  Who will be in control?  I believe this is connected to authority issues and, ultimately, the parent-child dynamic.  That is, a person still fighting overt or covert emotional battles with family members or other significant adults, under enough work or home-life stress, will invariably bring and project such issues in the workspace.

2.  Competition.  This also has family roots – sibling rivalry issues.  Who is better?  Who is the favorite?  Certainly, cliques and “in-groups” stalk many office halls and work floors.

3. Change.  During periods of transition, there’s much uncertainty.  Who is in charge?  Do the rules and operational procedure still apply?  Some people will try to fill the void, appropriately or inappropriately.  Change often stirs uncertainty and anxiety and that may push some to become overly rigid, manipulating or controlling.

4.  Cultural Diversity.  Surely the variety of socio-cultural and demographic dynamics shape how we give meaning to experience, including meaning to the motivations, beliefs, and behaviors of self and of others.  Personal maturity is often required if difference and disagreement are not reflexively equated with disapproval and disloyalty.

5.  Communication Skills.  Exercising the skills for effectively negotiating the aforementioned “C”s – Control, Competition, Change, and Cultural diversity – especially in the context of an actual or potential emotionally charged power struggle requires a communicator who can be both assertive and empathic; a communicator who can both affirm limits and respect boundaries.  With communicational dexterity, this individual is often able to “find the pass in the impasse.”

6.  Courage.  And finally, you have the courage, you are willing to risk doing some self-assessment regarding these forces or “hot buttons” that propel you into disruptive power struggles.  And, you are open to critical and constructive feedback from others.  You have the integrity and fortitude to engage others in genuine and productive conflict resolution.

Key Communication Principles

Now let me provide four communication tips and tools for preventing a conflict or misunderstanding from turning into a full-fledged struggle or an ongoing battle:

1.  Drop the Rope.  How do you not take the bait when someone is provocatively fishing for an argument or power struggle?  The challenge becomes not instinctively pulling back when someone offers you a rope and then “yanks your chain.”  You don’t have to prove you can give (or be) as big a jerk.  In fact, you can just “drop the rope.”  This is not a sign of weakness.  Your message is, “I don’t want to play this self-defeating or dysfunctional game.  Can we come up with a more productive way to address the grievance or solve the problem?”

2.  Use the “Four ‘P’ Process of Empathic Engagement.”  One or both parties in a power struggle are usually angry or anxious about something.  Your antagonist may be upset about your actions (as a supervisor) or about a common problematic situation.  For example, in an employee’s mind, are you playing favorites in the department?  In order to quickly connect to a belligerent or injured party (after setting limits on any harassing behavior, of course) attempt to engage the other person around his “Pain” and “Passion” or her “Purpose” and sense of “Power” (or feelings of powerlessness or helplessness).  These “P”s are definitely a pathway to empathy and possibly more peaceful and productive coexistence.

3.  Reduce the Status or Power Differential.  As a manager (or parent of a teenager) unless absolutely necessary, don’t lead with your authority trump card.  In fact, try to level the playing field; strive for adult-to-adult communication.  I believe there is a disarmingly simple yet effective and efficient method of reducing status differences:  “Ask a Good Question.”  In an interpersonal context, especially one fused with tension or conflict, there are “Four Pillars of a Good Question”:

a) Humble Pillar:  The questioner let’s down a “know-it-all” or “overly sure of his data and its implications” mask; assumptions and inferences are held in abeyance pending some genuine communicational back and forth.  And sometimes, being humble infuses the moment when you can say, “I don’t fully get where you are coming from, but I want to listen and learn.”

Finally, with an assist from social psychology research, humility helps counter a common perceptual bias.  “Attribution Theory” examines how someone perceives another person’s motives and behaviors.  It’s especially interested in perceptual error based on an observer attributing a person’s motives or actions (especially in a “negative context”) to personality factors instead of situational forces.  Here’s an illustration.  Let’s say a relatively new colleague at work (whom you don’t know well) has come in late two times in the past week. It wouldn’t be surprising if you (and others) began to start wondering about his or her motives and competencies, e.g., is the person lazy, disorganized, disenchanted with work, or just plain old passive-aggressive?  However, if you were to come in late a couple of times, or were asked to speculate about reasons for your hypothetical lateness, research indicates you would likely quickly note, for example, the traffic conditions, needing to get a child to daycare, illness in the family, etc.

Can you see the bias?  When explaining our own problematic behavior we first focus on situational or outside conditions affecting intentions and actions, thus providing a rationale or protective cover for any outcomes or consequences.  In contrast, while observing others our initial predilection is to judge based on inner personality or motivational traits, not on environmental constraints.  An assessment focused on the individual alone, not seen in context, is more judgmental, making it harder to be empathic or forgiving, or even just truly curious.  (For example, “I wonder why she behaves that way?” said with obvious tone, is often more a disguised judgment than a question of genuine concern.)  And this tendency to broadly, quickly, or indiscriminately place personal evaluation over situational consideration is called “Attribution Error.”  Humility asks more questions and makes fewer assumptions.

b) Openness Pillar:  The questioner’s humility facilitates a posture of receptivity to the other’s position or perspective; one may learn something new or valuable or have a supposition modified.  Take time for “R & R and R & R”:  Receive and Reflect … and then Respond and Reevaluate, based on “give-and-take” dialog.  Of course, two Stress Doc mantras underlie this mutual engagement:

Difference and Disagreement =/= Disapproval and Disloyalty

Acknowledgement Does Not Mean Agreement; (remember, most people don’t expect immediate agreement; what they do expect is to be genuinely listened to and that the other party makes a genuine effort to grapple with if not grasp their perspective)

c) Understanding Pillar:  Broadening a “head and heart” outlook not only encourages greater awareness of and tolerance for the other, but it enhances the imagination, inspiration, and innovation potential of multifaceted and multicultural teams and organizations.  When Conflict and Challenge spark Consciousness and Creativity these elements combine and crystallize as Four “C”-ing soul mates.  The process of give-and-take listening and questioning helps each person tackle the question, “What can I do to respond more effectively, compassionately, and unexpectedly to the other’s needs and desires.”  It also challenges the questioner to gain insight regarding his or her own biases, habitual patterns, and prejudices.

d) Respectful Pillar:  Being respectful is less about putting someone up on a pedestal and more about paying careful attention to (showing curiosity and a desire to understand, that is, asking good and open-ended questions about) their lived experience, emotional framework, and world view.

Clearly, if consistently applied, these foundational pillars provide a safer and more secure interpersonal context; they tend to elicit more forthright communication.  And if you are fortunate, your antagonist will even provide critical feedback.  Why do I say fortunate?  In the long run, I believe nothing builds trust more than when a person expresses clean and clear disagreement, frustration, or anger, perhaps challenges the other’s expertise or authority, yet discovers that the recipient doesn’t fall apart, run away, or analytically cut them off at the knees before establishing real understanding; the receiver-target doesn’t abandon them, and/or doesn’t blast back or seek revenge.  You may not agree with the other person’s argument, but as we’ve outlined, you have demonstrated humility, openness, acknowledgement, and respect.

Finally, I’m convinced, five-ten minutes of careful and compassionate listening, that is, “asking good questions” – being humble, open, understanding, and respectful – pays interpersonal dividends:  you will reap an “HOUR of Power” regarding trust- and relationship-building.

4.  Avoid Black or White Thinking.  An argument that must result in one person being ‘right” the other party “wrong” clearly tightens the tension in the tug or words if not war.  Dividing antagonists into “winners” and “losers” doesn’t foster lasting conciliation and working partners.  Oftentimes, a sign of real strength is the capacity for some comfort with uncertainty or even being tentative in the heat of battle:  “I’m not sure about that” or “Right now, I don’t agree.  Still, you make a good point.  Let me think more about this.”  In fact, taking a time out, while also establishing a concrete reengagement time, often allows you to retreat and reflect and return with more resolve and reason.

Again, allowing for uncertainty or delayed decision-making (instead of rushing to judgment) creates subjective space for opinions and strategic options.  You are inviting the other to be a genuine problem-solving participant.  Setting aside “all or none” “victor or victim” thinking encourages power sharing over power struggle.  Both parties can generate an array of leading edge and colorful ideas.

Disarming Words of Wisdom

With the “Six ‘C’s” (of power struggles) and the above communication “principles” and “pillars” in mind, as a manager or message receiver and sender what might you say to a provocative employee/individual who declares (or in so many words avers), “You can’t make me”?  Consider this response:

1) “I don’t know if I can make you or I can’t make you.  That’s not where I’m coming from.” [Resisting the provocative bait.  You’re not quickly playing the authority trump card, more momentarily placing your status or power on the shelf; you are vital and vulnerable without giving up your power potential.]

2) “If there is a problem – if I’m bugging you or our situation is problematic – I’d like to hear about it.”  [Inviting criticism takes courage; it often elicits real feedback and can help build trust.  Of course, when someone’s feedback turns into flame throwing, protective action is vital.  Remember, there’s a difference between someone displaying some “attitude” in the heat of a disagreement and being “abusive.”  The former is smoke, the latter fire.  Try to tolerate the smoke, quickly put out the flames or move away from any rapid fire attack.]

3) “I need your contribution to meet our goals.  I believe I’m in a position to support you.  For us to succeed we have to be pulling together not pulling apart.”  [Acknowledging the other and also recognizing self.  Affirming the process – from dropping the rope to forging a power and performance partnership.]

 

C.  Discussion and Drawing Exercise.  Building on the Three “B”s, and the Power Struggle Exercise, the next logical question is:  “What are the sources of stress and conflict in your everyday home and/or workplace operations?”  Again, the large group is broken into smaller units (4-6 people).  However, after the discussion phase, the team needs to create a group picture, logos, or stress symbol that captures the diverse stress experiences of the participants as a whole.  Consider this example:  Years ago, a burnt out CEO of an engineering company was running his company into the ground.  Actually, he was hardly running the company; more likely he was off flying his airplane.  Finally, he hired a Vice-President who anxiously called me for some stress and team building help.   In our workshop, one of the groups drew a picture of a menacing creature, calling this big stalking dinosaur a “Troublesaurus.”  All the little people in the plant are scattering in fear.  However, one person, bigger than the rest, is totally oblivious, has his back to the dinosaur with his head in the clouds while watching a plane fly by.  Helps you get the picture, doesn’t it?

My reassuring participants that this is not, “True Confessions,” that is, they can share at whatever level feels comfortable, actually seems to free up the sharing, venting, and visual imaginings.  Images run the gamut from stalking dinosaurs, time bomb time clocks, never ending mazes, sinking ships in shark infested waters, etc.  Groups are kept on track by having up to ten-minutes (with frequent reminders) for discussion and the same for the drawing segment.

Playful and Purposeful Interventions:  A Strategic Analysis

So what makes these exercises so successful as stress reducers and builders of team synergy – whether with spouses, soldiers, or civilians?  Consider these seven strategic components:

1.  Universality.  In a 24/7, anytime/anywhere, TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – driven and distracted, and lean-and-MEAN world, everyone can readily participate and acknowledge his or her own stress smoke signals or sources of pressure.  Most participants can admit being trapped into, “Why should I be the one to drop the rope” power struggles.  With the workplace becoming increasingly diverse, we need to expand multicultural understanding while not overlooking our mutual humanity.

2.  Acknowledgement Overcomes Anxiety, Shame or Isolation.  People discover they are not alone when it comes to pressures; they can begin to let down an “I’ve got to always be strong” Rambo or Rambette persona.  Participants find real support when being open with folks who have been or still are walking in the same tight-fitting shoes.  Common calluses make uncommon comrades.

3.  Laugh at Our Flaws and Foibles.  Just a little exaggeration can tickle some knowing laughs from familiar yet often serious stress signals and our coping behavior.  This point was highlighted in the description-discussion of the “Three ‘B’ Stress Barometer Exercise” and my interplay with the audience around sleeping and eating issues along with TMJ.  With the “You Can’t Make Me Power Struggle Exercise,” many are surprised and even laugh, both at the absurdity of the moment and the intensity and competitiveness they bring to the seemingly artificial encounter.  And there’s nothing like sharing a laugh around common flaws and foibles to reduce status differences and create a communal ambiance.

4.  Mind-Body Healing and Hardiness.  Getting people to laugh not only releases the body’s natural pain-relieving and mood enhancing chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins, but also places stressful events in a lighter perspective.  Sigmund Freud, himself, saw philosophical humor as the highest defense mechanism:  “Look here!  This is all this seemingly dangerous world amounts to.  Child’s play - the very thing to jest about.”  While a psychoanalytic student of Freud, Dr. Ernst Kris, saw laughter as a sign of resilience from wrestling with a personal or interpersonal demon:  What was once feared and is now mastered is laughed at.  (And as the Stress Doc inverted:  What was once feared and is now laughed at is no longer a master!)

5.  Non Verbal-Verbal Expression and Releasing Aggression.  While many adults are anxious when it comes to drawing, once reassured that stick figures are fine (and that “I’m a graduate of the Institute for the Graphically Impaired”) they forge ahead.  And by doing so, folks rediscover how emotions, especially frustration and anger can be playfully drawn out with colored markers and large flipchart paper.  Nothing quite like a group putting a tail and horns on a devil of a boss to put things in a less frightening perspective and to evoke a stress relieving laugh.  And, not surprisingly, the power struggle drama allows for quite a theatrical display of both body postures and gestures along with a myriad of expressions shaded by tone, volume, and pacing.  Again, this release of aggression (both verbally and through various gestures) tempered by recognition of the situational absurdity and individual exaggeration has a cathartic effect.

6.  Open Interaction, Gradual Integration, and Creative Problem-Solving.  Perhaps the most valuable problem-solving aspect of these exercises is that no group member has “the one right answer.”  In addition, while the immediate reaction of some is an anxious, “I can’t draw,” seeing others participate frequently has even the most hesitant picking up a colored marker.  (And I reinforce an important team dynamic principle:  don’t give up on an initially reluctant group member; once more confident of what’s realistically expected – visual ideas and imagery are more important than artistic wizardry – this same individual often jumps into the fray, and may even become a most energetic contributor.)  Clearly, some participants concentrate on the verbal discussion; others become more animated during the drawing phase.  Both verbally and non-verbally one person’s suggestions will readily trigger ideas and images that embellish the group product and strengthen the interactive process.  Everyone’s responses are valuable; the final picture is truly a team production.  Some have commented that the exercise challenged the use of a different part of their brain.  Almost all can relate to my “jazz riff” analogy.

7.  Group Feedback and Recognition.  In the first and third exercises, teams get a chance to share their lists and drawings with the larger group.  In the final phase of the drawing exercise (“the fashion show part of the program”) the work teams show off their creative designs.  For audiences in the hundreds, we'll have groups display their artwork on tables or on walls and turn the hall into an art gallery.  Participants mill about and survey all the other groups’ efforts.  Designs are chosen or volunteered for “show and tell.”  Participants experience pride from overcoming their initial drawing confusion or anxiety.  And in both scenarios, a final benefit is the self-esteem boosting recognition each team receives from the collective for work well done.  In fact, the free flow of ideas and expressions has generated a real synergy power source:  not only is the whole greater than the sum of the parts, but in this sharing-laughing-learning platform now parts magically transform into partners.

In conclusion, the above seven strategic tension busting, energy releasing, team building and playfully high performing practices and principles provide both an individual and collective high-octane formula for transforming home-life and workplace pressures into head-heart-hope generating synergistic processes and products.  Not only is the whole greater than the sum of its parts…but the real magic arises when parts transform into partners.  And you now have a blueprint for bringing back this robust learning experience into everyday operations and meetings, to help yourself and others…Practice Safe Stress!

Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a national keynote and webinar speaker and "Motivational Humorist & Team Communication Catalyst" known for his interactive, inspiring and FUN programs for both government agencies and major corporations.  A training and Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Consultant for the National EAP/Wellness Company, Business Health Services in Baltimore, MD, the Doc is also leading “Stress, Team Building and Humor” programs for various branches of the Armed Services.  Mark, a former Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant for the US Postal Service, is the author of Practice Safe Stress and of The Four Faces of Anger.  See his award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" -- www.stressdoc.com -- called a "workplace resource" by National Public Radio (NPR).  For more info on the Doc's programs or to receive his free e-newsletter, email stressdoc@aol.com.