the resilient employee meg welch murphy, psyd 15 th annual eapa regional spring conference

The Resilient EmployeeThe Resilient Employee

Meg Welch Murphy, PsyD

15th Annual EAPA Regional Spring Conference

Today’s ObjectivesToday’s Objectives


• Discuss the meaning of resiliency• Indentify some common risk factors• Introduce concepts and principles of full

engagement• Discuss results of the Full Engagement Program

ResiliencyResiliency


• The capacity to successfully perform in high stress environments without impact to health or relationships day after day

• Well developed Energy management skills

Intelligence Professional’s Intelligence Professional’s EnvironmentEnvironment


• High-stress environment• Working long hours• Shiftwork• Serving the nation in silence• Privy to information that can be unsettling• Having to balance work, family, and personal life

Intervention Areas to Intervention Areas to Mitigate Health RisksMitigate Health Risks


• Nutrition• Fitness• Coronary Risk• Cancer • Weight• Stress


The Power of Full Engagement The Power of Full Engagement

New ParadigmNew Paradigm

• Manage energyManage energy• Seek stressSeek stress• Life is a series of sprintsLife is a series of sprints• Downtime is productive timeDowntime is productive time• Purpose fuels performancePurpose fuels performance• Rituals ruleRituals rule• The power of full The power of full

engagementengagement

Old ParadigmOld Paradigm

• Manage time Manage time • Avoid stress Avoid stress

• Life is a marathon Life is a marathon • Downtime is wasted time Downtime is wasted time • Rewards fuel performance Rewards fuel performance

• Self-discipline rules Self-discipline rules

• The power of positive The power of positive

thinkingthinking

Full Engagement ProcessFull Engagement Process

Model + Four Principles

Three-Step Engagement Process

Facing the

Truth

Defining Purpose

Taking Action



Principle #1Principle #1Energy is Four-Dimensional

HumanHuman beings as energy systems beings as energy systems

• Full Engagement requires sufficient quantity, quality, focus and force of energy

• Maximum productivity and well-being is best achieved by addressing the whole person

Principle #2Principle #2


Recovery is key. Oscillate, oscillate oscillate!

• To be fully engaged, you must strategically disengage.

• Engage when it matters and disengage when it doesn’t. Turn on Turn off.

• Live life as a sprinter not as a marathoner.

Principle #2, con't.Principle #2, con't.• The healthiest oscillatory rhythm is to turn our

energy systems fully on and then fully off—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually

• You can break up your activities up into manageable sprints followed by periods of strategic recovery, which will result in greater productivity, fewer mistakes, and increased well-being




Stress for Success!

• Push yourself outside your current comfort level by investing energy in the capacity you want to grow. No discomfort, no growth

• Every storm hold the promise of expanded capacity.


Storms and CapacityStorms and Capacity• Too long in the hot zone and you will lose

capacity. Burn-out!

Hot Zone

Comfort Zone


Storms and CapacityStorms and Capacity• Too long in the comfort zone and you will lose

capacity. Boredom!

Hot Zone

Comfort Zone



Building Full Engagement Rituals!

• Full engagement is not controlled by self-discipline or will power, but by habit and routine.

• Positive rituals are consciously acquired habits that serve engagement.

• Positive rituals represent the intersection of value, time, energy and action.

• Rituals allow you to function optimally, even in the worst of storms.

15th Annual EAPA Regional Spring Conference15th Annual EAPA Regional Spring Conference

Keys to Ritual BuildingKeys to Ritual Building

Habits + Core Values = Rituals

• Link the change to a primary value• Invest extraordinary energy in building the new ritual for

approximately 30-60 days• Be precise in timing and behavior• Focus on building only a few major rituals at any one time• Focus on what you want, what you don’t want• Create a supportive environment



Three-Step Engagement Process


Facing the

Truth

Defining Purpose

Taking Action

What rituals must you

create to enhance

engagement and mission success?

How engaged do

you want to be?

How engaged are you now?


Face the Truth ObjectivesFace the Truth Objectives Understand and confront the reality of all the dimensions

of your engagement through deepening your awareness of the truth in 4 key areas:

1. Current engagement in your professional and personal life

2. Habits that undermine or compromise the engagement3. Stories that drive engagement or disengagement4. Costs and consequences of your disengagement


Difficulty in Facing the TruthDifficulty in Facing the Truth

• Human beings possess a great capacity for self-deception and denial

• The engagement process is very complex, involving all four dimensions—physical, emotional, mental, spiritual

• Our level of awareness regarding engagement is typically very low

Full Engagement ModelFull Engagement Model


Human beings as energy systemsHuman beings as energy systems

Face the Truth - PhysicalFace the Truth - Physical


Biometrics• Complete lipid profile• Blood pressure• Weight• BMI – Body Mass Index• Body fat analysisPersonal Wellness Profile for Health Risk Assessment

and Intervention Areas (Wellsource)

A Health Risk AssessmentA Health Risk Assessment


Provides• An overall wellness rating• A current fitness level• A personal heart health evaluation• A look at how the individual copes with stress• An evaluation of eating habits• Recommendations for preventive exams• Recommendations for preventive actions based on

identified needs

The Truth about Physical EngagementThe Truth about Physical Engagement


• The energy required for full engagement comes from the union of glucose and oxygen.

• Glucose requirements are met through strategic eating.

• Oxygen requirements are met through respiration and strategic movement.

Physical Energy Physical Energy


• Sleep: Set an earlier bedtime and reduce alcohol use• Reduce stress: cardiovascular activity three times a

week and strength training at least once• Nourishment: Eat small meals and light snacks every

three hours• Recognize signs of low energy: difficulty

concentrating, hunger restlessness, and yawning• Breaks: Move away from desk at 90 to 120 minute

intervals throughout the day.

Face the Truth - EmotionalFace the Truth - Emotional


• Full engagement requires a highly specific emotional response

• Two categories of emotions:– Survival-based emotions (flight or fight)

• Something or someone is someone is threatening• Very low quality of energy

– Opportunity-based emotions• Hope filled exciting situations• Give the highest quality energy possible

Face the Truth - EmotionalFace the Truth - Emotional


• Survival-based emotions trigger feelings of anger, fear, revenge, anxiety, insecurity.

• Opportunity-based emotions trigger feelings of adventure, challenge, confidence, enjoyment and gratitude.

Emotional EnergyEmotional Energy


• Defuse negative emotions: deep abdominal breathing.

• Fuel positive emotions: regularly expressing appreciation to others in detailed, specific terms through notes e-mails calls, or conversations

• Use different lenses to view upsetting situations: reverse lenses, long lenses, and wide lenses

The Truth about Mental EngagementThe Truth about Mental Engagement


Mental dimension as “Mission Control Center”

• All choices, decisions and personal changes we make are mediated by this dimension.

Face the Truth – Mental EngagementFace the Truth – Mental Engagement


The most important competencies in mental engagement are:

• Logical, realistic thinking• Focus and concentration• Mental preparation• Self-awareness• Time management• Creativity and curiosity

Mental EnergyMental Energy


• Reduce interruptions: perform high concentration tasks away from phones and email by responding to them at designated times during the day.

• Identify the most important challenge for the following day at night: make it your first priority when you arrive in the morning.

• Stop multitasking!

The Truth about Spiritual The Truth about Spiritual EngagementEngagement


The spiritual dimension is the genesis of:

• Commitment• Passion• Determination• Persistence in the pursuit of mission

The Truth about Spiritual The Truth about Spiritual EngagementEngagement


• The force of energy associated with the spiritual dimension comes from one’s deepest values and beliefs

• Critical to achieving spiritual engagement are:– Facing the truth about one’s ability to make values-

based decisions– Clearly prioritizing according to one’s core values – Connecting core values to the targeted mission– Behaving in ways that align with core values

Spiritual EnergySpiritual Energy


• Identify “sweet spot” activities: Do more of those

• Allocate time and energy to what you consider most important: e.g. connecting with family

• Live your core values

The Truth about Your The Truth about Your StorytellingStorytelling


• Stories fundamentally explain how and why things happen or how and why things don’t happen in your life

• The stories you tell yourself and others all too often become your reality: – The wrong stories disengage, block personal growth, make

us victims, and derail any mission. A negative habits comes a supporting story.

– The right stories bring us to the truth, mobilize us to make tough values-based choices that lead to expanded growth and deepen our engagement.

The Truth about Your The Truth about Your Storytelling, con’tStorytelling, con’t


Stories that deepen engagement and facilitate mission success have three characteristics in common:1. Linked closely to a primary value such as health,

family, integrity, or kindness.2. Reflect the truth as much as possible3. Engender a deep sense of hope that the mission

is possible.


Let’s move on to Defining Purpose


Facing the

Truth

Defining Purpose

Taking Action


create to enhance


How engaged do

you want to be?



PurposePurpose

PurposePurpose


Ultimate Mission – Long-term goal

• What is my purpose in life?• What kind of person do I want to be?• What kinds of things do I want to do?• What do I want to be remembered by?

What I Can ChangeWhat I Can Change


Training Mission – Short-term goal for change

• What do I need to do to achieve my ultimate mission?

• What is getting in the way of achieving my ultimate mission?

• What do I need to change?


Shift to Taking Action


Facing the

Truth

Defining Purpose

Taking Action


create to enhance


How engaged do

you want to be?


Crucial Parts of a Change MissionCrucial Parts of a Change Mission


• Determine• What new energy investment to make• When to make them

• Set a launch date

• Make full and absolute commitment

Positive Rituals Bring About Positive Rituals Bring About ChangeChange


• What do I need to do routinely to bring about a positive change in my life?

• How will I hold myself accountable?

• How will I react to setbacks?

Positive Rituals Bring About ChangePositive Rituals Bring About Change


Ultimate Mission: Includes purpose, statement of your dream(s) long-term goal interwoven with your values.

Training Mission: This is what you’ll be working on for the next 3-6 months. It is your short-term goal(s) in support of your ultimate mission/values.

Old Story: Statement of the thoughts and beliefs that drive your current situation.

New Story: Written in the present tense, as if you have already achieved your training mission. The tone is positive—positive self-talk, hopeful, and reflective of your values.

Rituals: Specific behaviors to support the training mission. They reflect the timing, intensity and focus of the activities that will support change. Be specific (what, when, where, how many times a day/week, etc.).

Preliminary Results Preliminary Results


• Increased health status/quality of life for physical and mental health for both men and woman

• Increased readiness to change (planning, action, maintenance vice pre-contemplation or contemplation

• Decreased health risks regarding fitness, nutrition, coronary risk, cancer risk, weight, and stress

• Decreased preventable health risks, which shows up as $ saved in health claims

ReferencesReferences


• Origin: Human Potential Institute (HPI) - http://hpinstitute.com

• The Power of Full Engagement, not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, Loehr and Schwartz, 2003

• The Power of Story, Loehr, 2007

http://hpinstitute.com/

the resilient employee meg welch murphy, psyd 15 th annual eapa regional spring conference

Documents

engagement program slide

stress life

person slide

personal life slide

energy systems

productive time downtime

marathon life

high stress environments