As I write this article around the spring equinox, I reflect on this column and the many topics Dr. Elaine Klemmensen and I have covered — from self-leadership to team coaching. When I zoom out from this column, it is an understatement to say the people of the United States and the world at large have experienced tremendous disruption, division, chaos, conflict, loss and change. Frankly, I have struggled to believe that I, from both my social and geographical location (here in Canada), might have insight, wisdom or advice that could be valuable at this point.
Then, I thought about our first two articles — Finding Ubuntu and Building a Community of Possibility — and remembered that two of the column’s key goals are to champion:
- Community in the veterinary profession
- Coaching principles and concepts
A Community of Healers
I have spent a lot of time thinking about what “being in community” truly means. Over time, I have realized in a new and different way how it means being present with each other — present in celebration and present to the impact on people of disruption, division, chaos, conflict, loss and change. Finally, I am aware in a new and different way of how being in community with people truly means being fully present and bearing witness to our shared experiences. In such times, this awareness reveals a profound need and a powerful opportunity to “heal in community” together, something I am not sure we have done well in the veterinary industry for a long time, if ever.
As it turns out, I am learning that “being in community” means “healing in community” together.
True insight comes not from providing answers but from asking questions that unlock our individual and collective wisdom. As a coach, I believe that connection to deeply personal solutions unlocks the most effective results. This is true especially in times of change and disruption.
I offer these prompts for reflection:
- What is within your sphere of control now, and how might you focus on it?
- What feels safe, grounding or comforting for you now?
- What meaningful or manageable outcomes are possible to imagine?
- What are your love languages, and what are the love languages of those you care about?
What strengths and resources do you feel ready to draw on for support, and how can you acknowledge yourself for the courage it takes?
Those questions reflect the power of several key concepts:
- Dialectics reminds us that forces that appear opposite can be true simultaneously. This also applies to emotions. For example, I can feel both afraid and hopeful and angry and grateful at the same time.
- Mindfulness provides the space to know when I am aware I am both angry and grateful, and I am grounded in the present moment with access to my internal wisdom. I can choose whether to act from a place of anger or gratitude.
- Acceptance is acknowledging and embracing reality as it is, rather than resisting, avoiding or judging difficult emotions or situations. This does not mean passive resignation but serves as a stepping stone to meaningful change by allowing the focus to be on meaningful action aligned with values.
- Supporting agency involves intentional, purposeful choice over what is within our control while emphasizing emotional safety and emotion regulation.
- Incorporating self-compassion and compassion. Prioritizing kindness and understanding to ourselves and others. Focusing on love and amplifying positive resonance. All of these are fundamental components of well-being and connection.
Change Management
Only over the past several years have I become increasingly aware and deeply appreciative of the potential impact of change. Change and uncertainty have a direct connection to power, control, trust and safety, and often challenge our ability to stay connected to ourselves and others.
Change:
- Introduces uncertainty.
- Can disrupt stability and a sense of safety.
- Challenges an individual’s coping mechanisms.
- Increases the risk of maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Can lead to emotional, psychological and physical distress.
All this is especially true for individuals and communities with existing vulnerabilities who have been and continue to be marginalized, oppressed, experienced prior trauma, or live with post-traumatic stress disorder (or similar) symptoms. Additionally, change can introduce opportunities for growth (including post-traumatic growth), foster resilience, facilitate developing strengths and build deep connections.
For all these reasons, we must not underestimate the value of frameworks that provide us with common languages, insight and knowledge about what is involved in supporting and leading people through change.
Below are a few change-management resources. As a mentor coach of mine says, “Always consider all resources offered like a box of chocolates. Take the ones you like and leave the rest.”
- Change readiness and awareness: The Change Continuum is based on the work of William H. Pearson, inspired by coach Diana Chapman. It speaks to how one navigates seven steps — from being aware of a problem and a need to change to solving the problem to the pitfalls of getting stuck talking about the problem without a willingness to change.
- Organizational change frameworks: The Prosci ADKAR model acknowledges that organizational change requires individual change, and it guides individuals through the stages. In this framework, A is awareness of the need to change, D is the desire to participate and support the change, K is the knowledge of how to change, A is the ability to implement required skills and behaviors in support of the change, and R is the reinforcement to sustain the change.
- Associations: One example is the Association of Change Management Professionals.
- Levels of learning and change: These were developed within the framework of neuro-linguistic programming by Robert Dilts, who speaks to a hierarchy of six levels that influence personal and organizational change. They are environment (external conditions where behavior occurs), behavior (actions and reactions within the environment), capabilities (skills and competencies enabling behavior), beliefs and values (motivations and guiding principles), identity (sense of self and personal roles), and beyond identity (spirituality and purpose; the connection to something greater).
A New Era
The framework presented by Dilts is related to his 2017 book From Coach to Awakener. This work illustrates coaching’s expansion from focusing on performance, behaviors and skills, through empowering beliefs and values, to sponsoring growth at the level of identity. It also describes how coaching facilitates connections to larger systems, fields, community and, potentially, a collective consciousness.
Other interesting concepts relate to coaching and change management, but they must wait for another day. As a final invitation, I encourage you to embrace these two opportunities:
- Be gentle, kind and compassionate to yourself and with others in your reflection of what change has meant to you in the past and what it means in the present.
- Be radically curious. Search for, find, choose and amplify love, gratitude and positive emotions wherever and whenever possible.
Finally, know that I am grateful for your readership, interest in coaching, and engagement in championing this community on behalf of the veterinary profession.
LEARN MORE
- Prosci ADKAR Model: bit.ly/4jDTriY
- Association of Change Management Professionals: acmpglobal.org
- Self-Compassion with Dr. Kristin Neff: self-compassion.org