10 Most Important Things to Avoid While Facilitation Crisis
If we want to be effective at facilitation crisis, we need to avoid several different things. Keeping in mind that the purpose is to minimize harm, seek clarity, create healthy conditions and mindfulness which can be read about in Part 1. Facilitating crisis is tough work and things can change in a moment’s notice. Furthermore, during any crisis it’s vital to maintain and continue developing a meaningful relationship with all of those involved.
There are defiantly things we can do to make facilitating crisis much more difficult for ourselves. Furthermore, there are defiantly some that we most certainly want to stay away from. The following list is just that. They are things that we need to avoid if we want to be effective during the facilitation of crisis. The following can be achieved by Thinking Deeply Self-Critically.
1 Don’t let your buttons be pushed
It’s easy to react when something is said or done to us that doesn’t feel good or hits a nerve. We have a tendency when this happens to take what was said or done personally. Not reacting to the little things takes some mental endurance but it’s vital when it comes to helping and serving other. It also gives other control over us. Furthermore, we can regain control when we don’t hold on to the words and actions being tossed at us.
2 Don’t engage in a power struggle
There is an old saying it takes two to engage in a power struggle or a must win. Developing relationships isn’t an exact science. It’s even less about being right or wrong. Moreover, it has nothing to do with being right or wrong. Power struggling is about, at least, two conflicting views and pressing points on each other. As a facilitator of crisis, it’s important that we avoid this at all costs. If we find ourselves engaging in them, we have the duty to fix it. Lastly, we have the moral responsibility to rekindle any part of the broken relationships.
3 Fear panic freezing
There are times in our live where we are met with adversity that we were not prepared to deal with. In fact, in those times we may find ourselves being afraid, going into a panic or even freezing up. If we aren’t used to crisis situations this is more likely to happen. It’s completely normal. To do no harm we need to move out of this. Taking deep breaths will help get our blood moving so we can begin to critically think more efficiently. Positive internal self-talk will also direct your thinking and behavior in a better direction. We need to understand that this is only temporary and there are better times to come for everyone involved.
4 Thinking you don’t have adequate skills
There will be times when you will come across a situation that you feel inadequate about. This is perfectly normal. Responding is typically better than doing nothing. Rely on your values, morals and your ability to make good decisions weather you have the answer or not. It’s also important to maintain a level of confidence and not be wishy washy. Focus on your balance and relationship building with your communication and interactions if your knowledge of the topic isn’t there.
5 Our personal agenda “It’s not about you”
We all have our own ways of doing things that work for us. Moreover, we believe that our ways will work for others. This can’t be further from the truth. If we are trying to do no harm, then we must be listening for what others need. We are putting our agenda to the side and really digging into meeting the needs of the person or persons we are serving. We need to consider our agenda is the furthest from what they need. Lastly the situation has nothing to do with us it’s about them. Making it about us will do harm. We must work “with” them with the focus on them.
6 Giving false assurance or false hope
It’s great to give others hope and assurance. We need to be careful we don’t do this pre-maturely or lie about a better outcome. As a matter of fact, we need to make sure we facilitate this whole idea of hope with integrity. Giving false assurance or hope will not only damage your charter but it will damage your overall relationships with those we are committed to serving. Lastly, it’s important to be transparent and realistic in our deliver of outcomes
7 Being unpredictable or inconsistent
Crisis tends to be an already vulnerable situation and it’s important to stabilize or bring some balance to it whenever we can. Everything we do and say has a profound impact on the situations. We need to be extremely careful that we stay predictable and consistent with our behaviors. Doing this will help bring a sense a security, comfort and familiarity that may be needed to restore the crisis to a healthy level of functioning.
8 Be on your game even if you’re not
Crisis can come at any moment of any day. It’s important for us as a facilitator of crisis to be ready at any given time. There may be times where we are drained and want nothing to do with it. We have a responsibility to those around us to engage and do what we can to help resolve things. It’s our duty as good people to keep fight the good fight even during exhaustion. So even when you’re not on your game do your best to put whatever is going on in your life to the side and jump in. There is a ton of great benefit for suffering through it.
9 Becoming preoccupied with something else
As humans we can become preoccupied in our own thoughts. Sometimes we tune out the environment around us. This does harm when we have the responsibility to help and serve others in our lives. Again, we need to use our mental endurance and stay focused on what’s happening. We need to tune in, observe, listen, make assessments and then respond. Lastly, we need to acknowledge to other when we find ourselves doing this and come back to the moment. In a crisis the wellbeing of those going through it are most important. If we are preoccupied what messages does that send?
10 Trying to rush
Take your time. It’s best to move through crisis one time then go through it again later because we missed something vital. Furthermore, rushing does harm and shows that you don’t care about them as much as your own time. Crisis is a complicated process and there are tons of moving parts that need to be addressed. Slowing down can significantly reduce stress and anxiety in long run. Lastly, not trying to rush can bring better closure to all that are involved.
Conclusion
Facilitating a crisis is mostly about self-reflection. Considering the possibilities that every action I take has a potential of harming those around me. Furthermore, we need to live in the moment and use flexibility with the ever changing satiations happening in front of us. Lastly, we need to believe that things will get better for all that are involved and continue looking through that lens during the entire process.
If you want to learn more about crisis and how to facilitate it check out the series on Facilitating Crisis.
If you like what you have read, check out other articles on the website ThinkingDeeplySelf-Critically.com the site is designed to give us tools and techniques to help us become the best version of ourselves. There are four main categories on the site. The Foundation, Our Responsibility to Us, and Our Responsibility to Other. We can also be found on Pinterest.
Lastly, becoming the best version of us will have a positive impact on those in our lives in ways we ways we can’t fathom.
