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These dissociative states are not limited to car accidents, plane crashes or military events and natural disasters. Smaller scale crises--pink slips, mistakes on important jobs, personnel issues--can take their toll on the job as well. Understanding this simple fact of human nature and, most importantly, knowing both what to expect and how to handle it can make the difference between a return to a normal work environment and a deterioration into risk management.
When I give this talk to emergency medical corporations and medical personnel, I sometimes begin with a simple question: Do you know what the number one factor is for litigation and malpractice lawsuits?
Every now and again, a few people raise their hands and answer correctly: It is not skill, technique, cleverness, strategy, or even whether the patient lives or dies. It is whether the clinical practitioner or emergency worker is perceived as having cared about the patient and the patient's family.
It is common knowledge in law circles that a person who believes that his doctor or provider cares about him is far, far less likely to seek compensation or damages for an injury that occurs on the job.
This perceived caring is a manifestation of what is called "Rapport," the sense that the person who is handling things cares, understands, and is doing everything possible to help.
utilizes authority (benevolent rather than commandeering), believability, and confident compassion to pave the way for words to be used for healing. With rapport, our words will be utilized and understood in the best way possible. Without rapport, Murphy's Law rules.
The same is true in the workplace. Diffusing a potentially critical situation is easier, more ethical, and more compassionate before it becomes critical. Knowing Verbal First Aid helps us to see the signs before they become symptoms. And when we do see symptoms, it helps us to gently address them so that the person is led to healing and resolution.
When people are scared, we look for a benevolent authority to tell us what to do, how to find safety. It is instinctive to all social animals. What we do and say in those moments is particularly important. Do we use those sensitive moments thoughtlessly, fanning the flames of anxiety or do we serve as a guiding light to lead someone to emotional and physical safety. With Verbal First Aid, the choice and the task are easy.
Verbal First Aid helps you know what to say when you need it most, when every moment and every word counts. Although it was initially created to help emergency medical and rescue personnel to do precisely the sort of thing I did with that frightened, young girl, anyone can use it anywhere. Wherever there is a human emotion or a vulnerable moment, Verbal First Aid can help.
The Importance of Rapport in Reducing Stress at the Workplace
With Verbal First Aid (starting with a solid rapport) you can use words to diffuse a situation and therefore relieve the stress and forestall future trauma.
For example, someone at the next desk stands up too quickly, hits her head on the sharp corner of the metal filing cabinet and falls to the floor. She is angry, embarrassed and bleeding.
The manager sees it and goes right to her. If she seems seriously injured, he makes the call to 911 or to the nurse on call if there is one. Once the manager has assessed the urgency of the situation and responded accordingly, what does he say?
The first thing he does if he knows Verbal First Aid is let his employee know that he is there FOR her. Unless there is a unique bond between them and a long-standing, non-work related relationship, humor is inappropriate. His approach should be direct, compassionate and take-charge, particularly if she is badly hurt.
"Susan, I saw that and I'm right here. I've called the nurse. He's on his way. The worst is over."
"Damn it," Susan mutters and sees that there's blood dripping down onto her shirt. "Damn it!" She starts to appear pale.
