Embedded Files
90 mins
90 mins
Topics: Limbic system, threats and rewards, Be SAFE & Certain (and reactions between people), working together
PREPARATION
PREPARATION
Please read the Discussion Tips section (under the 'Getting Started' dropdown) before you start facilitating these group sessions.
Pre-read each week's session before meeting with your group. Find your own words where you can.
Capture agreements: During this first session, you will create some agreements with your team members – please capture these as you will refer to them in future sessions.
Create a safe space: These sessions will be most successful if you create and maintain a safe space where everyone participates. You can encourage participation by making sure there’s no judgment, acknowledging the value of contributions and sharing/being vulnerable .
Emotional preparation: Check your own emotional state. Practice a moment of mindfulness to ensure you are calm and collected. Make sure you are not trying to control others’ emotional states. You can role model openness, and be careful not to trigger fear states in others.
DURING THE SESSION
DURING THE SESSION
Use this guide as a suggestion for how to hold the discussion. Items in italics are suggestions for what you might say, while non-italics text are suggestions of what to do.
Feel free to make your own timings but do your best to keep the conversation on this material rather than drift off into other conversations about work topics or anything else that might be distracting.
AT THE END OF THE SESSION
AT THE END OF THE SESSION
Keep track of what people said they were going to practice so you can ask about it next time – invite team members to keep track of each other as well.
SET EXPECTATIONS
SET EXPECTATIONS
10 MINS | 0-10
You can use the text in italics to introduce this session, but consider finding your own words.
People with Possibility is a seven week program where we collaborate and grow together. The program is designed to help us explore what our brains can teach us about ourselves and our relationships with others, and introduce four simple practices to help us work together better.
We will be using social learning. That means we will watch videos together and discuss them in our group. Between sessions, we will put what we've learned into practice.
I have a discussion guide which we will follow, but this isn’t about me teaching, it’s about us learning together.
This week's session is 90 minutes to introduce the program. The rest of the sessions will be an hour.
We will be introducing some concepts about our brains and how they work. The material is equally relevant in and out of work. Please think and talk about how the content applies in both contexts. The relevance for work teams becomes clear as we progress through the program.
We will start by watching a short video introducing us to People with Possibility.
Most of this session is a discussion. Please ask questions – there are many suggested here, feel free to substitute or add your own that are relevant to your team. To encourage dialogue, add in your own personal experiences.
Most of this session is a discussion. Please ask questions – there are many suggested here, feel free to substitute or add your own that are relevant to your team. To encourage dialogue, add in your own personal experiences.
3:12 MINS
Introducing People with Possibility
GROUP DISCUSSION
GROUP DISCUSSION
10 MINS | 15-25
Now we will create agreements for learning together. These help your group set expectations of how you will show up. As you discuss, write them down and have them visible during this session. Make sure you keep them somewhere so you can refer to them in future sessions.
As we watch these videos and have discussions together, we will be discussing how our brains work, what creates emotion and how we impact one another. It might feel a bit personal. Our ability to be open and share experiences will determine how much we get out of these sessions. What do we need to agree together so we can be open and share?
Examples of agreements:
Engagement
Curiosity
Lightness
Fun!
Focus - devices and computers away
Look for how we can apply these topics/tools together
Don't judge ourselves or others
What else do we want to add to this so we can have a safe place to explore topics that might be quite personal at times?
THE LIMBIC SYSTEM
THE LIMBIC SYSTEM
50 MINS | 25-75
Now we will start the People with Possibility content. We will watch three videos today, with ten minutes discussion for each.
5:45 MINS
The Limbic System
GROUP DISCUSSION
GROUP DISCUSSION
Have each person share as much as they are willing to and try to create a discussion between team members if possible. Add in your own experience.
Threats and Rewards
How do you experience rewards/dopamine?
How do you experience threats?
When do these happen at work – what situations bring either dopamine or stress chemicals?
How are you driven by threats and rewards?
Application
What will you pay attention to and what will you do differently going forward?
8:09 MINS
Be SAFE and Certain
GROUP DISCUSSION
GROUP DISCUSSION
How do our human Be SAFE & Certain needs get in our way? For example, do we avoid feedback or difficult conversations?
Might our different needs create challenges between people?
How can we reduce limbic threats in our working together?
This section is about applying what we've learned about the limbic system and our Be SAFE & Certain needs.
5:31 MINS
Managing Limbic Reactions
GROUP DISCUSSION
GROUP DISCUSSION
Which of the elements are you most sensitive to or do you need the most in order to feel stable? Perhaps you felt unhappy, disappointed or angry when you didn’t get what you needed or you noticed a threat reaction in response to someone else?
FOR NEXT TIME...
FOR NEXT TIME...
15 MINS | 75-90
What from today's session will you practice this week?
Write down what is discussed, so you can refer back to it next week.
Here are some suggestions of things we can practice:
Notice what creates limbic reactions – what Be SAFE & Certain elements are you particularly sensitive to? Which elements do you need in order to feel good about yourself and your work?
Consider using the language of limbic reactions, threats, rewards and PFC together at work.
At work, name your threat and reward reactions.
What else will you practice in the next week? See additional practice moments below for suggestions of how to apply in 1:1 meetings, team meetings and onboarding.
How can we support each other in practicing?
Find ways to keep the learning alive – e.g., buddies, group conversation during the week or a chat group where people can share their wins and insights.
There are short videos providing examples of Be SAFE & Certain in real life in "Additional Resources" below.
PRACTICE MOMENTS
PRACTICE MOMENTS
Practice moments are regularly occurring circumstances where you can apply the People with Possibility principles. This is where you can breathe life into the practices. Read here for more.
1-1 MEETINGS
1-1 MEETINGS
Notice how your limbic system influences you. You might be drawn to some people and types of work and away from others. Which element of Be SAFE and Certain might you be reacting to?
Which of the Be SAFE & Certain elements do you respond the most to – as a need or a preference? How does this influence how you do your work?
Notice that your team members also have preferences and needs. Different needs will sometimes lead to disagreements, disliking and/or conflict.
TEAM MEETINGS
TEAM MEETINGS
What kind of reactions occur in different meetings?
What threats do you experience? What rewards?
What expectations have you created unconsciously?
ON-BOARDING
ON-BOARDING
How can you help a new team member feel safe and certain?
How can you create a sense of belonging?
How can you set expectations for them?
What certainty can you create?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The following videos provide useful examples of Be SAFE & Certain in action.
Avoiding Feedback
Unfairness
An Experience of Your Limbic System
Micromanaging
Us vs. Them
Creating Uncertainty
Gossip & Rumors
FACILITATOR’S POST-SESSION REFLECTIONS
FACILITATOR’S POST-SESSION REFLECTIONS
How did I create a safe and courageous space for this dialogue?
How did I role model mindful behaviour and what did I do to increase limbic rewards and reduce threats in this session?
What do I notice about which Be SAFE & Certain elements each my team members are most sensitive to? What about my own needs/sensitivities?
How can I reduce threats (remember that threats are the limbic system’s perceived threats to the Be SAFE & Certain elements) and increase rewards?
What can I do regularly with my team to increase rewards and reduce Be SAFE & Certain threats? And how can I help people change their misperceptions about these elements that cause threats for them?
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