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KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
Volume
6, September 2001
Publisher: © Key Associates, LLC, 2001
http://www.mkkey.com
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IN THIS ISSUE (the theme is Stress
Reactions
to Terrorism and Major Disasters):
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"The object of terrorism is to take your life away
from you by making you too afraid to live it."
-"Dr. Phil" on OPRAH
"Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence.
In action is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.
Perhaps the action you take will be successful;
perhaps different action or adjustments will
have to follow. But any action is better than
no action at all. Make a move."
-Norman Vincent Peale
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WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
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Making the workplace safe, secure and free from
assault in all its forms. Zero tolerance for violence.
Attention to the importance of ritual and ceremony
to process grief and anger about events, such as that
of September 11, 2001.
Sensitivity to feelings and reaching out to help
others
through traumatic times. CEOs, weeping on TV news
from loss of their staff in terrorist attacks, were
hailed as the new model of leadership.
Building a sense of continuity and community in the
organization in support of one another.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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After September 11's events, we should be getting
back
to business. Yet no one feels like working.
What's going on?
Most of the U.S. is going through a post-disaster response,
which can last from days to weeks. The initial response to
the shock can consist of feeling stunned and numb,
increased confusion, lingering sadness, fear and anxiety.
Physical symptoms, like headache, nausea and chest pain,
may be a body's way of expressing the trauma.
This disaster response typically lasts a couple of days
to up to four weeks. Worries about safety and
sensing a loss of control are part of a normal
response to an abnormal traumatic event.
What can I do to help people through this?
Let people know that this is normal in the aftermath
of abnormally traumatic events. Give people a
"safe place" to express their pain, come together
and take the steps to begin the process of healing.
Encourage ventilation of feelings, but try to route
negative thinking into positive action steps
and the taking of control--such as donating help,
blood, or money to disaster victims. Restore routine
and encourage healthy living. Use ceremony,
such as lighting candles, creating a memorial,
channeling expression through music, poetry
and art, to honor the lives lost and bring closure to the
trauma with acts of love.
Will some people need more help than others?
Be alert to symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,
which will interfere with normal daily functioning.
If any of the following symptoms persist for more than
4 weeks or begin later than a month after the event,
steer the person to psychological help:
People with preexisting psychiatric or medical conditions may be
more prone to this type of reaction.
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EDUCATION
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"How to" pamphlets on a number of trauma topics at
http://www.aaets.org/documents.htm.
Psychologists recommend ways to cope with the national
tragedy at http://mentalhelp.net/articles/trauma61.htm.
The APA's Web site includes tips for recovering from
disasters and other traumatic events
http://www.helping.apa.org/therapy/traumaticstress.html.
Mary Anne Kelly, Founder and Executive Director of
the Center for Living With Dying, offers her thoughts at
http://www.aaets.org/arts/art98.htm.
For an online brochure titled, "Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips
for Recovering from Disasters and Other Traumatic Events," see
http://www.helping.apa.org/therapy/traumaticstress.html.
http://mentalhelp.net/ provides a
searchable database for
conferences, workshops and mental health topics.
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
offers ideas for helping children through disaster,
http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/disaster.htm.
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OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
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The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress
maintains a site on acute trauma stress management,
www.aaets.org.
If you are looking for treatment resources, visit
the Directory of Mental Health Practitioners at
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/directory/
and the Treatment Center Directory at
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/tcenter/tcenter.html.
http://www.trauma-pages.com/
contains information
for clinicians and researchers in the traumatic-stress field.
http://www.fsu.edu/~trauma/
features an online journal
on the traumatization process.
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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS
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Cohen, Barry M., Mary-Michola Barnes and Anita B. Rankin. (1995)
Managing Traumatic Stress Through Art: Drawing From the Center.
Danieli, Y. (Ed.) (1998)
International Handbook:
Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma.
Doka, Kenneth J. and Davidson, Joyce D (Eds.) (1998)
Living
with Grief: Who We Are, How We Grieve.
Foa, Edna B. (Editor), et al. (2000)
Effective Treatments for PTSD.
Follette, Victoria M. (Editor) et al. (1998)
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapies for Trauma.
Herman, Judith L. (1997)
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence -- From
Domestic Abuse to Political Terror.
Horowitz, Mardi J. (1986) Stress Response Syndrome.
Horowitz, Mardi J. (Editor) (1999)
Essential
Papers on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(Essential Papers in Psychoanalysis Series).
Raphael B. ed. (1998)
When
Disaster Strikes: How Individuals and Communities
Cope with Catastrophe.
Rothchild, Babette. (2000)
The
Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma
and Trauma Treatment.
Saakvitne, Karen W. & Perlman, Laurie A. (1996)
Transforming
the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious
Traumatization.
Ursano, Robert J., Fullerton, Carol S. & Ann E. Norwood
Psychiatric Dimensions Of Disaster: Patient Care, Community
Consultation, and Preventive Medicine at
http://www.psych.org/pract_of_psych/disaster.cfm.
Valent, Paul (1998) Introduction
to Survival Strategies
From Survival
to Fulfillment: A Framework for the
Life-trauma Dialectic.
Wilson, John P. & Raphael, Beverly (1993)
International Handbook of Traumatic Stress Syndromes.
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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
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If the disaster response overwhelms you, close the door and
let it go. Share sorrow silently at http://www.worldtradetribute.com.
Sound off with words, music and literature--poetry, quotes,
verses, scripture--at Fast Company's "The Power of Words"
http://www.fastcompany.com/change/change_feature/lyrics.html.
But don't be fearful of showing your true feelings to those you lead
and of creating a safe place for them to do the same. Only together,
joining with survivors, professionals and other people in our
community, can we revive our collective spirit and find meaning
in the aftermath of pain.
Please recommend this e-zine to anyone who wants to be a better
leader, coach, facilitator, or simply, to tune up their people skills.
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M. K. Key, Ph.D.
Psychologist
Key Associates, LLC
Nashville, Tennessee
(615) 255-0011, fax (615) 665-1622