An Anti-Terrorism policy should be strong enough to withstand an F-5 Emotional Tornado . That means any policy you craft needs amazing roots and an incredible amount of flexibility. When any policy is in place it becomes exquisitely clear who the players are. This is even more clear when creating a policy to manage an Emotional Terrorist at the work site. Emotional Terrorists will offer grand and creative resistance. A strong policy clarifies the boundaries and that can set up a reactionary environment until the policy is standardized, tested and supported by the administration. Those employees who do not like boundaries, like Emotional Terrorists, will feel compelled to act, react , respond, go overt, go covert, or create spinning in others. While other employees whine and complain and inevitably either exit or adjust to the situation, Emotional Terrorists will escalate their agenda to not be bound by the rules of others. The creation of a policy often illuminates a hidden terrorist instantly if their resistance becomes visible. Knowing and expecting this is useful if you are grounded in good theories and procedures prior to implementation and announcements of new policy.
The following is an introduction to how you might start thinking how you are going to develop components for your No Emotional Terrorism at the Work Site Policy:
Develop and define the limitations your organization is able or willing to manage if confronted by emotional disruptions from small to catastrophic
Demand Zero Tolerance for going beyond the level defined as tolerable by your organization
Build into the policy enough room to handle the strong human emotions of extenuating circumstances, natural disasters, man made disasters, and unexpected events
Build into the policy a pre- and post-Disaster Emotional support and Management program such as Critical Incident Stress Management, Defusings, Debriefings, Training, Counseling, EAP, or Ongoing Intervention Strategies
Create a close relationship between Legal, Human Resources, Security, Internal Auditing and Administration to develop procedures to track, evaluate, and measure Emotional intangibles and to protect all employees from Emotional Terrorists. This should be part of any Disaster Plan
Provide ongoing training for all strata of employees in the areas of understanding normal as well as abnormal human emotions and their relationship to the business world, and what happens to real people.
Supply ongoing training in Human Emotions Management to all staff (All means ALL. Anyone left out becomes a risk.)
As you are creating your Emotional Continuity Training for teams and employees, you can use the following checklist to track your consistency:
Does each module of training follow the same "scripted" procedure so that the information is uniform and repeatable?
Is attending mandatory, because mandating attendance creates a sense of unity among participants and immediately limits options for spinning?
Do follow-up meetings provide creative input and collaboration from all members ?
Has there been buy-on from the top? The top-down process allows the administration/management to discover what employees are on board, who are potential company emotional saboteurs, and who are simply trainable "problem children."
Does each module include practice time and drill for new tools, language, and concept acquisition? Adjustment and absorption of new ideas takes time and familiarity .
Do units of education, or modules exceed teachable time frames ? Two hours for group education is appropriate, with shorter individual consultations when required. This process should add minimum emotional impact to the organization's functioning. Do not let lengthy trainings become fodder for emotional spinning.
Do Emotional Continuity Management trainings have written policy and clearly defined statements for:
Trainer qualifications
Company mission and team visions
Top organizational buy-on defined/clarified
Rules for mandated participation and non-negotiable consequences for nonparticipation
Expectations and timetables for skills practice and drills
Value added incentives for participation
Are reproducible documents prepared for:
Personnel interview charts
Models for explaining human emotions
Models for explaining human responses
Models for conflict resolution
Models for grief work and trauma management
Self-care tools ranging from simple to complex
Grading assessments
Models for managing individual differences
Systemwide back up plans
Systemwide back up plans for the back up plan
(Rate the following between 1=Low and 10=High)
How well does administration support the Emotional Continuity Management Plan?
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How completely has the Emotional Continuity Management Plan been incorporated into the Emergency Management Plan of the company?
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How well have other departments in the company been notified about administrative buy-on?
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How well have other departments supported the Emotional Continuity Management Plan?
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How well supported is the need to practice and drill for emotional emergencies?
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How extensive are the opportunities to drill for emotional emergencies?
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How financially supported is the Emotional Continuity Management Plan?
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How supportive is the administration about providing opportunities for training employees in emotional management?
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How supportive is the administration about providing opportunities for training management emotional management?
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How supportive is the administration about creating cooperative partnerships with other emergency response agencies prior to a disaster or emotional event?
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How supportive is the administration about providing pamphlets, books, literature, posters , media education, and other hard-copy information on Emotional Continuity Management Planning?
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How well do personnel know what they should do in an emergency to caretake their emotions?
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How well prepared are you to manage extreme emotions in the workplace?
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How well prepared are you to manage emotions resulting from a catastrophic disaster?
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Document the following:
Formal training
Informal training/experiences
Real time disaster experience
Continuing education
Licensures
License number and date of expiration/photocopy
Malpractice Insurance
Specialized training
Experience
References
Special skills
Special populations skills
Availability
Locations
Types of services
Application forms/process
Photo ID
Criminal background check including fingerprints
Security clearance if needed
Vehicular background check if needed
Signed contract for services including clear fee arrangements
Research
Find your highest order of management style
Explore a variety of possible forms
HOW:
Call someone in your position in another company for an Idea Meeting
Read magazines and books
Go to workshops or classes
Create a Blueprint
Visualize your perfect style
Take time to sketch or write your plan
HOW:
Create a notebook or journal of ideas
Draw pictures and doodles of your ideal work process
Decide and Commit
Remove barriers
Prepare the space
Gather resources
Survive first challenges
Continue to commit
HOW:
Work for buy-on
See the big picture so there is no emergency in the planning stage
Continue your research and creative stages
Use challenges and obstacles as learning/teaching moments
Write and rewrite your plan as it continues to evolve into a final draft
Begin
Take actions
Safeguard resources
Survive ongoing challenges
Recommit
HOW:
Talk with others inside and outside your work: create networks
Review and strengthen your data base
Create professional documents and forms
Accept and review feedback with your ideals in mind
Review persistence materials
Begin implementation stages
Recall
Review highest order ideals
Review original visions
Reconsider if appropriate
Recommit and Continue
HOW:
Review previous stages with ideals in mind
Continue to face challenges with open mind and commitment
Part One: Constructing Your Team
Who is on your Emotional Continuity Management Team?
Will they be trained and ready to get your company up and running during or after an incident?
How do others respond to this team emotionally?
Are they well thought of in the organization? Trusted? Safe?
Who will show up?
Have all members been trained in leadership to take over in case of loss of life?
What does your company need to get back to 100% services?
Can it operate at 10%? 35%?
What qualifications are acceptable to be on the Emotional Continuity Management team?
Have they been pre-screened for PTSD from any prior catastrophic incident?
Are they emotionally stable, mature, trained, and willing?
Have they had sufficient training?
What levels of training are sufficient for your team members and leaders ?
Are your emergency and disaster plans specific or generalized?
What is vague and what is specific?
Have you tested your plan?
Has it been table talk or real-time drills and exercises?
Have your team member discussed and planned for emotional shock , loss, and terror?
What support does your team have to manage their feelings when they are supporting others?
Have all team member been trained to understand the variety of emotional reactions to expect in case of a catastrophic incident by a qualified disaster or trauma specialist or qualified Licensed Mental Health Professional?
Who will replace you if you are not present? How would your team deal with losing you?
Does everyone know all the parts of the plan?
Part Two: Constructing Your Team Notebook
Minimum requirements should include:
Team Composition
Chain of authority
Exit strategies
Member list and all contact methods
Collect verifications of qualifications of all team members
Verification that all team members have been screened for PTSD and prior trauma
Plans for changes in circumstances, shifts, time off
Complete data about will your company require to return to 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% service levels
Anticipated obstacles to complete recovery
Written plans for the Emotional Continuity Management for specific incidents, even those that appear to be unlikely :
tornado
earthquake
suicide
cyber crime
shooting
fire
Emotional Terrorist
Winter storm
hurricane
chemical spill
shelter in place
Extensive lists of local, regional, national and international recourses
A chronology of how you have tested your plans and lessons learned data
Reproducible copies of required or preferred forms or documents
Emergency numbers for team members and families
Complete written policy and procedures
Company/Administrative buy-on statement
List of insurances and legal support
List of all employees under the domain of the Emotional Continuity Management Team