Why this matters
It is never advisable that we completely dissociate our work lives from our personal lives but when it comes to major events unfolding around us, not spending time actively discussing how it makes us feel is a damaging strategy that can affect productivity, mental health and lead to burnout for the entire team.
With the pandemic behind us, we are now all faced with war in Europe. Many of our colleagues and friends are directly affected and in danger. Furthermore, the threat of military escalation is present and real for all of us.
To remain able to do our daily work, we need to come together as a team and find the reserves to have difficult conversations around how this situation makes us weary, anxious and frightened. This play offers a framework for this conversation.
Note: This is about emotions and open conversation, less about political viewpoints, this is an opportunity to leave those behind.
How to run it
- 1
Facilitator (or team lead) to set the scene. Start by acknowledging that this is a hard conversation. We barely speak about our fears with our loved ones and we often worry privately and regard the thoughts that create sleepless nights as individual and intimate. That simply increases the cognitive and emotional load on each team member, and it can have devastating consequences. To mitigate against those, we need to do the reverse and speak about each doubt, each hope, survival guilt, shame, anxiety, etc but most of all about the fears that plague us all together, in the whole team.
- 2
Take 10 minutes to complete these statements individually on (virtual) post-its. Then each pick one to expand on:
- “When it comes to the situation in Ukraine I feel …”
- “If I were to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how frightened this situation has me I would pick …”
- “I most fear for …” / "I am most worried about …”
- “The thing that struck me the most is …” (this can be a video, a piece of news, an article, something a colleague said)
- “Speaking to all of you about this makes me feel …” (please elaborate)
- “Something I personally am thinking of doing (or have done) to help is …”
- “The best possible outcome is …”
- 3
Reiterate that hopefully this play may never be needed again.
What next
Use this play as often as needed.
Related resources
- Introducing the Let's Be Real About Fear Play (video)