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The importance of our first 1001 days

The importance of our first 1001 days

Perrin

17 March 2023 at 12:00:00

We talk about needing more human leadership
We talk about needing to be more compassion in organisations
We talk about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging...

We talk about needing more human leadership
We talk about needing to be more compassion in organisations
We talk about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging...

...and these is vital, however the world also needs more leaders that are trauma-informed.

According to Home Start...

"The first 1001 days is a period of uniquely rapid growth when babies’ brains are shaped by their experiences and environments. Babies develop in an environment of relationships: sensitive, responsive care is the most fundamental element of optimal emotional development."

In our workplaces...

1 in 4 UK workers have been bullied at work.
1 in 6 UK workers are affected by depression.
56% of UK employees are experiencing mild symptom of depression
25% of UK employees would meet the criteria of 'clinically relevant symptoms' of depression
1 in 6 men have experienced sexual abuse as a child
2.4 million adults experienced domestic abuse in 2020

We can experience events that lead to trauma in our workplaces, and we can bring them to our workplaces. The need for leaders to have a strong appreciation of this and how it can affect their workplace culture and wellbeing is critical.

Of course there's a complexity here...

...unhealthy workplace cultures nurture low trust and psychologically safe environments and promote behaviours, such as bullying, harassment, coverups and perfectionism - They also result in poorer decision-making and therefore governance.

...healthy workplace cultures nurture high trust and psychological safe environments and promote behaviours, such as empathy, listening, openness and respect - They also result in higher decision-making and therefore better governance.

...in unhealthy and healthy workplace cultures your people take their experiences home to their families, partners and children through their emotions -

If we are experiencing shame, fear, anxiousness, frustration or anger at work, these emotions will follow us home.

If we are experiencing joy, understanding, excitement, inclusion or belonging at work, these emotions will follow us home.

Our partners, our friends, our families, our children experience the behaviours often associated with these emotions.

You can see the complexity and interrelationships here.

Our children experience the emotional outputs from unhealthy cultures
They grow up with experiences leading to trauma
They go on to replicate these experiences
Their children experience the emotional outputs from unhealthy cultures.

We need to circuit break this cycle and complexity.

So, what can a leader do to become trauma-informed?

- Develop a curiosity of what trauma is and how it affects all our behaviours.
- Develop a more empathic and compassionate approach to your people.
- Develop a culture that embraces the humanity of organisations.
- Develop a sense of belonging through diversity, equity and inclusion.

This is why at CoSteer we support organisations like The Bright Beginnings Children's Centre and The Guernsey Welfare, but it's also why we want to nurture a trauma-informed community of leaders wherever we do business.

In Guernsey
In Jersey
In the UK
In Greece
In South Africa
In Lesotho
In...

You are welcome to join us
In kindness

The CoSteer Team 🧡

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