MA MAIN INTAIN ININ ING G HE HEALTHY HY Commonwealth Corps - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Commonwealth Corps Training November 2018

MA MAIN INTAIN ININ ING G HE HEALTHY HY PR PROFE FESSIO SSIONA NAL RE RELATIONSHIPS

AGENDA

• Welcome & Introductions
• Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Relationships
• Lunch
• Conflict Resolution & Communication
• Closing & Evaluations

¡Name ¡Host Site ¡City/Region ¡Favorite holiday tradition

INTRODUCTIONS

THE CONTINUUM OF PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR

Zo Zone ne of Hel elpfulnes ness: The center of the professional behavior continuum; where the majority of client/team interactions should occur for effectiveness and safety. Ov Over-In Involvement: Includes boundary crossings/violations. Un Under-In Involvement: Includes distancing, disinterest and neglect, which can be detrimental.

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

WHAT ARE PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES?

¡ Clearly established limits that allow for safe connections between service members/providers and their clients, students, community members, etc. ¡ “Be Being with” the client, not becoming the client ¡ Being fr friendly, not friends ¡ The ability to know where you end and the client begins ¡ A clear understanding of the limits and responsibilities your

• f your role as a service member and service provider

PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

WHY ARE BOUNDARIES IMPORTANT?

¡ Role modeling healthy communication and professional relationships to clients and team members ¡ Avoiding the “rescuer” role ¡ Staying focused on one’s responsibilities to the client and the provision of helpful and appropriate services to client ¡ Avoiding burn-out/compassion fatigue ¡ Maintaining a healthy, open, communicating and functioning team ¡ Maintaining one’s physical and emotional safety

THE IMPORTANCE OF BOUNDARIES

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING LOOSE/POOR BOUNDARIES?

¡ Compassion Fatigue – your role may not feel sustainable ¡ Potential for “splitting” on teams ¡ Client may not be given appropriate or helpful services, which could affect their willingness to accept future services ¡ Client may feel betrayed, abandoned and/or poorly served ¡ Service provider may act unethically ¡ The reputation of the agency, program, and/or profession may be compromised ¡ Risk of emotional trauma or physical danger

CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING LOOSE/POOR BOUNDARIES

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES?

¡ Dual Relationships– The service provider (SP) and client know each other on a personal context in another setting. ¡ Values Conflicts– The client’s choices, history, feelings, lifestyle and/or life circumstances conflict with the SP’s values and/or knowledge about best practices. ¡ Vicarious Trauma– The SP experiences trauma symptoms from hearing about the clients experiences. ¡ Playing the “hero” role– The SP feels the need to save a client. ¡ Poor Teamwork – The SP does not trust that other team members are fulfilling their responsibilities, believes she/he/they can provide their services better, and/or believes that the client works best only with her/him/them.

WHY IT’S DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

¡ Client and service provider begin referring to each other as friends ¡ Service provider receives gifts from or gives gifts to client ¡ Client has or is asking for provider’s personal phone number or other significant personal information ¡ Client asks/expects service provider to socialize with them

• utside of professional setting

¡ Service provider reveals excessive personal information to client ¡ Service provider is unable to sleep due to anxiety related to the client’s situation ¡ Discussion regarding work/clients dominates service provider’s social interactions with fiends and family ¡ Service provider offers to provide assistance to client outside of his/her/their role (babysitting, transportation, etc.) ¡ Service provider finds themselves venting with client about other providers on team

SIGNS THAT BOUNDARY ISSUES MAY BE PRESENT

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

¡ Find a partner and discuss:

§ A time when a boundary issue was present between yourself and a client, team member, volunteer, etc. AND how the situation was handled/improved OR § A time when you set a clear boundary to prevent a potential issue, what boundary violation you were trying to avoid, how you set the boundary, and if/how the boundary setting worked.

PAIR & SHARE

¡ Establish clear agreements ¡ Address the issue(s) early ¡ Clarify your role and boundaries (as often as necessary) ¡ Use your supervisor, team members, mental health professional as a sounding board ¡ Empathy vs. Sympathy ¡ Self-disclosure– Ensure that personal information you share is related to client’s goals ¡ Dual Relationships– Use your professional judgment when interacting with clients in social settings (considering confidentiality, physical/emotional security, power, etc.) ¡ Promote and role model positive, open communication and respectful sharing of information ¡ Ta Take care of yourself!

TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING HEALTHY PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

Source: “Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Interpersonal Work” by CASA of Santa Cruz County

SCENARIOS

¡ Prioritize your values.

§ Recognize that these may differ from the values of your team

• r agency – and that’s okay!

¡ Communicate early and clearly. ¡ Bring up a boundary or violation right away. ¡ Focus on concrete explanations. ¡ Create structure. ¡ Prepare for boundary breaches.

MAINTAINING BOUNDARIES WITH TEAM MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS

SOURCES OF CONFLICT

¡Incompatible goals ¡Differentiation (values, beliefs, experiences, etc.) ¡Scarce resources ¡Interdependence ¡Ambiguous rules ¡Communication problems

SOURCES OF CONFLICT

Source: “When Conflicts Arise: Effective Techniques to Deal with Challenging Volunteer Situations” facilitated by Claudia Lach

CONFLICT IN ONE WORD

• 1. What does the word you chose say about how you

perceive conflict?

• 2. What are some negative consequences of conflict?
• 3. What are some positive out comes of conflict?

DISCUSSION

¡ Where do you fall?

PREFERRED STYLE

Av Avoid Ad Address

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

Substance Relationship

X Compete “My Way” Win/Lose X Avoid “No Way” Lose/Lose X Accommodate “Your Way” Lose/Win X Compromise “Mid-Way” Half win/half lose X Collaborate “Our Way” Win/Win

Source: “When Conflicts Arise: Effective Techniques to Deal with Challenging Volunteer Situations” facilitated by Claudia Lach

• 1. Separate the conflict from the person.
• 2. Describe the conflict as a mutual problem
• 3. Offer to negotiate differences
• 4. Brainstorm alternative solutions
• 5. Evaluate the brainstormed solutions
• 6. Decide on the best solution
• 7. Plan how the solution/s will be implemented
• 8. Evaluate

THE STEPS OF NEGOTIATION

5 MINUTE BREAK

¡ Active Listening

¡ Nonverbal Communication ¡ Clarity and Concision ¡ Friendliness ¡ Confidence ¡ Empathy ¡ Open-Mindedness ¡ Respect ¡ Feedback ¡ Picking the Right Medium

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Pa Passive As Assertive Ag Aggressive

§ Quit tone § Questioning inflection § Downcast, shifting or averted eyes § Weak body language (Shoulders slumped, head down, taking up minimal space, retreating or defeated posture) § Audible tone § Firm, declarative inflection § Steady eye contact § Confident body language (Shoulders square, head up, taking up appropriate space, strong posture) § Loud tone § Threatening, mocking and/or intimidating inflection § Intrusive eye contact and/or physical presence § Menacing body language (Arms raised, finger wagging and/or fist shaking, stomping feet, taking up excessive space, advancing

• r attacking posture)

STYLES OF COMMUNICATION

PRACTICING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

¡ Observations– Description of what is seen or heard without added interpretations or assumptions.

§ Example: ”When two supervisors ask me to do two different tasks at the same time.”

¡ Feelings– Our emotions rather than our story or thoughts about what others are doing.

§ Example: “I feel overwhelmed and confused.”

¡ Needs– Feelings are caused by needs, which are universal and not dependent on the actions as the cause.

§ Example: “I feel overwhelmed because I need clarity and support.”

¡ Requests– Doable and stated in positive action language (what you want instead of what you don’t want)

§ Example: “Would you be willing to meet with me for an hour next week?”

THE FOUR PARTS MODEL

¡ Request (vs. demand) ¡ Concrete and specific (vs. vague or general) ¡ Positive action language, a “do” (vs. negative, a “don’t”) ¡ Doable (vs. not doable, i.e. more than a person could do) ¡ Connection Requests:

§ Connecting back to your feelings, needs § Clarifying understanding (Where you heard/understood? Are you on the same page?)

¡ Action Requests:

§ State specific action as a solution § Work together to brainstorm possible actions/solutions

MAKING REQUESTS

¡ Write down a concern you have (either coming into or following today’s training):

§ Conflict, boundary issue, or communication challenge § Ongoing or anticipated

¡ Make sure it is something you are willing to share anonymously amongst your small group (omit any names/personal information, if necessary) ¡ Once in small groups, we will shuffle the notes and discuss possible outcomes/problem solve for solutions

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

¡ Action Steps

§ One goal you’re going to set for yourself over the next few months related to professionalism, boundaries, conflict resolution or communication

¡ Evaluations & Travel Reimbursements

CLOSING

• December Training & Reflection Session
• Mo

Monday, 12/10 in in Sprin ingfie field ld (EDC of Western Mass)

• Fr

Friday, 12/14 in Boston (Federal Reserve Bank)

• January “Sustaining Your Service and Yourself” Training
• Mo

Monday, 1/14 in in Bost ston (The Nonprofit Center)

• Fr

Friday, 1/18 in Worcester (United Way of Central Mass)

• February Member Retreat
• Fr

Friday, 2/15 in Boston (More details coming soon!)

UPCOMING TRA TRAINING OPPORTU RTUNITI TIES

THANK YOU!