This webinar explored the very real effects of fatigue and burnout associated with slow burn crises and multiple event management for leadership and operational response teams. Topics included diving into empathic leadership, the significance of rest and recovery, job design and psychological agility.
Some discussions in the webinar:
- The accumulating effects of COVID-19
- The impact of stress on capability and effective decision making
- Strategies to manage team fatigue and burn out
- Considerations for ongoing COVID-19 waves, natural catastrophes and other critical events.
Some key takeaways:
- Empathic leadership: David Burroughs from Australian Psychological Services noted that the best 2020 leadership styles have proven to be those who are willing to demonstrate voluntary vulnerability. “Understanding that our leaders aren’t going to get out of this unscathed is important.”
- Rest and recovery: Brad Law from RiskLogic noted the importance of having bench strength and organizational depth when managing ongoing events. “Don’t overstretch your good people.”
- Job design: Both David and Brad highlighted the need for role clarity during critical events as a means of streamlining communication, matching capabilities with expectations, and minimizing crisis fatigue.
- Psychological agility: We are now functioning in an ambiguous operating environment, and one of the key skillsets to take into 2021 will be the ability to navigate ongoing, multiple critical events with flexibility, clarity, and a long-term perspective.
Expert panelists:
David Burroughs
Principal Psychologist
Australian Psychological Services
Simon Petie
Director
Escalate Consulting