COMMUNITY WISDOM CIRCLES

As the saying goes, we are better together. In today’s context, the global pandemic has caused us to experience a powerful shared human experience. While there is suffering, grief, loss, anxiety and a swirl of emotions that go through the day with us - there is also the gift of being, the ability to be present for each other and to learn from each other.

Notice that these states of being are human experiences. Things that we as humans have navigated through at one point or another during our life. However, in some organisations, people are asked to disconnect what they’re experiencing to ‘get the job done’ and others are so caught up in the front-lines that they forget to check-in on their overall well-being.

If we look at all the virtual programs and webinars that are on-going, these are led by experts - however, as a global community leader, I believe very much in championing the kampung (community) spirit. I believe something powerful happens when we encourage others to participate in collective wisdom. That we can learn from each other - and also recognise the human-ness of our places of work.

At the time of launching this, communities and workplaces around the world are in the thick of COVID-19 prevention responses. While the spread of infection is receiving much focus, what also needs support is the mental and overall wellbeing of individuals.

It is also important to note that before the Coronavirus outbreak, the WHO had classified burnout as a serious problem. So with the added stress and anxiety that the pandemic has brought, it is important to address chronic stress, too! Having experienced the latter myself, I continue in service of others to ensure they are equipped with tools, resources, mindset and the community to navigate this time.*

MY OFFERING TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM(S) DURING THIS TIME:

A facilitated, program to support resilience, compassion, connection and collective wisdom for teams of up to 10 people. See what’s included below…

⚡COMMUNITY CALLS

Participants will have access to four weekly community calls where we will convene together around specific themes, share resources and life-changing tools as well as to be guided to hold space for one another.

⚡CONNECTION

Connection with self, with others and the wider community. Participants will be warmly welcomed to continue connecting with each other in between our community calls to support their journey. I will also be available to connect - where possible, we can also create a Whatsapp chat group to facilitate what insights we’re learning and to share experiences along the way.

⚡DISCOVERY

With different themes to explore each week, participants will embark on self and group discovery through the facilitated calls as well as in the conversations that can take place in between.

⚡PAYING-IT-FORWARD

With my belief in being able to support others to dream and thrive beyond their current circumstances, there are options for you to pay-it-forward and ensure other places of work (such as non-profit, social service organisations, those on the front-lines, etc) can access this program. In addition, I will also allocate 8% of proceeds to a specific cause for each run. The number ‘8’ symbolises new beginnings to me and I like to believe that as you embark on a ‘new beginning’ together…it will also offer the gift of ‘new beginnings’ to others.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

• Four sessions with four different themes/prompts to support resilience, compassion and connection via video call - each session is 2 hours long (and it will feel like time flies by!)

• Up to 10 people at one time as it will be facilitated in a way that encourages participation - both as individuals and in group dynamics. I would highly recommend that the same group convenes for these sessions, however, it is also possible to have two different groups take on two sessions each.

• A group Whatsapp or Slack channel can be created for participants to continue connecting and supporting one another. These connections can continue even after I am not facilitating! This is purely optional and will depend on the group dynamic as well as the comfort level of participants. I will be accessible throughout the time we have together.

• Bonus session (5th session) during this time for celebration and a closing circle for participants who have gone through this experience together. This last session is optional but I would highly recommend it to reinforce learnings and to recap what we have journeyed through together!

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

I’ve been running similar community circles and participating in larger programming for the public since the start of the year and these are some of the responses:

💛“I had the incredible privilege of working with you that brought such rawness and realness.  You didn’t sugar-coat the experience of what it’s like to be a leader from the very beginning.  It was a real conversation.  It was human to human and I love that you always brought that into everything, into every meet-up and every phone conversation.

I think what you taught was the courage for other people to do the same. And, you were one of the reasons why a small but very significant group of people bound together and found each other and leaned into each other.  And that is because of who you are.  You’re somebody who walks into any situation and because you’re real.  On the one hand you’re this person who everyone notices when you walk into a room but on the other hand you’re someone who might not be the squeakiest wheel but has this quiet strength and I think you gave people the ability to have that quiet strength, too.  - Manager, Facebook

💛“ I appreciate that this time was a small group of us being able to reflect together and taking the time to ground ourselves.”

💛 “It is so nice to simply show up to this experience just to receive. As a leader, it can draining to continue looking after the needs of others and always thinking ahead and figuring out next steps. What I appreciate about this time together is that I don’t have to ‘prepare’, I don’t have to create or follow an ‘agenda’, there is no goal or task for me to do. I am receiving the gift of being.” - Managing Director, Global Commercial Real Estate Company.

💛“What you see online doesn’t do this magical experience any justice! Join the next one - you won’t regret it.” - Project Manager, Global Co-working company.

💛“Emily blew the roof! There is so much light and love and holding of space.”

💛“After the call, I experienced my first big breakthrough at my work! It couldn’t have happened without the connection and conversations that took place.”

💛“Before I joined the call, I must admit that I had a lot of thoughts like ‘Am I the only one who feels this way?’ and once I got in (to the virtual call) - I felt relieved. I am not alone. The message through these calls is that you are not alone in the world.”

💛“What I’m taking away from this experience is love, love, love. It is love. Thank you so much.”

💛 “I love that I can just be myself. Being able to be my real, authentic self. I am heartened that through my sharing, I can contribute to others as well.”

💛 “I appreciate the energising conversations of these calls. The ability to go deep. Throughout the call, I go up and down, up and down but by the end of it, I am energised and optimistic.”

*Some extra reading to showcase why I find it meaningful to be part of the solution.

Jan Bruce writes in Forbes…

“If you think the impact of COVID-19 on employees will abate once new infections slow down, think again. We can right-size our businesses, we can give people protective gear or have them work from home, but the toll on mental health will be here for a while…We already knew we needed workers to learn and extend themselves in new ways while staying focused and collaborative. Now the need is even more urgent. This is a textbook situation for causing burnout, which occurs when the demands placed on someone exceed the resources they have available to deal with them. Less than a year ago the WHO named burnout a workplace syndrome which costs $125 billion per year.  Workforce emotional wellbeing and behavioural health were already priority challenges prior to the pandemic.”

And in another US-based report, “before the onset of COVID-19, almost 60 percent of workers shared that stress had brought them to tears at work, a 23 percent increase from 2019. Surveyed following the onset of COVID-19, workers’ stress levels are significantly higher:

• 88 percent of workers reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress over the past 4-6 weeks.

• 69 percent of workers claimed this was the most stressful time of their entire professional career, including major events like the September 11 terror attacks, the 2008 Great Recession and others. Every demographic, including adults over the age of 55, rated COVID-19 as the most stressful time.

• 91 percent of employees working from home reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress.

• 43 percent of employees have become physically ill as a result of work-related stress.”