Connected leaders

Connection Course:

Connected leaders

Authentic leaders create connection in their team. They know what builds it and what breaks it. They start by mastering and ackowledging their own stresses and fears first. Connection is a basic need that everyone looks for in their surroundings. Ensuring that this need is genuinely met will enhance trust, creativity, productivity as well as inclusion and cohesion in your team. With this course you will learn how to respond to the signals of your own nervous system and how they influence your connection in yourself and thereby for everyone else.

We often have to navigate many different and sometimes conflicting expectations from others as well as ourselves both at home and at work, which for many can develop into stress. Often such situations are compounded by a poor work-life balance and if we are exposed to it for too long or too often, we start to feel unsafe. When we feel unsafe, our body essentially goes into one of the four defense mechanisms - 'fight', 'flight', 'freeze' or 'fawn'. For some of us this can develop into a chronic condition.

However, it is rarely wise to act or make decisions as long as we are in this contracted state of 'fight', 'flight', 'freeze' or 'fawn'. Professor dr. Stephen Porges from the University of North Carolina explains in his research how our nervous system influences our thoughts, feelings and behavior through automatic reactions and how this can essentially lead to poor decisions if we are not conscious of those reactions. Not only is our judgement impaired by what is essentially fear, but when we as leaders go crazy, we make people around us feel unsafe and then everyone goes crazy.

In this course you will get to know the automatic reactions of your nervous system and learn how to listen to and be conscious of those reactions and respond skillfully to them. 

Throughout the course we will explore the following topics:

·    The stages of your nervous system and how they influence your connection

·    The influences of each stage on your thoughts, mood and behavior

·    The underlying needs of each stage

·    Going from unhealthy stress to healthy stress

·    The safe nervous system state of being calm & connected

The benefits of the Connection Course:

• You will first and foremost become familiar with your own nervous system and the ingrained beliefs that it triggers.
• With consistent practice you will eventually learn to befriend your nervous system which is a powerful ally in daily life in turning defensive and conflict prone reactions into contructive thoughts and actions.
• Due to unhealthy work cultures, beliefs and habits, we often look to the wrong places to meet our needs. But once you start respecting your nervous system, you will learn what your needs are really about and how to meet them at any given moment.
• You will learn to break vicious cycles, stuck habits and thinking patterns.
• The best way to lower anxiety and stress is to prevent anxiety and stress from happening in the first place. You will therefore learn how to detect and interpret signals from your nervous system and how to skillfully respond to those signals well before they become real problems.
• Often the cause of conflicts can one way or the other be traced back to unmet needs or feelings of disconnection between individuals. Learning about your own nervous system and how it interacts with your belief system and thought patterns will make you more skillfull in responding to other people's defensive reactions.
• You will get access to several techniques and exercises that are easy to learn and remember so that you can bring them with you in daily life as helpful tools in turning anxiety, stress and overwhelm into safety and connection.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I use the course?

• In a combination of short videos with exercises you get to reset your nervous system.
• With handy charts you learn what your nervous system is telling you (and that of your coworkers and familymembers).
• Understanding and training physically helps to sooth you and better manage what is going on when people get in their defensive modes. You can bring back the balance and strength in your own body and mind, and invite coworkers to do the same.
• In the coaching sessions we dive deeper into your challenges and wins.

When does the course start and finnish?

• The course starts on your chosen date. Coaching per module typically happens every 2 weeks so you have enough time to learn, practice and digest. When you do the course as a team 2 extra sessions are included to set you up together, go through the course on your own, and come back as a team in a closing session.

If enriching your leadership and strengthening it with saftey and connection is what you are looking for for you and/or your team send an email to [email protected]. Be The Wellbeing is registered by the Flemish Flemish government and offers Flemish companies up to 20-30% subsidies. Be the Wellbeing registration number: DV.O220755.

If you have further questions we'll set up a video call to talk how to enhance your situation and leadership.