Member Care--Help from Leaders: 4

Helping Staff Deal with Difficult Experiences
Part four of four parts
Note--with a music link at the end.

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Leaders and AV2 Encounters: Final Thoughts

AV-1
Acknowledgement and Validation
Helps to affirm our sense of truth
Helps us feel more empowered (less helpless)
Helps lighten the burden on our shoulders

AV-2
Apology and Vindication
Helps to affirm our sense of justice
Helps us feel more valuable (less violated)
Helps lighten the burden in our heart
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AV-3 (recently added)
Attack and Villianise
Covers up truth and distorts reality
Discredits a person's character, competence, and contributions
Reinforces an organisational ethos of fear, impunity, and dysfunction
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AV-1 and AV-2 encounters affirm our sense of reality and our sense of worth.
They affirm who we are as a “person” created in God’s image.
They are “protective factors” that foster our resiliency.
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AV-3 encounters destroy. (People "stomp, smear, sneak."--see Psalm 56, The Message)
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Reflection and Questions
**How do AV2 Encounters reflect an organisation’s ethos of staff development?

**To whom do leaders go for AV2 Encounters?

**How much do people want to have "true change" and not just have “time” with a leader/potential change-agent?

**What if the leader in an AV2 Encounter is part of the problem?

**How realistic is it to expect that disclosures will not be used against a person?

**When might someone in an ombudsman role or an outside consultant be better than a leader?

**What if staff really distort the facts, and correction rather than empathy is needed?

**What experience do you have with AV-3 Encounters?

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Go to this music-video link, by Cream, circa 2008,

a gentler version (Jack Bruce) than the original from 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGDrTvWinMQ

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Please, open your eyes

Try to realise

I found out today

We're going wrong.

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Please open your mind

While you can find

I found out today

We're going wrong.

Member Care--Help from Leaders: 3

Helping Staff Deal with Difficult Experiences

Part three of four parts

Note--with a music link at the end.
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AV2 Summary:

AV-1 is basic. Active listening by leaders, or any respected person, helps facilitate it. People feel empowered. AV-2 though is trickier. In many situations involving relationship, project, and organisational issues—in spite of encounters with safe leaders—apologies and vindication do not happen. Justice may not be served to one’s satisfaction. Divergent views and differing people cannot be reconciled. Dysfunctional aspects of systems and people can seemingly prevail. This challenges people to be realistic about what to expect; to consider their own possible distortions and weaknesses; and to use this difficult experience for personal growth—letting it bring out the best in them and not the worst. And for those in the Christian faith-based sector, it can encourage them and even goad them to “entrust themselves into the hands of a faithful Creator in doing what is right" (I Peter 4:19).

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Reflection and Discussion

**Give an example when difficult experiences brought out the best in you and not the worst.

**What type of additional training might leaders get to help them with things like AV2 encounters?

**When would it be irresponsible for leaders/organisations to not challenge injustices?

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Music link:

Here's a song about vulnerable humans, in utero. It also relates to anyone in a vulnerable place, who needs the help and protection of others. Others often may need to take risks in order to help. How might this relate to member care and to AV2 encounters?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNCiLhoS6eQ.