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BUILDING WELLNESS

by | Mar 1, 2021 | Articles, Features, Resilience | 0 comments

Coaching cancer patients has informed a framework for empowering clients to be more resourceful and to adapt to change. Andrew Parsons, Sue Jackson and Jackie Arnold share what they’ve learnt, drawing on the book they’ve edited, published last month to mark World Cancer Day on 4 February 2021

 

We’re professional coaches who volunteer our services to the Fountain Centre, a charity that supports cancer patients, carers and other family members in the NHS. The coaching service was developed to support clients to play a fully active role in their lives and to live well, both with and beyond cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer creates a whole new perspective in a moment. Many people say they can remember exactly where, when and how they were told. Nothing is ever quite the same again as they enter a complex, ambiguous, uncertain world where they feel a loss of control.

Significant changes in their physical abilities, and social relationships at home and at work can impact the emotional, cognitive and spiritual aspects of their lives. This can result in a life of high complexity and uncertainty for those individuals we support.

 

Parallels in the wider system

The current pandemic has brought significant uncertainty to many across the globe. With the challenges of remote working, isolation and lack of social interaction, many feel in survivor mode. In this situation, as we see in our work with cancer patients, the ability to cope and adapt is even more important.

Some 78% of business leaders have reported an increase in negative health behaviours, including self-medication with alcohol and drugs as a maladaptive coping response (HR magazine, 2020).

In 2018-19, stress, depression or anxiety were responsible for 44% of all cases of work-related ill health and 54% of all working days lost due to health issues in the UK, according to Mental Health First Aid. As we’ve read in the press, mental health issues are even more commonplace in the pandemic.

In our experience, coaching builds the skills of resilience and resourcefulness so individuals become empowered in their lives and adapt (healthily) to their situation. In positive psychology, this state is often spoken of as one in which people flourish or thrive. In our work, this feels a misnomer. No-one has chosen their cancer diagnosis or to live through a pandemic. Certain aspects of our lives will change forever and are beyond our control. However, by developing awareness, knowledge and resources we can build ‘wellness’ in these situations.

In 2020-21, living in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments has become the norm for many more people globally. The initial concept of VUCA was introduced more than 40 years ago to prompt strategic leadership in the military. Recently, new perspectives of Vision, Understanding, Courage/Clarity and Adaptability/Agility (VUCA 2.0) were introduced.

 

The Cycle of Empowerment

These perspectives are built from the Cycle of Empowerment (see Figure 1), first presented by Andrew Parsons at the International Coach Federation conference in Florence, Italy, in 2019. The Cycle provides a learning framework for coaches and mentors to support clients to boost health and wellness, helping people and systems to be more resourceful, resilient and move towards the new VUCA in our GVD (Global, Virtual, Diverse) world.

The first step is to use holistic coaching skills to support clients to gain a deeper awareness of their situation. This can result in a broader understanding of their physical situation and the way they’re thinking and processing information. These insights promote the development of new perspectives and opportunities.

Motivation can then be explored and aligned with their external stakeholders, such as family or workplace. Such an exploration and alignment enables choice. This choice enables implementation.

These coaching processes facilitate awareness, accelerate learning and enable individuals to develop a clear personal Vision, which supports their understanding of purpose (Clarity) and options (Adaptability/Agility).

 

Three empowerment pillars

We’ve identified three pillars involved in empowerment: Awareness, Information, Learning.

 

Awareness is our mindfulness, presence and heart connection with ourselves and others, which establishes clarity in the six realms of wellness to define or redefine the important elements that bring meaning to our lives (our purpose).

As defined by the National Wellness Institute (www.nationalwellness.org), the key domains are physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and occupational. The coaching process enables clients to make decisions more congruently, act with intention and to pause and notice when changes are needed. For example, it’s useful to be aware of the significant environmental, technological, social and personal challenges we face.

To survive in this changing global environment, leaders, coaches, HR and health professionals need to support staff, clients and patients to be resilient and self-motivated, to exert greater influence on the determinants of health and wellness. All professionals need to feel resourced and supported as they delve into the spaces of ‘not knowing’ by ensuring they have access to robust support such as supervision.

 

Information, facts and knowledge help people weigh up options and make decisions. For example, in the current pandemic, information is important to make assessments about our safety and wellbeing. Feedback is also a form of information that creates awareness. As coaches, ‘holding the mirror’ can provide deep insights that weren’t previously known.

Coaching offers a place in which to become aware of and discover ways to manage anxiety by adopting cognitive flexibility, staying present and developing focus both in work and personal life.

As professionals in both business and health we need access to research and up-to-date information from a variety of sources. We need to keep abreast of the considerable changes brought about by Covid-19, climate change and the geo-political environment. It’ll be necessary to support individuals to anticipate risk, build core empowerment skills and behaviours. It’ll be even more vital for our clients to motivate and engage their employees, team members and patients.

We’re aware of the urgent need for individuals and teams to attend to their physical, spiritual and mental health. Particularly to take time out from their screens, walk and be in nature, reflect wisely before making key decisions and take regular recovery breaks; a challenge in such times of unprecedented change, social isolation and uncertainty.

 

Learning and insight can be developed from expanding awareness, deep reflection, seeking information, aligning motivation and taking appropriate action. The safe, trustworthy and non-judgmental environment created in coaching conversations provides an opportunity to establish sustainable, values-led and personally congruent development. It’ll be important to consider the inevitable denial and resistance to change and any fears and emotions that arise as a result, given how comfortable we are with the familiar.

It’s vital to learn how to explore uncertainty and to ‘be with’ the unknown. To act compassionately and with curiosity embracing different cultures and styles will enable us to develop collaborative and sustainable relationships. In times such as these we need to be reflective and mindful partners alongside the individuals and teams we support.

 

Integration

We believe the ultimate goal of coaching for resilience is one that develops empowerment in health and wellness – the title of our recently published book – by bringing together all three pillars of awareness, information and learning. As individuals become empowered, they utilise their Vision, Understanding, Clarity and Agility to:

  • Withstand the turbulence and overwhelm of rapid change
  • Enhance resilience and regain balance for wise decision-making
  • Feel more motivated to survive in our increasingly GVD environment

 

Post-Covid, there’s likely to be an even greater key role for coaches, mentors, HR professionals and leaders/managers using coaching approaches to build resilience and empower both individuals and teams. The resulting benefits in health and wellness from the development of this new VUCA perspective will be important in, and for, all our communities.

 

About the authors

  • Andrew A Parsons is an EMCC-accredited Master coach/mentor and certified professional medical coach with postgraduate degrees in Physiological Sciences (MSc, PhD) and Psychology (MSc).
    He’s a volunteer coach at the Fountain Centre working with cancer patients and their families at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. He runs Reciprocal Minds Limited with his partner and won an award for Best Corporate Wellness Coaching Company 2020. He is co-author of Leading With Presence: What it is, why it matters and how to get it.
  • Sue Jackson is the principal of Whitespace Coaching. She’s an accredited master executive coach, coach trainer and supervisor, and is trained in mindfulness-based approaches. Sue coaches at all levels in organisations to develop empowered leaders, managers and team members, to facilitate vocational rehabilitation and improve mental health. She has specialist experience coaching individuals with long-term and life shortening medical conditions including cancer and pain management.
  • Jackie Arnold is a founding board member of the UK ICF and of the Association of Coaching Supervisors, an accredited coach and coach supervisor. She holds a Cancer Certificate for Primary Care Practitioners from Melbourne University. She’s trained in methodologies such as Clean Language, EI and CBT and is an NLP practitioner. She works as a coach and supervisor at the NHS Fountain Centre. She is co-author of Tomorrow’s Global Leaders Today: Working Wisely in Turbulent Times with Elaine Patterson.

References and further info

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