Workplace Violence Prevention Training: De-Escalation
We are proud to have CPPS Manager of Security Solutions, Stacie Brown, M.Ed., featured in the November issue of Workplace Violence Today on page 15. Below is the full article. If you aren't subscribed to Workplace Violence Today, we have found it a beneficial resource for Security Industry Professionals.
As we empower individuals to build a strategy that protects their safety and security, it becomes apparent that it's one thing to tell them what it means to be proactive, use empathy and de-escalate, but understanding how to apply the tools and techniques is another. The true challenge lies in empowering an individual to become critical stakeholders in a safe work environment, one that's free from intimidation and violence. Without the benefits of training, one could easily find themselves immersed in a situation that seems unmanageable and out of control, which is the exact thing we are trying to prevent in the first place.
The challenge lies in understanding the difference between a defensive and offensive strategy. Defensively-minded individuals are generally untrained and reactionary; they are usually met with a situation or a set of circumstances first, then attempt to form a plan of action once the event is underway or has already occurred. As a result, they react in the moment when stress is heightened and opportunities are missed. Adversely, offensively minded people remain situationally aware of their environment, listen to their intuition, and take appropriate action. Situational awareness is a key component of Workplace Violence Prevention and foundational for a strong strategy.
Once tuned in to the world around you, one is better prepared to develop a proper course of action based on training, insight, and foreshadowing. Experiential learning can be integral to building knowledge and understanding for the learner. Scenario-based exercises are vital for accomplishing this and developing the muscle memory necessary to react appropriately—almost instinctually—to circumstances where emotions, like empathy, can be utilized to diffuse situations. There are countless examples of individuals who have faced situations and recalled their training to successfully diffuse what could have been a worsening or life-threatening situation. The results from a trained individual become so impactful that they can quite literally affect the world around them just by being empowered to do so.
Within the work environment, this type of employee becomes an asset to the organization, but it begins by understanding the process. As most of us know, violence in the workplace usually starts with a grievance. When an individual cannot resolve this grievance, negative behavior can escalate and lead to them exhibiting behaviors of concern (those behaviors that negatively impact safety and productivity). A trained employee has the tools to identify and report these behaviors. In contrast, an untrained employee is more likely to mishandle or avoid the situation altogether, which could lead to devastating results.
So, what does it truly mean to be empathetic? More importantly, how do you train a learner to become empathetic? It can be defined for them, shown in a PowerPoint Presentation, and explained in contrast with things like sympathy, but how do we utilize empathy as an offensive means for safety and security? Furthermore, why would we empower employees to use empathy as a tool to diffuse situations that could lead down an otherwise dangerous path?
Overall, the means for achieving the desired learning outcome is through the experience of Instructor lead, scenario-based exercises. Specifically, tailoring the scenarios to their unique environment with the challenges they face is a pivotal step in establishing an understanding of the application. Encourage the learner to apply the tools learned through repetition, the same way you would break a bad habit. Prior to the exercise, illustrate a few key concepts for the learners to demonstrate while providing examples for each; such as M-A-R-S:
1. Mirroring: Behavior impacts behavior. Exhibit the demeanor, tone of voice, and sincerity you wish for the person to emulate. Focus on remaining calm and have a mindset of safety and security by remaining aware of your surroundings and the person’s behavior.
2. Active Listening: Share their feelings by visualizing yourself in their experiences for the purpose of understanding, not responding. Show respect by giving the person your undivided attention, free from judgment and interruption. Be aware of your body language, and never show anger or take offense.
3. Respond: Offer them an opportunity to further explore their feelings by asking clarifying and open-ended questions to better explain and possibly understand where their grievance is rooted from. Be sure not to argue; being right is not the issue; attempting to get it right is.
4. Summarize: Offer reflective comments by summarizing the encounter. This is a great way to validate their feelings and demonstrate your sincerity to get it right. This is where areas of agreement can be met, and resolution can begin. Again, the goal is not to agree but to understand.
Practicing these simple concepts with the guidance of an instructor helps the learner attach muscle memory to the idea of using this formula to de-escalate situations they might face. Besides utilizing it as a de-escalation technique, applying empathy in our work environment with fellow employees, customers, vendors, visitors, and clients can provide many benefits. These include improving communication, strengthening professional relationships and partnerships, increasing sales and productivity, and creating a positive environment that generates growth and opportunity.
Have you ever asked yourself why it is that we usually begin to develop feelings for the villain toward the end of a movie or book? Through getting to know them, we acquire insight and create a level of understanding of the character, despite not agreeing with their actions. We would be remiss not to recognize that empathy is easier said than done. Fortunately, through training, it's a skill we can learn and nurture. Practice and repetition are key—empathy is a learnable skill. Empathy is one of the highest levels of communication, which explains why it can be challenging. Withholding judgment, considering others' perspectives, and demonstrating compassion can be extremely difficult in our ever-growing, always-consuming, fast-paced environments. However, slowing down, taking the time to be mindful of others' behaviors, and displaying empathy where warranted can be the crucial link to Workplace Violence Prevention.
By: Stacie Brown, M.Ed.
