How to win over the corporate duck syndrome?
Research indicates that chimpanzees are amongst the top 10 most anxious animals. Stressed, anxious, threatened, or fearful chimpanzees exhibit their emotions by screaming, adopting an intimidating posture, or baring their teeth as a warning to others to keep their distance. In the corporate world, it creates a social media buzz when there is a melt down and a team member bares his teeth and screams when facing stress. So, we all rather act like ducks – seemingly cool and composed on the surface of the corporate lake, but pedalling like mad under water. And I think that just like ducks, many of us also spend our rest times in a state of slow-wave sleep where only half of the brain rests while the other half stays awake and alert.
As a mumpreneur and the head of Maluti, a communication and training company in Mauritius, I recently had the opportunity to organize the first Wim Hof corporate stress management training on the island. Working alongside the Wim Hof French accredited trainer, Garry Dumont, we conducted a series of one-day workshops, with a diverse group of over 80 executives, leadership, and support teams. And it was an eye-opener to the immense impact stress has on people’s lives, in and out of the corporate world, regardless of rank, gender or age.
The workshop focused on teaching individuals how to use stressors, such as ice baths, to build resilience and calm in the face of high-pressure situations. In fact, the ice bath served as a metaphor for the stress one might encounter when dealing with an enraged client, exhausted colleagues, irate boss, overwhelming family life, and so on.
Prior to the ice bath exposure, Garry guided the participants through breathing exercises, allowing them to tap into their own inner strength. We learned how to shift our internal mental state when faced with external challenges, and it was remarkable to see how quickly tangible results were achieved through mental conditioning and just one hour of breathing techniques.
The feedback we received from all participants was overwhelming. The training was empowering for everyone involved, as made them realize the amount of stress we were all carrying on our shoulders. This experience has reinforced my belief that it’s time for corporate wellness to creep up to a corporate health concept; it’s now more about finding healing and a new internal path amidst the external craziness that is only expected to increase in the corporate world.
Over the years, we all developed our own coping mechanisms to stress. This training reminded me yet again that so many are however silently battling chronic stress, even when they appear to be handling it well.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to facilitate this transformative training. I look forward to continuing to help empower others to realize their potential and achieve more through stress management and personal development. I have that deep belief that with these kind of initiatives, we can make a difference and promote a healthier, more resilient working environment where neither ducks nor chimps will rule.
#StressManagement #HealthAndHealing #WorkplaceWellbeing #CorporateWellness #PersonalDevelopment #Mauritius #Garry Dumont
