NEIL BURROWS AND LINDA SIMON SEPTEMBER 2014, VANCOUVER

Overview of Lateral Violence Two Case Studies What We Have Learned & Moving Forward Question & Answer

BC, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Ontario!

Gossip / Rumours Undermining & Sabotage Passive-Aggressive non verbals No respect for lines of authority Policy infractions Lack of Accountability Blaming Create Chaos

Poor Team-Work Poor Communication Defensive / Territorial (“turf wars”) Triangulation Controlling-type behaviours Chaos & unpredictable Lack of trust

Favouritism High staff turnover High rate of absenteeism Quality of service suffers Defensive / Judgemental / Critical staff Resistant to change (even positive) Rigid power hierarchy

Fear Instability & Insecurity Unhealthy boundaries Head in the Sand

© Joelle McKiernan

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Addictions

Land

???

Traditional Healing &

Knowledge Earth Stewardship

Relationship Violence

Losses

Residential School

Causes

LATERAL VIOLENCE

Chronic Illness

Poverty

I AM NOT OF VALUE Message

PARENT-CHILD ISSUES

Suicide Mental Illness

Assimilation Oppression

Objectification Discrimination Attachment

Power & Control

Rights Cultural Identity

Community Connection

Symptoms

Forced Relocation

Indian Act

Colonization

PRESENTING ISSUES (WHAT WAS HAPPENING?)

WHAT WERE THE IMPACTS?

INTERVENTION (WHAT DID WE DO?)

PLANNING THE LATERAL VIOLENCE WORKSHOPS

WHAT WERE THE NEXT STEPS

WHAT WORKED / DIDN’T

PRESENTING ISSUES (WHAT WAS HAPPENING?)

WHAT WERE THE IMPACTS?

INTERVENTION (WHAT DID WE DO?)

PLANNING THE LATERAL VIOLENCE WORKSHOPS

WHAT WERE THE NEXT STEPS

WHAT WORKED / DIDN’T

Services offered by First Health Solutions that assist organizations to deal with Lateral Violence in an effective, respectful and sustainable way:

1. Awareness Seminars 2. Addressing needed Skills 3. Policy Development 4. Reinforcement of the “new culture”.

Recommended Course of Action: ◦ A two-day Workshop for all teams (ideal group size

is 12-20) that: ◦ Teaches the W5 of Lateral Violence (who, what,

where, when, why? ◦ Begins a process of self-reflection ◦ Identifies conflict-handling styles and skill deficits.

Essential Skills required to effectively move from away from Lateral Violence: ◦ Assertive Communication ◦ Conflict Management ◦ Shields from Lateral Violence (ie, CBT)

Update / Revise Policy and Procedure to: ◦ Ensure inappropriate behaviours (ie., Lateral

Violence) are clearly identified; ◦ Provide specific procedures for investigation,

remediation and discipline; ◦ Ensure compliance with Labour Law

A new “way of doing things” does not sustain itself unless: ◦ Employees and Teams are acknowledged for

positive changes; ◦ Team-building and recognition events must out-

number disciplinary actions! ◦ Employee’s personal wellness is recognized as

crucial and is supported accordingly.

Even at work (some would say especially at work) we seek significance in our lives – to be doing something of value, and to be recognized for it.

Using the “Psychological Contracts” handout as a starting point, work in pairs to discuss what you strive to achieve at work, and how you hope to be recognized for it.

Horizontal Violence / Hostility, Internalized

Colonialism, Relational Aggression, Lateral Violence.

“When a powerful oppressor has directed oppression against a group for a period of time, members of the oppressed group feel powerless to fight back and they eventually turn their anger against one another”

Jane Middleton-Moz

Passive

Passive-Aggressive

Aggressive Assertive

Destructive

Competitive Accommodating Passive - Aggressive Passive Aggressive

Each has a varying combination of cooperation and

assertiveness.

Lateral Violence is but one (albeit critical) component of a Toxic Workplace.

Other components include:

Poor management / leadership; Inadequate policy (or punitive); Personality conflicts allowed to impede work; Others?

While Bullying is often an element of Lateral Violence, it is often identified as personality-related (ie, more about the person than the workplace); A bully may be present at a healthy workplace but is “weeded out” quickly.

◦ Also, Bullying is not necessarily lateral, it is often

from superiors to underlings.

Allows communities and agencies to transition from reliance on external “experts” to internal capacity.

16 staff / managers selected for a 4-day Intensive Training that includes all of the Lateral Violence curriculum, and development of facilitation skills.

Also available is the Domestic Violence: Train the Trainer Program.

Have a wonderful evening!

First Health Solutions

www.firsthealthsolutions.ca

Neil Burrows (250) 615-6863