The Shapes
Toolkit Live Training

In this keynote talk we explore how to deal with the overwhelming workload that many professionals are experiencing in the new post - COVID ways of working. As it's just not possible to cram yet more into an already overscheduled day, the only answer is to prioritise what's really important, set boundaries and say no. We discuss how to do this, how to focus only on what you can control and then deal with the inevitable yet uncomfortable pushback that can cause our boundaries to crumble/p>

In this interactive talk, we explore the overarching principles which will enable doctors and other health and social care workers to stay well in the new ways of working, take control of their time, maintain a good work-life balance and stay resilient through change and uncertainty.

Many leaders are worried about the well-being of their teams and feel like they are running around like headless chickens to keep everyone happy. In this masterclass, we explore how we often try to ‘fix it’ for everyone, taking the rescuer role in the drama triangle. We then think about how we can focus on our own wellbeing and get out of the rescuer role, helping others to solve their own problems.

Most of us assume that to be successful, you have to work harder and harder. This webinar explores the surprising science of happiness and productivity which finds that happiness can lead to productivity and success. There are many ways in which you can take control over aspects of your work that will promote happiness and help you to thrive, such as focussing on your core needs and working in your Zone of Genius. We discuss these and more in this interactive talk.

In health and social care, we so often put the well-being of everyone else first instead of caring for ourselves. In this interactive talk, we look at how you can take control of your wellbeing, avoid the ‘Vortex of Busyness’, and stay mentally and physically fit at work using principles from positive psychology. We’ll examine the wellbeing factors that keep us re-energised so that you can work at your best even through challenging times.

With increasing patient demand and what feels like diminishing resources, staying on top of of your workload can feel impossible when you’re trying to do the day job on top of everything else. It can feel like all you ever do is firefight the urgent stuff and don’t have enough hours in the day to get to your important projects, rest or take care of your own needs. In this interactive talk you’ll learn some simple but effective tools to help you manage your time, prioritise your tasks and take back control of your to-do list.

This interactive workshop will help participants understand what happens to their performance under increasing pressure and give them some strategies to take control of their workload, their wellbeing, and their work-life so that they can beat burnout and work happier. We introduce some key coaching, productivity and resilience tools which will help participants feel less overwhelmed whilst working in challenging environments and feel calmer when responding to difficult situations such as a new role, conflict or complaints.

With increasing patient demand and what feels like diminishing resources, staying on top of of your workload can feel impossible when you’re trying to do the day job on top of everything else. It can feel like all you ever do is firefight the urgent stuff and don’t have enough hours in the day to get to your important projects, rest or take care of your own needs. In this interactive workshop you’ll learn some simple but effective tools to help you manage your time, prioritise your tasks and take back control of your to-do list.

This session helps participants change their response to challenging situations such as conflict, which causes anxiety and stress. Participants explore the neuroscience of the threat response and how we can become 'backed into a corner' by the stories we tell ourselves. They learn how to identify when they are triggered, press the pause button, and change their mindset to respond in a more human and compassionate way.

This session will help individuals who feel responsible for others to identify which role they take in the drama triangle and either get out of the victim mentality and be more proactive, or get out of the rescuer role, where they try to 'fix it' for everyone. Participants will practice using a simple coaching model, enabling them to take a coaching approach in their day to day conversations and transform their team interactions.

During this interactive session, we'll use positive psychology research and neuroscience to explain the core principles of happiness and wellbeing. Participants will learn how they can easily become sucked into the vortex of busyness, share wellbeing hacks and do a personal wellbeing audit to identify some concrete actions to escape the vortex and improve their mental and physical fitness.

Traditionally, when the workload builds up, the answer is to work harder and fit more into already busy days, and conventional time management and resilience training focuses on trying to fit more in, and help people increase their welling so that that they can survive. But what should healthcare teams do when they are at capacity and it’s not possible to work any harder? The only answer is to set limits, say no and keep a laser focus on what’s really important. This is easier said than done, people may not have the time and headspace to start to prioritise their work, and they may worry that if they say no, their patients and colleagues will be affected, or people will think badly of them However, if nothing changes, serious mistake may be made, or staff end up going off sick with stress or burnout. In this workshop we explore how delegates can prioritise their time so that they know what to say yes to, discuss why our limits as a human being can actually help us to set boundaries, explore what the consequences might be of setting boundaries, and consider how to deal with the inevitable pushback that saying no might bring with it.

Healthy conflict is normal in any team, but the stresses of working on the frontline in healthcare may cause conflict, which is often unspoken, and if not addressed, may become toxic. This half day workshop will examine the common reasons that we avoid conflict, and the consequences for our team of not having the conversations we know we should. Participants will learn the neuroscience behind how our brains react to conflict, and how this can lead to the 'five dysfunctions of a team'. They will learn how to use some simple tools to help them build trust, improve psychological safety and conflict well.

Many professionals in healthcare are in a role in which they are not the boss but need to implement some new ideas or approaches and need get people on board. Often tricky conversations or negotiations are needed but people are worried about ruining the relationship or making things difficult. Staff are also often working across several different teams in a role in which they need to influence others in their day-to-day work but have no direct control over what others do. The workshop will enable delegates to use some simple tools to help them understand their own response, the responses and motivations of other people and how to approach conversations so that they can have a greater impact in the workplace and influence others in ways that create win-win solutions for everyone.

At present, many staff in healthcare are going off sick, retiring early or just leaving due to the demands of the job. This creates extra work for others and causes a vicious cycle of overwhelm for those left behind. Many staff are so focussed on surviving their day jobs right now that they don’t have the time or headspace to think about their own career and craft a working life which is manageable in the present and in which they can thrive in the future. This session will help healthcare professionals to craft a career in which they can avoid burnout and love what they do. Participants will use a simple model to take a 'snapshot' of their satisfaction with their current role and then use principles from the science of happiness, success, and positive psychology to determine what changes are possible to work happier now. They will then explore some tools and strategies to enable them to design an enjoyable and sustainable work-life in the future which allows them to use their unique strengths, motivations and values and be in it for the long haul.

No-one wants to get a complaint but in a lifetime of working in healthcare, it's almost inevitable. Patients complain for many reasons - most of them out of our control, and no matter how well you practice, mistakes and failure happen. But when we receive a complaint, whether it's 'our fault' or not, the effects on us can be devastating and can cause us to question our own capability, cause severe anxiety, and worry, and it can feel overwhelming. In this session, we think about the way we respond to complaints and difficult feedback, and the unhelpful the stories we tell ourselves which can cause us even more suffering. We explore how to manage our emotions, our responses and our behaviour so that we can navigate these difficult times with more ease and self-compassion so that we avoid burning out, or making things worse for ourselves.

This session will help healthcare professionals, educators and leaders support their trainees, their teams and colleagues effectively, without getting stuck in a ‘rescuer’ role, feeling overwhelmed and burning themselves out along the way. Participants will learn to use a simple coaching model which will help them to stop rescuing, and instead take more of a coaching approach to empower people rather than trying to ‘fix it’. They will also learn how to have key one-to-one conversations using some of the Shapes tools which support their team members to escape the drama triangle and be more proactive.