Every two weeks, Patty Morris books out of her office for two or three hours to reflect on work.
Sitting in a coffee shop or the quiet of her car, the executive director of the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre of Calgary (DDRC) asks herself some tough questions.
Perhaps the most difficult question - and unique to many business leaders - is what she might have done recently to cause problems in the workplace.
The self-reflection is part of the training Morris and more than 100 people at DDRC have welcomed in the past 31/2 years. Called Constructive Living, it's a program that shows a way of living and working based on two Japanese-based methods, or "therapies," of thinking.
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| Mike Dempster, Business Edge |
| Patty Morris reads employee messages on Wall of Appreciation. |
"What's interesting about it is that it forces you to consider what your role is, to look more rigorously at how you might be contributing to positive things occurring ... or where your actions might be causing problems," Morris says.
"That might be unusual because I don't think that's always a big part of a leader's reflection. At least, it wasn't always a part of mine."
Morris joined DDRC four years ago, just as a former board member and senior oil executive was introducing the concept. To date, he has paid all training costs. And although that funding will soon end, the organization is sold on its value and will find other ways to ensure the training continues.
When I spoke with Morris and other staff, I was struck by how people have embraced the philosophy. It's been so positive, DDRC now offers the training to parents of developmentally disabled children and adults, and is tailoring a program for its developmentally disabled clients as well.
The training, Morris says, has changed some people's lives, focused others on their work, developed a sense of common purpose in the workplace and built a culture where staff acknowledge each other's contributions - big and small.
The latter component is particularly important for the 54-year-old organization, whose 350 employees are scattered across Calgary.
Their mandate is to help the developmentally disabled create ordinary lives in the community - from accessing regular schools to finding a job, then owning a home.
The staff are devoted. But Morris says they are largely underpaid, operate in stressful jobs that aren't necessarily valued by all of society, and work with clients who may take months to achieve even small successes.
That's where the Constructive Living approach helps. Its overriding message is to live a "sensible life" based on three themes: Accepting reality; knowing one's purpose; and doing what needs to be done.
Mary MacKenzie, a DDRC manager, says the training gives her greater perspective, an understanding that there are things she can't control and that there will always be daily distractions. But regardless, she has to move forward with the task at hand.
"If I'm angry at someone, or frustrated about how a person is doing his or her job, it doesn't mean that I can't get on with my day," she says. "This (philosophy) says you can co-exist with your feelings. You don't have to fix them before moving forward."
MacKenzie, who has taken extensive training to become a Constructive Living facilitator, says the training exercises have helped her focus on her purpose in life.
"In Western society, we often see it (our purpose) as something grand, something we're going to accomplish in 10 years or 15 years. But it can also mean something short term. What's my purpose in the next 15 minutes?
"You're not conscious of it all the time, but working toward that way of living life on a daily basis ups your chances for success."
Like MacKenzie, Morris's leadership skills have improved. Most mornings, although she doesn't reflect "too deeply," Morris asks herself three questions as part of the training: What has she received? What has she given? What are the problems and difficulties she's caused?
The ritual gives Morris a new outlook on a daily basis, which helps her appreciate what her staff does.
"It's given me greater appreciation for the jobs people do, and overall created a culture of appreciation within the organization. (Previously) we weren't taking time to notice all the great things that do happen."
The new environment is most visible at the Wall of Appreciation, where dozens of messages are normally posted. Each week Morris removes the messages and sends a note to individuals, acknowledging in detail the good things they've accomplished. She also sends out a weekly update to all staff where people are again recognized. The thank-yous often applaud the small but necessary tasks.
"It's easier to focus on the big things," Morris says. "But people's workdays are made up of little things ... and in the social-services business the steps forward can be small.
"It can be discouraging if you only look at the big picture. This is a way of paying attention in a meaningful way, for people knowing that their day isn't always about achieving the gold star."
Conversely, the training helps parents of developmentally disabled children chase a dream blurred by reality. When people have a child born with a disability, they are often caught off guard, she notes. "The reaction from other people can be tentative, or grieving, or maybe it's seen as a bad thing. There are systems to navigate, medical issues, things parents get mired in."
Parents become advocates, caregivers, chauffeurs and so many other things that they can forget the goals they have for their children, Morris explains.
During weekend retreats, those parents are taught the same reflective techniques Morris and her staff use. Reflective thinking refocuses the dream about what their child could be and should be. The constructive component gets them to move forward with a plan of action.
"They can lose sight that this is a child who has hope and potential, and that their role as a parent is to nurture that," Morris says.
"One of the big things they talk about after the retreat is that they have rediscovered their purpose as parents."
In a similar fashion, Morris believes many DDRC staff hold a clearer understanding of their roles today, dovetailing with the parents' sense of direction.
It's a satisfying synergy. And on those days when Morris books out of work and asks some tough questions of herself, it's a comforting prospect to reflect upon.
Web Watch: www.ddrcc.com
(Mike Dempster can be reached at miked@businessedge.ca)
