Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 23:32:30 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]

I've listened to a few of Brian Faulkener's talks, and I precised what he said in my first post. The pyschology of acquirred helplessness is interesting - google Carol Dweck's work fomr the early 70s.

[/quote]

BFhas a number of lectures and his one where he deals with helplessness has some work and let's face it, opinion, on gender characteristics in respect of coping. I would be surprised if those with gender sensitivities would find this altogether palatable.

Dr Page Jones MRCVS' work is certainly more to my taste, since she is a stickler for evidence. Have a read and listen to some of her stuff here

http://spjconsulting.co.uk/CPD.html

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Iain Richards — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 22:07:25 GMT

As to applying it, I've made a concerted effort to criticise using verbs, rather than nouns for both employees, learners and my children. As employers it is a small something that we can do, but has potentially beneficicail effects in stopping the snowflakes melting. The flaky employees (or acopics as I've heard them called for many years) can also do much to help themsleves, using the sort of website JW linked us to - mindfulness training. Eat well, sleep well, play well, love well.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 19:27:54 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]Though recognising that it is possible for people to change how they react hopefully leads to learning how to, either with support from friends and colleagues and/or with medical help such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).[/quote]

As vets we are in no position to offer medical help.

However, some of us are employers who can see the futility of the lesser end of the scale, the righteous indignation, through to the meltdown when confronted by challenge adversity and failure. When a colleague and employee has this happen to them, then there's nothing to stop us having process and values in place to assist coping with this.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Anthony Todd — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 18:53:12 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]support from friends and colleagues .[/quote]

Let's start here!

Start a "What took you so long? [distain, sneer, never-happened-to-me-thread"] !

Can't find the vein/uterus/root/bleeder/diagnosis; never happened to me ever......

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 17:16:16 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[/quote]

Mixed feelings on this. I suspect that the regular moaners on here (I include both of us in that group Thomas!) are already very self-confident and that is why they have an opinion on everything and are not shy to express it even if they are wrong. Those who come on with stress and woe posts seem to be those already suffering from anxiety and depression and don't seem to improve from the experience. Maybe there is a middle ground.

[/quote]

I agree, and I suspect part of the problem is that if you do suffer from depression and anxiety it can be difficult to change how you react, however much you want to and know you should. Though recognising that it is possible for people to change how they react hopefully leads to learning how to, either with support from friends and colleagues and/or with medical help such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Anthony Todd — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:48:37 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]You still haven't articulated how you might help develop resilience.[/quote]

I think it helps if you know one's feelings of failure or ineptitude, particularly when you are in the top, what 5% of A levellers, are to be expected and posters on here should reinforce that.

What took you so long!!? still rings, in my ears, as demoralising! Whereas once I discovered that my boss used to take longer I felt much better.

So "we've all been there" is helpful.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:47:35 GMT

Thanks JGW. I don't remember asking for your advice, but thanks anyway.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:29:37 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

[quote user="J G Wray"]You still haven't articulated how you might help develop resilience.[/quote]

No, you're right, I haven't.

[/quote]

That's a shame.

I've hinted at how we set about it here, particularly with those members of staff who are a bit fragile and when we are challenged in work or, most recently on social media.

Moving on from declaring indignation and taking some weird moral high ground might be pragmatic

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 14:36:48 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]You still haven't articulated how you might help develop resilience.[/quote]

No, you're right, I haven't.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:59:56 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Those who come on with stress and woe posts seem to be those already suffering from anxiety and depression and don't seem to improve from the experience. Maybe there is a middle ground.[/quote]

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/stress/developing-resilience/#.WCxFpP54hoA

The help is there, but first comes willingness to take personal responsibility for this. Then comes avoiding procrastination.

Or, cry "foul" and put yourself on a spectrum from risible indignation through to clinical illness.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:35:50 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

...And it is up to me what I choose to 'get exercised by'.

Put another way, why do you 'get exercised by' the RCVS? I don't.

[/quote]

I can see that change is possible for RCVS. Change at RCVS is also something which has a reasonable and realistic scale about it. I can also see things which can't be changed and/or are unrealistic challenges and if those amount to "sticks and stones etc..." when experienced personally then, meh.

You still haven't articulated how you might help develop resilience.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 10:18:11 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]...so why get exercised by something like a client's unwitting misogyny?[/quote]

Because apathy isn't in my nature? It takes somebody to say when they feel that they are being treated unfairly to bring about change. And it is up to me what I choose to 'get exercised by'.

Put another way, why do you 'get exercised by' the RCVS? I don't.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 09:20:47 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]To get all psychological there is evidence that constant reinforcement that someone is always right can lead to a state of learned helplessness when something really goes wrong. [/quote]That is something which is mooted on here as a cause of stress in young graduates and is probably very true.

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]Could it be that having a good moan about something on this forum is part of how some people deal with situations they find difficult, the act of sharing a problem with people who will understand can go a long way to feeling better about a situation, as long as it puts them in a better place to either do something about it, or find a better way to react to it in the future.[/quote]Mixed feelings on this. I suspect that the regular moaners on here (I include both of us in that group Thomas!) are already very self-confident and that is why they have an opinion on everything and are not shy to express it even if they are wrong. Those who come on with stress and woe posts seem to be those already suffering from anxiety and depression and don't seem to improve from the experience. Maybe there is a middle ground.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 08:28:39 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]This list has been filled with indignation for years, whether it relates to how clients behave or what they say, most recently on social meeja, other vets business practice, locum behaviour, vets behaviour towards locums and so on.[/quote]

Could it be that having a good moan about something on this forum is part of how some people deal with situations they find difficult, the act of sharing a problem with people who will understand can go a long way to feeling better about a situation, as long as it puts them in a better place to either do something about it, or find a better way to react to it in the future.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 07:32:21 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]as you can only control your own behaviour, never that of others.[/quote]

...so why get exercised by something like a client's unwitting misogyny?

This list has been filled with indignation for years, whether it relates to how clients behave or what they say, most recently on social meeja, other vets business practice, locum behaviour, vets behaviour towards locums and so on.

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]as you can only control your own behaviour, never that of others.[/quote]

How do you think you'll implement measures to improve resilience in practice?

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 23:38:09 GMT

I wouldn't label people in that way, but would deal with every person and every situation individually. I don't actually recognise it as being a personality fault in any of my staff or, indeed, my social circle.

I do encourage resilience, both at work and in my own children. Life would be tough otherwise, as you can only control your own behaviour, never that of others. There is always going to be that person who will upset and offend simply to get a reaction.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 23:24:36 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Neither.

[/quote]

Hmmmm, how do you think the profession, particularly employers, should deal with " Snowflakes" ?

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 23:16:14 GMT

Neither.

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

J G Wray — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 23:06:20 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

To be fair, Claire initially discussed her opinion in The Daily Mail:

[/quote]

Does that give her view more or less gravitas? What do you think?

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 22:43:11 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]The Daily Mail dull prose gets a regular airing on this forum so, for a bit of balance, here's a piece from the Soaraway Sun:[/quote]

To be fair, Claire initially discussed her opinion in The Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3632119/Why-today-s-young-women-just-FEEBLE-t-cope-ideas-challenge-right-view-world-says-academic.html

RE: Generation Snowflake and Xmas reading

Iain Richards — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 22:30:44 GMT

The Times ran this recently. Co-incidentally I'm acting as a peer tutor at Edinburgh and the "Safe Space Policy" allows for gestures that indicate agreement, not dissent. I fail to see why agreement is regarded as positive and disagreement as negative. To get all psychological there is evidence that constant reinforcement that someone is always right can lead to a state of learned helplessness when something really goes wrong.