Think of your team’s wellbeing like a garden. It needs regular attention, not just a response when something has gone wrong.
For you, that can mean small, everyday actions. A check-in that makes room for workload concerns. A calm response to a mistake. An action that’s revisited when promised.
The first response sets a tone
Imagine a team member telling you that they’ve missed an important deadline. Your first sentence can make it easier to understand what happened, or harder for the person to explain it.
In our Reaction Test exercise, you’ll write that sentence and discuss how different responses might feel. It’s a small exercise with a practical purpose: to notice the effect of your response before a real situation requires it.
Four habits worth practising
- React calmly. Give yourself enough space to hear the concern before responding.
- Ask before assuming. Invite the person to explain the circumstances.
- Model openness. Acknowledge your own mistakes or workload pressures in a measured way.
- Follow through. Return to the action you agreed, even if the update is that you need more time.
Choose one change you can name
A broad intention such as being more supportive is difficult to apply. A specific action is easier to recognise: asking what’s getting in the way during the next one-to-one, or setting a date to review a workload adjustment.
In the workshop, you’ll choose a habit and write down what you’ll do differently over the next two weeks. That gives you a clear place to start.
Training gives you time to practise these habits. Your business also needs to make room for honest conversations and act on concerns that need changes beyond your role.
Adapted from CPC's existing 'Tending to your company’s mental weeds' article and the curriculum's four psychological-safety habits.
Practical workplace learning, not individual clinical advice.