Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eye for an instant?

—Henry David Thoreau

Life is messy. We strive for order. We set our goals and tick off our action items. We weigh our
options and try to make good decisions. Nonetheless, the unexpected intervenes. We are knocked off track by challenges from the small to the life-changing: illness, accidents, bias, harassment, violence, financial woes, and more.

As much as we seek to avoid it, we carry these struggles with us. They affect us in our homes, in our communities, and they affect us at work. How leaders respond to the traumas that inevitably show up in their workplaces can determine the success or failure of the organization as a whole. An empathetic response instills trust, which in turn increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and turnover, and enhances engagement and satisfaction. Just as importantly, compassion makes it more likely that those in need will get help. It also bears noting that empathy lapses have shown up in more headlines and lawsuits than many would care to recount.

In particular, you will be able to:

1. Define and describe trauma and its impact on the workplace
2. Describe the effects of secondary trauma and compassion fatigue and understand how to protect yourself from them as you support those around you
3. Demonstrate awareness of the impact of trauma in your colleagues and in yourself 
4. Define and describe the LASER technique
5. Apply the LASER technique to:
   

✔️ Navigate difficult conversations
✔️ Resolve conflicts more quickly and effectively
✔️Increase productivity
✔️Mitigate risk of litigation
✔️Reduce turnover and absenteeism

💭 What important topics interest you? Leave a comment below.