英文原声 Growth After Trauma（1/2）

00：27 What good can come of this? In times of stress, crisis, or trauma, people often ask that question. This year we’ve been hit by a pandemic that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, unprecedented unemployment, and a global economic downturn. In the face of such a tragedy—personal and collective—it might appear that the answer is “Nothing.”

00：53 However, at some point we will be able to reflect on the long-term consequences of this terrible time and what it has wrought for each of us as individuals and for our organizations, communities, and nations. Almost certainly those outcomes will include some good along with the bad. Over the past 25 years psychologists like me have been studying this phenomenon. We refer to it as posttraumatic growth.

01：21 We’ve learned that negative experiences can spur positive change, including a recognition of personal strength, the exploration of new possibilities, improved relationships, a greater appreciation for life, and spiritual growth. We see this in people who have endured war, natural disasters, bereavement, job loss and economic stress, serious illnesses and injuries. So despite the misery resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, many of us can expect to develop in beneficial ways in its aftermath. And leaders can help others to do so.

01：57 Although posttraumatic growth often happens naturally, without psychotherapy or other formal intervention, it can be facilitated in five ways: through education, emotional regulation, disclosure, narrative development, and service. As a researcher and a practicing psychotherapist, I (and my colleagues) have helped hundreds of people emerge stronger from suffering in these ways. You can emerge stronger yourself. And you can serve as what we call an expert companion for others, encouraging introspection and curiosity, actively listening, and offering compassionate feedback.

The Elements of Growth

02：37 Here are the five ways in more detail:

Education.

02：50 To move through trauma to growth, one must first get educated about what the former is: a disruption of core belief systems. For example, before the pandemic, many of us thought we were safe from the types of diseases that endangered people in the past; that bad things happened in other parts of the world but not ours; and that our social and economic systems were resilient enough to weather all storms. None of that was true. So now we need to figure out what to believe instead.

03：23 When our assumptions are challenged, it is confusing and frightening and tends to produce anxious, repetitive thinking: Why did this happen? Who’s in control? What should I do now? We are forced to rethink who we are, what kind of people surround us, what world we live in, and what future we will have. It can be extremely painful. But as research shows, it can also usher in change that will be of value. We must begin by learning and understanding that truth.

03：52 I once counseled a woman who, in her thirties, was disabled by a stroke and initially struggled to cope. But she soon understood that her changed circumstances would require her to reevaluate her identity: “Now I have to figure out what is next in this life I never thought I would be living. Part of me doesn’t want to think I have to do this, but I know I do.” That was the first step in her becoming a person with more compassion for herself who could accept limitations without being limited by them.

04：25 As we move through the current health and economic crisis, consider how you can reinforce—to yourself and others—the recognition that it may have a positive as well as a negative impact. Remember that you and others in your team and organization can reimagine how you operate and innovate in new circumstances. That may already be evident in the emergency measures taken to keep things going. For example, I know an IT employee of a food service company that laid off most of its workers earlier this year. As one of the few to remain, she was forced to work in functions and areas she’d never touched before, which was a struggle. But she soon realized that unencumbered by the usual bureaucracy and turf battles, she could ferret out inefficiencies and find ways to improve on old procedures.

Emotional regulation.

05：15 To do any learning, one must be in the right frame of mind. That starts with managing negative emotions such as anxiety, guilt, and anger, which can be done by shifting the kind of thinking that leads to those feelings. Instead of focusing on losses, failures, uncertainties, and worst-case scenarios, try to recall successes, consider best-case possibilities, reflect on your own or your organization’s resources and preparation, and think reasonably about what you—personally and as a group—can do.

05：53 For the founder of one dining chain, emotional regulation was crucial after his board ousted him from the CEO role. As he wrote in HBR (“Crucible: Losing the Top Job—and Winning It Back,” October 2010), the news came as a complete shock, and he was furious at first. But when his father, also an investor, told him to “get [his] head around being supportive,” he did. Instead of focusing on his anger and the feeling that he’d been betrayed, he started thinking about how he could stay calm and professional and help the business going forward. He eventually returned to lead the company.

06：34 You can regulate emotions directly by observing them as they are experienced. Physical exercise and meditative practices such as breathing also help. Employ these techniques yourself and share them to help others. Acknowledge that circumstances continue to be both challenging and frightening; then demonstrate poise under that pressure. And encourage more-frequent communication so that people feel less isolated and see their collective emotional strength more clearly.

Disclosure.

07：04 This is the part of the process in which you talk about what has happened and is happening: its effects—both small and broad, short- and long-term, personal and professional, individual and organizational—and what you are struggling with in its wake. Articulating these things helps us to make sense of the trauma and turn debilitating thoughts into more-productive reflections.

07：34 If you’re helping someone talk about what it’s been like to experience this crisis, asking a lot of questions can seem like an intrusive interrogation spurred by curiosity rather than concern. It’s best to focus on how the impact feels and which of your counterpart’s concerns are most important.

Negative experiences can spur a greater appreciation for life.

07：54 A case study comes from a former client. A talented developer getting established in a new company, he created a program that had great promise. But then his bosses hired someone from the outside to run it, asking my client to report to him. Led by this manager, the program underperformed, and the developer was being blamed, damaging his reputation and career prospects. Finally he went to HR. “I wasn’t sure if this was the right move,” he told me, “but I needed to get some advice.” Talking to the HR representative was cathartic, and he ended up telling her more than he’d planned to, because she asked questions such as “What did it feel like to have this project taken from you and essentially messed up?” She then worked to help him recover from that big professional setback.

08：41 It is important for you as a colleague and a leader to understand the varying impacts the pandemic and the ensuing market volatility, layoffs, and recession have had and continue to have on the lives of those around you. Start by speaking openly about your own struggles and how you are managing the uncertainty. You can then invite others to tell their stories, and listen attentively as they locate their difficulties and come to terms with how their challenges and losses compare with those of others.