Building resilience to stress and external pressure
Case study background
Meet Olivier. He’s the head nurse of the oncology department of a major university hospital.
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In the past few months, Olivier’s performance has suffered due to his high anxiety levels and he’s having problems sleeping. His commitment to a “higher purpose of being of service” and his difficulty saying “no” have had a negative impact on his performance and physical health. He’s even started to reconsider what previously seemed like his ideal job.
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Coaching objective
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Olivier needs to increase his ability to balance energising and draining activities, rediscover balance in his life, and reconnect with moments of lightness.
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Coaching in practice
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Recognise the distinction between service and sacrifice and practice self-observation so Olivier develops his awareness of both in daily life.
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Explore the emotion of guilt when saying “no” and challenge the “standards of life” related to this emotion.
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Develop physical techniques for Olivier to relax and cultivate his peace of mind.
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Decline some activities that drain Olivier’s energy and plan regular periods of time for him to “take care of himself”.
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Results
Olivier rediscovered the true meaning of his job and is now able to organise his activities in a much more balanced and meaningful way.
He’s not allowing feelings of guilt to overwhelm him and he is once again performing above the standards of his organisation.
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Names have been changed to maintain client confidentiality