I was privileged enough this morning to go to the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Why do I say privileged? I just feel such a sense of pride for those who have fallen before me that to be there and feel the pride, honour, valour and courage makes me come alive and because of what the men and women of many wars have sacrificed, it is because of them I could stand there at all. Yep, privileged.
There was something different about this morning’s ceremony. In previous years, it had been around formalities and stopping to remember. Today’s was all that, plus some very touching personal stories about those who showed immense bravery, sacrifice and courage. A few stories that stick out for me was about a young boy who enrolled at 16 and when his mother threatened to dob him in for being too young. He said if she did, she would never see him again, such was his need to fight for his country. He went to war, she never saw him again. Another was about a dying Australian soldier who, after being shot by his enemy, called his enemy over and reached into his jacket to pull out a bible to give to him, then he died. Years later (a few generations actually) the enemy soldier lay on his own death bed in Germany. He asked his brother to go and fetch the bible and to send it back to the mother who gave it to her son. It made its way back to Australia to an elderly mother, the only gift she had ever bought her son. She then bought a new bible, wrote a note of thanks and a prayer that we shall never send our sons or daughters to war again.
These stories and more touched me and made me wonder about a few things. What are some of the things that you want to do and know you should, that could possibly be done before you are on your death bed? If you did that ‘thing’ earlier, could you enrich and fulfil the lives of others and touch them in some small way? What also is it that drives people to fulfil a need – like the boy who went to fight at 16? What was it about him that even though he knew it was dangerous, he still needed to go and fight the fight.
Just hearing that this morning prompted me to pick up the phone and call an old friend – just the small act made someone’s day. Funny that.
At work, what can you do to ‘make someone’s day’ when you might have been thinking of saying or doing something for a while, but the thought has never turned to action. Perhaps this blog will urge you to act, and when you do, you will enrich the lives of others.
Feels good, doesn’t it?
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Symptom versus the Cause
According to www.mindframe-media.info in Australia, around one in five people will experience a mental illness at some stage of their life, including alcohol or other substance abuse disorders. In extreme cases, mental illness can be debilitating, affecting all areas of a person’s life from employment, to relationships, to everyday functioning.
In my various roles and years in Human Resources, I have had countless managers come to me seeking advice on guidance as to how to handle behaviours of their team. In most cases, it is where behaviour has changed and where there is a noticeable impact on the team that they are seeking the help with. The way they managed that employee before no longer seems to be working as the employee has now changed..... and nothing seems to be working!
Classic signs of behaviour change include absenteeism, presenteeism (they are there, but not really ‘there’ i.e. occupying a seat but not working), changed performance output, mood swings, lateness, patterns of behaviour such as struggling to stay awake every afternoon or on particular days and generally being ‘out of sorts’ where people just aren’t themselves.
Some Interesting statistics and information I recently read through from www.mhca.org.au which you may want to consider if you lead people....
Statistics on Mental Health in Australia
• One out of every five Australians [about 20%] will experience some form of mental
illness each year. Three out of every ten [about 3 %] will be seriously affected.
• Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental disorders experienced by
Australians. Depression alone is predicted to be one of the world’s largest health
problems by 2020.
• Nearly one in 10 Australians will experience some type of anxiety disorder each year
o around one in 12 women and one in eight men. One in four people will experience
an anxiety disorder at some stage of their lives.
• Around one million Australian adults and 100,000 young people live with depression
each year. On average, one in five people will experience depression in their lives;
one in four females and one in six males.
• Mental illness affects young people. Around 14% of 12-17year olds and 27% of 18-25
year olds experience a mental illness in any given year. At least one third of young
people have had an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 years.
• The majority of mental illnesses begin between the ages of 15-25 years. This poses a
significant threat to our nation’s future workforce capacity and economic prosperity.
• The 2001 National Health Survey estimated that 1.8 million Australians (9.6% of the
population) had a longterm mental or behavioural problem of more than 6 months
duration. Of these, 130,600 (0.7%) were related to drug and alcohol problems.
• Approximately two thirds of people with a mental illness do not receive any treatment
in any 12 month period.
• Mental disorders and suicide account for 14.2 % of Australia’s total health burden –
which equates to 374,541 years of healthy life lost (DALYs).
• Estimates suggest that up to 75 % of people presenting with alcohol and drug
problems also have additional mental health problems.
• Reports indicate that up to 85% of homeless people have a mental illness.
The MHCA is the independent, national representative body of the mental health sector in Australia.
Ph:02 6285 3100 Email: admin@mhca.org.au Web: www.mhca.org.au
1. Mental Health and Wellbeing: Profile of Adults, Australia 1997, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998
2. The Global Burden of Disease: A Comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability, Injuries, and Risk Factors in 1990
3. and Projected to 2020, World Bank, Harvard School of Public Health, Geneva, 1996
4. Beyondblue Fact Sheet 21, Anxiety Disorders, 2007
5. Beyondblue National Initiative, 2006
6. Making Sense of Orygen Youth Health – www.orygen.org.au/docs/INFO/MS%200YH2(1)
7. Drug Use in the Family, ANCD Report, 2007
8. Mental Health and Wellbeing: profile of adults, Australia 1997, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998
9. Time for Service, MHCA 2006
10. Drug Use in the Family, ANCD Report, 2007
So, the next time you have performance or behavioural issues in your team or business, ask yourself to look beyond the presenting symptoms and be open to assisting the employee. Strike a balance between the job that needs to be done and the individual who also needs to work on themselves and seek help. If you don’t have one, there are some fantastic Employee Assistance Programs or Coaches available to help you help your employee.
In my various roles and years in Human Resources, I have had countless managers come to me seeking advice on guidance as to how to handle behaviours of their team. In most cases, it is where behaviour has changed and where there is a noticeable impact on the team that they are seeking the help with. The way they managed that employee before no longer seems to be working as the employee has now changed..... and nothing seems to be working!
Classic signs of behaviour change include absenteeism, presenteeism (they are there, but not really ‘there’ i.e. occupying a seat but not working), changed performance output, mood swings, lateness, patterns of behaviour such as struggling to stay awake every afternoon or on particular days and generally being ‘out of sorts’ where people just aren’t themselves.
Some Interesting statistics and information I recently read through from www.mhca.org.au which you may want to consider if you lead people....
Statistics on Mental Health in Australia
• One out of every five Australians [about 20%] will experience some form of mental
illness each year. Three out of every ten [about 3 %] will be seriously affected.
• Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental disorders experienced by
Australians. Depression alone is predicted to be one of the world’s largest health
problems by 2020.
• Nearly one in 10 Australians will experience some type of anxiety disorder each year
o around one in 12 women and one in eight men. One in four people will experience
an anxiety disorder at some stage of their lives.
• Around one million Australian adults and 100,000 young people live with depression
each year. On average, one in five people will experience depression in their lives;
one in four females and one in six males.
• Mental illness affects young people. Around 14% of 12-17year olds and 27% of 18-25
year olds experience a mental illness in any given year. At least one third of young
people have had an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 years.
• The majority of mental illnesses begin between the ages of 15-25 years. This poses a
significant threat to our nation’s future workforce capacity and economic prosperity.
• The 2001 National Health Survey estimated that 1.8 million Australians (9.6% of the
population) had a longterm mental or behavioural problem of more than 6 months
duration. Of these, 130,600 (0.7%) were related to drug and alcohol problems.
• Approximately two thirds of people with a mental illness do not receive any treatment
in any 12 month period.
• Mental disorders and suicide account for 14.2 % of Australia’s total health burden –
which equates to 374,541 years of healthy life lost (DALYs).
• Estimates suggest that up to 75 % of people presenting with alcohol and drug
problems also have additional mental health problems.
• Reports indicate that up to 85% of homeless people have a mental illness.
The MHCA is the independent, national representative body of the mental health sector in Australia.
Ph:02 6285 3100 Email: admin@mhca.org.au Web: www.mhca.org.au
1. Mental Health and Wellbeing: Profile of Adults, Australia 1997, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998
2. The Global Burden of Disease: A Comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability, Injuries, and Risk Factors in 1990
3. and Projected to 2020, World Bank, Harvard School of Public Health, Geneva, 1996
4. Beyondblue Fact Sheet 21, Anxiety Disorders, 2007
5. Beyondblue National Initiative, 2006
6. Making Sense of Orygen Youth Health – www.orygen.org.au/docs/INFO/MS%200YH2(1)
7. Drug Use in the Family, ANCD Report, 2007
8. Mental Health and Wellbeing: profile of adults, Australia 1997, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998
9. Time for Service, MHCA 2006
10. Drug Use in the Family, ANCD Report, 2007
So, the next time you have performance or behavioural issues in your team or business, ask yourself to look beyond the presenting symptoms and be open to assisting the employee. Strike a balance between the job that needs to be done and the individual who also needs to work on themselves and seek help. If you don’t have one, there are some fantastic Employee Assistance Programs or Coaches available to help you help your employee.
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