What has the Laughology team learned this year, and why does it matter?

Here at Laughology, it shouldn’t surprise you that we’re all about learning and development - we are an L&D company, after all, so it would be a bit weird if we were all about accounting. 

But what’s even more important to us is the learning we do ourselves to grow and improve as much as we can, personally and professionally. So with that in mind, several Laughologists have taken a moment to reflect on 2022 and share what they’ve learned with you. 

Head of Happiness - Stephanie Davies

Stephanie Davies has faced some personal challenges this year, such as miscarriage, family bereavement and cancer. Along with business challenges, these all add up and have sometimes been overwhelming.  

And whilst she considers herself resilient, there’s only so much even the most resilient person can take. It can be hard to take your own advice at times, and Stephanie learned to listen to her team even more and stop to take time out. You might think this is simple, but everyone reacts to life’s ups and downs differently, and it can sometimes take others to spot small changes in behaviour and have kind conversations to help you see what you need to do. 

This can only happen through psychologically safe teams. Stephanie learned this year that psychological safety isn’t a phrase or a set of values; it’s behaviours and actions that create a feeling of absolute safety. These actions of others around you, no matter what time of day or night, help you feel it’s okay to ask for help and know it will be given.  

Whilst Stephanie talks about this; it's care in the moment that matters. Not just care from people in the organisation but customers and suppliers too. The learning is that being honest about what’s happening in your life helps others be kind. It can be difficult for others to hear sometimes, and they don’t always know what to say, but the key part is their actions and listening. That’s true psychological safety, and we need more of it. 

Tech and Business Development Guru - Pam Betts 

As a personal development opportunity in 2022, Pam Betts, Laughology’s Tech and Business Development Guru, attended the Government's Help to Grow programme for small business support after the pandemic fallout. 

The tools and techniques used in the programme complimented what we do, but naturally not delivered in the exciting and fun way that’s in our DNA here at Laughology. Along this journey, Pam, who loves tech, recognised that while we can’t avoid technology in today’s world, getting everyone on board is still hard. 

This can be a difficult learning curve when your personal understanding of the benefits and power is huge. In a small business, you will have those who excel in technology change and those who resist it.  However, it starts with conversations and listening to what hinders people’s engagement. This way, you can have a team understanding of how to work together using different superpowers to get engagement and support one another's kryptonite. Change can happen as long as we understand one another's position and input on that journey and don’t dismiss others' opinions just because they’re different. 

Laughology Facilitator - Laura Drury 

Here at Laughology, we practice what we preach, and because we’d never test on animals, we happily test on ourselves. This year (despite working on it for five years), Laura Drury realised just what a slippery little so-and-so, wonky thinking can be. 

Wonky thinking is another way to describe self-limiting beliefs, e.g., “I never have very creative ideas!” or “I don’t fit in with those people very well”, or simply “I just can’t do it!”. That wonky belief (which we frequently repeat in our minds) causes us to have an emotional response, negatively impacting our behaviours and outcomes. 

To manage wonky thinking, first, you must identify it to change the belief to something more helpful, e.g., “I just can’t do it!” could be “I need more practice”.

 However, it’s not always easy to recognise when you’re thinking is wonky. Sometimes it sticks out like a sore thumb and is often untrue. Other times it can be innocuous or a statement of fact, as Laura realised earlier this year. 

The phrase that often poured out of her mouth in 2022 was, “There’s just too much to do!” which we’re sure most of you can identify with. However, the emotional response was that of stress and flapping! Which is how Laura’s hubby affectionately described it. And whilst she doesn’t like to admit when he’s right, on this occasion, he was. The energy (not to mention time) she invested in that emotional response intensified the pressure. 

So what do you do if the wonky thinking is true? It doesn’t matter whether it’s true; if it’s causing a negative emotional response and irrational behaviour, it’s just not helpful. 

Instead, apply a Growth Mindset or FLIP your language to something helpful. For example, as soon as “There’s just too much to do” pops into Laura’s head, she simply says to herself, “One thing at a time”. That helps her shift her focus from her emotional response to something proactive and enables her to plough on. 

So rather than seek out the thought, become aware of your feelings, which can help you work out what wonky thinking is triggering your behaviour. 

Lead Facilitator - Sarah Creegan 

Sarah Creegan has delivered a lot more Menopause Awareness sessions this year, which she’s loved! There have been so many takeaways for her - and hopefully for the people attending.

In every session, people have been keen and happy to share their knowledge and top tips, whether face-to-face or online. Period pants are a thing. Who knew?

What’s also been great is how people have emailed afterwards to carry on the conversation or to let Sarah know the changes they’ve made as a result of the session, and then again later with updates. So it really does feel like we’re making a difference in many people’s lives.

For Sarah, though, the most interesting thing has been the difference between the sexes. She’s done some all-women sessions – where the men in the building have hidden in cupboards to avoid getting involved.  

She’s also done sessions mainly for men. The thing she’s learned from these is that if they have a middle-aged wife or girlfriend, and you say the peri-menopause could last for years, you need to give them quite a bit of time to digest that, as they don’t listen to another word you say for about 15 minutes! 

Laughology Facilitator - Selina Brown 

Reflecting on this post-lockdown year, with nothing stopping us from “living our best life” or whatever upbeat quote fits on a coffee cup, there’s one lesson Selina Brown hadn’t totally grasped… and that was to prepare for the unexpected. 

 A loved one passed away recently, and work challenges she had no control over left her feeling overwhelmed, despite her daily self-care practises. Then Selina was reminded of the words from her grandmother, a wise, tiny Jamaican woman who made the best rice and peas you’ve ever tasted.  She heard her saying, “This shall pass.”  

So whether you’re faced with personal and/or work challenges, it is temporary, and you’ll get through it. Think of it as a temporary situation - this shall pass. Please don’t go through your struggles alone; reach out to family, friends, or organisations that are there to help.  

So there you have it! Some of our Laughology learning this year. But the question now is, if you were to reflect on 2022, what would you have learned? So why not give it a go? It could help shape your 2023.