How do you handle team members who are defensive during debrief sessions in emergency response scenarios?

People tend to get defensive when they see a situation that could negatively impact their career or reputation. When someone gets defensive during a debrief, it's a culture problem...it's a psychological safety problem. The only way to address this type of situation is to show by your actions that it is a safe please with a WE mentality. We are improving, not any one individual. Save the finger-pointing for the performance review and keep the debriefing about collective improvement with open and non-attributional reporting.

Focus on the results, not the personalities . A balanced discussion covering the good, bad and ugly usually will make the points you want to make without having to single out individuals.

Handling defensive team members during debrief sessions involves creating a safe and respectful environment where the focus is on learning, not blaming. Start by setting clear expectations that the debrief is aimed at improving future performance. Encourage open communication and active listening, and acknowledge contributions positively. If defensiveness arises, address it calmly by redirecting the conversation to specific actions and outcomes, avoiding personal attacks. Emphasize teamwork and collective responsibility to foster a more open and productive discussion.

Renforcement de la Cohésion d’Équipe - Activités de Team-Building : Organisez régulièrement des activités de renforcement d’équipe pour renforcer les liens entre les membres et créer un sentiment de solidarité. - Soutien Mutuel : Encouragez un environnement où les membres se soutiennent mutuellement, que ce soit dans les moments de succès ou de difficulté. Formation et Sensibilisation - Sensibilisation à la Santé Mentale : Offrez des formations sur la santé mentale et le bien-être émotionnel pour aider les membres à reconnaître et à gérer le stress et les émotions négatives. - Développement de Compétences : Enseignez des techniques de gestion des conflits pour assurer que les désaccords soient résolus de manière constructive.

Well established ground rules and structure must be in place when conducting debriefs. Ensure the group understands it’s about learning and becoming better responders, no blaming. The leader of the debriefs must maintain control and guide the group through the process. If defensiveness is presented, it will allow a wonderful conversation to develop. Challenge the defensiveness with questions to lead to an open conversation and a learning opportunity for everyone.

Before the briefing, you should always set up why the team is gathered and that the session is not to place blame, but to learn. What was right, what could be improved upon, and we are not here to point fingers and to be respectful. There should be no yelling or anger displayed. Make the setting comfortable and not cram people into a small area if possible.

Probably the most critical part if the process. If you haven't clearly set the ground rules prior to debriefing, you could find yourself in a world of hurt. Clearly set out that the session is about, what behaviours are accepted and not accepted.

Active listening is crucial, especially when staff members might be defensive or emotional for various reasons. It's important to focus on what they are saying and allow them to express their feelings, concerns, and challenges without judgment. We need to understand the best ways to support them and how to be proactive without adding extra burdens. Show empathy by assuring them they are not alone and that they can seek help or support anytime, whether it's emotional, mental, or physical. Assure them that seeking support is okay and that there is no blame or shame in this process. Everyone might find themselves in such a situation at some point.

Whilst active listening is extremely important it's important not to lose focus on how the team performs and be honest in debriefing so that if there were mistakes then the team members understand what needs to be done in order to ensure the same mistakes are not repeated. Someone's life could be at stake and it's important that everyone remembers that.

Active listening is crucial when a team member becomes defensive, as it shows empathy and understanding, helping to de-escalate emotions and foster a more productive and collaborative atmosphere.

Mise en Place de Séances de Débriefing Constructives - Définissez une structure claire pour les séances de débriefing, avec des objectifs précis et des règles de participation basées sur le respect et l'écoute. - Faites appel à un facilitateur neutre qui peut guider les discussions et s’assurer que chacun ait l’opportunité de s’exprimer. - Encouragez des retours d’information constructifs qui se concentrent sur les comportements et les processus, plutôt que sur les personnes. - Rappelez régulièrement à l’équipe que l’objectif des séances de débriefing est d’apprendre et de s’améliorer ensemble, et non de blâmer. - Reconnaissez et récompensez les comportements qui renforcent la confiance et la collaboration au sein de l’équipe.

Being a true leader implies the humility of assuming that you don't know everything, and that you might not have remembered everything. Being open-minded enough to listen to different opinions and respectfully validating or dismissing team members' hypotheses and suggestions define us. To be the leaders that others spontaneously want to follow (and not the leaders that unsuccessfully demand following) we must know how to listen to the team, and act in a way that encourages them to feel confident to speak up and be heard. Knowing how to share our mental cognitive process, and implementing effective communication is crucial in good team work. Debriefing correctly promotes it!

Focus on Behavior, Not the Person: Frame feedback in terms of actions and outcomes rather than personal attributes. For example, say “The protocol was not followed” instead of “You didn’t follow the protocol.” Encourage Self-Reflection: Ask open-ended questions that encourage team members to reflect on their performance. For example, “What do you think worked well?” or “What would you do differently next time?” Provide Positive Reinforcement: Highlight what went well and recognize team members' efforts and successes to create a balanced perspective. Offer Support: Make it clear that the organization is there to support them in improving and provide any necessary resources or training.

Recognize and validate the emotions in the room. Remind every one of the agreed-upon ground rules. Allow team members to express their emotions but encourage them to do so calmly and respectfully. Encourage participants to listen to each other with empathy. If the conversation becomes heated, gently steer it back to a constructive path. Let team members know that it’s okay to take a break if they need to step away and collect their thoughts. After the session, review how it went, acknowledging what worked well and what could be improved. This can help continuously refine the debrief process.

The best way is to lay out rules and expectations before the briefing starts. We are not here to place blame, but to learn how things could be done better and commend on what was done correctly. Be respectful to who is speaking and not cut them off. Assure those in attendance this is a safe place, and the team needs to be just that, a team. If someone gets loud or emotional, address it as diplomatic as possible and let them speak their mind. You do not want to lose control of the room though. If you are the leader, then lead the meeting.

"Emotions are not problems to be solved. They are signals to be interpreted." – Virginia Satir In my years of experience in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) and training, I have observed right from the beginning how crucial it is to manage emotions during debriefing sessions. One of the most important lessons I've learned is the value of acknowledging and addressing these emotions directly. improvements in emergency response practices. To all my colleagues and friends in emergency management and HSE: Let's strive to build teams where emotional safety is as important as physical safety. Together, we can create environments where every team member feels heard, supported, and empowered to contribute to our shared goals.

Rappels et Renforcements Continus - Rappels de l’Objectif des Débriefings : Rappelez régulièrement à l’équipe que l’objectif des séances de débriefing est d’apprendre et de s’améliorer ensemble, et non de blâmer. - Récompense et Reconnaissance : Reconnaissez et récompensez les comportements qui renforcent la confiance et la collaboration au sein de l’équipe. Suivi et Évaluation - Feedback Régulier : Sollicitez régulièrement des feedbacks des membres de l’équipe sur le processus de débriefing et apportez des ajustements si nécessaire. - Évaluation des Pratiques : Évaluez régulièrement les pratiques de débriefing et l’impact sur la confiance au sein de l’équipe pour identifier les domaines d’amélioration.

This is a critical part of the process, because often the issues people feel are out of their control are the ones that cause the most emotions. Focusing on what can be learned from one another is critical, as a building exercise. Most people find that they fear communications among different capacities and knowledge streams, or different age groups. Then they discover how they can truly support one another across disciplines, age groups, levels of experience.

1. Formation : Organisez des ateliers sur l’auto réflexion, en expliquant ses avantages et en fournissant des outils pratiques. 2. Questions Guidées : Proposez des questions spécifiques pour aider les membres à évaluer leurs performances, telles que : "Quelles actions ai-je prises ?" et "Quels sont les domaines à améliorer ?". 3. Temps Dédié : Allouez un moment avant chaque débriefing pour que chacun puisse réfléchir individuellement. 4. Partage Volontaire : Encouragez les membres à partager leurs réflexions au début du débriefing. 5. Reconnaissance : Valorisez les efforts d’autoréflexion avec des éloges ou des récompenses symboliques. 6. Feedback : Sollicitez des retours réguliers pour ajuster et améliorer le processus.

Encouraging team members to engage in self-reflection before group discussions promotes personal accountability and can lead to more constructive feedback exchanges, enhancing overall team dynamics and performance.

Self-reflection is the foundation of a good debriefing. If. there is a problem or room for improvement it's always more constructive when the team member find it himself. That's why the role of a leader is to ask questions and listen during a debriefing. It's only after doing this that he can build-up a constructive debriefing.

You should promote self-reflection any chance you get. You should be doing it yourself on a daily basis. Sometimes it can be subtle, and you can get people to do it by asking questions such as "How do you think you did?" This may begin a dialog to go over a person's performance in a constructive manner.

One thing I have found useful is to organise a training detailing acceptable behaviour during an emergency, conduct the drill, then review behaviours and the lapses with the team. When people get defensive at this point, you are not alone to do the explaining as other people can join you to further strengthen your point.

Balanced feedback during debriefs, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement, fosters a constructive team environment where successes are celebrated and challenges are approached as growth opportunities, promoting teamwork and morale.

It is crucial to explain what the purposes of the debriefing are and are not (not to blame or shame; to improve procedures and outcomes). Discuss the positive outcomes first. Emphasize team work and training for will result in better outcomes! Do not deviate from the goals of the meeting and do not allow personal attacks. Ask for idea’s regarding efficiency, improvement and discuss what went well. Thank the team for their willingness to serve and the goal is to grow as individuals and as a team! Provide opportunities to process trauma in a safe space collectively and or individually. Provide the support that is needed.

How do you handle team members who are defensive during debrief sessions in emergency response scenarios? By proving all team members equal praise for bravery.

Managing a debriefing session involves experience in managing teams, and above all, managing emotions. The way we approach a case in a team discussion (whether it went well or badly, and whether it's a hot or cold debriefing) can define the feelings that prevail about what was done, the way a patient was approached, and the clinical outcome. Knowing how to create an honest environment of trust and mutual help, recognizing the added value that each person brings to the group's work, and valuing the presence of different elements, has an impact on subsequent satisfaction with the work done. Everyone does their best for the patient. Starting from this assumption helps to interpret, analyze and value what each person has added.

AAR's can be tense at times given that the entire actions of the response are under the microscope. However, it is human nature to be defensive in one's own actions if there is a consideration that a response team is being targeted. In my experience, it is imperative for the ROE of an effective AAR to include the "facts and evidence only". This gives the level playing field for all and mutes the "politicians" in the room who have their own agenda based on nothing more than emotional subterfuge.

A great debrief requires everyone to check their ego’s at the door. However, this will never occur if participants aren’t operating in an environment built on trust and respect Start working on the trust and respect aspect before you next incident, as well as opportunities to set up others for success before and during the event When participants trust that the feedback is designed to make the team stronger, rather than to cast judgement, the value of your debriefs will advance to the next level

Room and reason. Know who is in the room and realize that may be a reason for people to be defensive. Nobody likes to be identified for something going wrong, especially when their higher ups are in the room . I often have people give me comments in the hallway or submit emails so they can be away form their supervisors. Some get defensive as a way to justify or deflect because of the audience in the room. Provide truly "anonymous" opportunities for people to provide honest feedback and never break that trust if at all possible.