Chaplain Paul Derrickson on a different way to view chaplains

Chaplain As Toxin Handler

I recently encountered an article by Kevin Grigsby, DSW, entitled “Managing Organizational Pain in Academic Health Centers.”[1] Basing his comments on Frost’s and Robinson’s work, Grigsby looks at organizational pain.[2]

As the emotional climate of an organization declines, “organizational toxicity will emerge and manifest in a loss of self worth, feelings of hopelessness, and loss of energy and drive on the part of individuals in the organization.”[3] Business literature has theorized that a particular role, that of “toxin handler,” emerges within some organizations, individuals who “voluntarily shoulder the sadness and anger that are endemic to organizational life.”[4] Toxin handlers are critical to helping the organization manage its pain.

“Organizational pain is the emotional or affective response of individuals in an organization to events occurring in the everyday life of the organization.” [5] Such pain is often produced by a change in leadership, in organizational climate, and/or in pressures on the organization to react to change in external (market) shifts. Often responses to such pain are not helpful and may even undermine the successful elements of the organization.

Frost and Robinson maintain that the “toxin handler” helps the organization in five ways: listening empathetically, suggesting solutions, working behind the scenes to prevent pain, carrying the confidences of others, and reframing difficult messages.

According to Grigsby, “Toxin handlers detect collective anxiety early in the change process …. In effect, toxin handlers play a critical role in the creation of a humane workplace.”[6]

After reading the article, I thought this was a novel, secular way to define the role a Chaplain often plays.

Here are some additional notes from my readings about this topic:

Branimir Schubert points out that there are two fundamental errors organizations make as they confront issues causing pain: ignoring the pain and misdiagnosing it.[7] Schubert quotes Cox and Hover, who identify ten warning signs indicating “pain” in an organization, in their book, Leadership When the Heat’s On:[8]

Symptoms to Watch For
Uncooperative attitudes
Lack of enthusiasm
Absence of commitment
Fault-finding
Increasing complaints
Growing tardiness or absenteeism
Deterioration in appearance or work area
Breakdown of discipline
Long faces
Low morale

Underlying Causes
Lack of [or working outside of] job descriptions
Unclear goals, changing or unrealistic expectations
Poor communication, unapproachable demeanor
Poorly understood organizational structure
Over or under-staffing
Lack of training or interest in job area
Lack of resources
Management is not people-oriented
Inconsistent or unfair performance appraisals
Lack of professional development, no clear career path

They also identify nine good responses:[9]

1. Understand and support
2. Show grace and determination in equal proportions
3. Know when enough is enough
4. Accept pain, both perceived and real, as worthy of attention
5. Be personal
6. Replace programs with processes
7. Hope
8. Be a person of fairness and new opportunities
9. Celebrate

In “Finally a Team,”[10] Clark Cothern lists the “do’s” and “dont’s:”

Do:
1. Be specific
2. Be humble
3. Be compassionate

Don’t:
1. Generalize
2. Blame
3. Retaliate

Footnotes:
[1] R. Kevin Grigsby, “Managing Organizational Pain in Academic Health Centers,” Academic Physician and Scientist (January 2006): 2-3. http://www.acphysci.com/aps/resources/PDFs/Jan_06_career.pdf

[2] P. J. Frost and S. Robinson, “The toxic handler: organizational hero and casualty,” Harvard Business Review 77 (4) (July-Aug 1999): 97-106; http://www.compassionlab.com/docs/toxic_handler.pdf P. J. Frost, Toxic Emotions at Work (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2003).

[3] Grigsby, p. 1.

[4] Grigsby, p. 1.

[5] Grigsby, p. 1.

[6] Grigsby, p. 2.

[7] Branimir Schubert, “Organizational Pain: Symptoms that your group isn't functioning well–and treatments for the deeper problems” Leadership Journal, Spring 2006, p. 42.

[8] Schubert, p. 43.

[9] Schubert, p. 43-44.

[10] Clark Cothern, “Finally a Team,” Leadership (Spring, 2006), p. 60.

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