In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Chuck DeGroat to talk about the natural reactivity we have to anxiety. We’ve talked a lot about fight and flight, conflict and distancing, but we don’t always add two other instinctive reactions: freeze and fawn.
We may aspire to peace-making but we often settle for peace keeping and people-pleasing. When we can see our fawn response, we can stop hiding and courageously choose genuine connection instead.
Conversation Overview:
- Chuck’s tweet that inspired this conversation
- How does the fawn response mimic healthy connection while also undermining it?
- How does the fawn response show up in leadership?
- How do we connect the fawn response to anxiety?
- What might we do instead of fawning?
References:
- Link to Chuck’s Tweet
- Chuck Degroat Website
- https://twitter.com/chuckdegroat
- @chuckdegroat on Threads
- Janina Fisher
- The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization
- Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
