Case study: a lively resilience session for energy professionals at Low Carbon Hub

How we helped the team at a community energy company to develop more resilience and connect as a team

“This was one of the best sessions we have done in years. Everyone was engaged, they are still referring back to it and the resilience tools.” Mairi Brookes, Low Carbon Hub

Low Carbon Hub develop community-owned renewable energy installations across Oxfordshire. They have a dedicated team of seventeen staff and have spearheaded major projects with multi-million pound grants over the past decade, becoming the lynchpin organisations for energy transition in the county. Their broad portfolio of projects have demonstrated that it is possible for local

Communities to create and then benefit from local energy projects, while their ambitious multi-county projects have inspired decision-makers to believe in the potential for more.

While the team has made exceptional progress, doing this work does not come without challenges and stresses. Additionally, their management were concerned that working in the shadow of the climate crisis was creating unspoken anxiety, leading to colleagues feeling alone with emotions.

They asked us to create a team-day that would create an opportunity for concerned staff to share their feelings safely, while not threatening the equilibrium of other staff. We designed a purposefully positive, practical session, in which the team learned new ways of relating to the climate crisis, from us and from each other, and in which nevertheless, they could share their challenges and greater concerns.

Our session moved the team through a series of simple, structured exercises. As this was in-person, we were able to get the team moving around the room. People feel safer to speak when they are standing and moving, so these exercises create a real buzz. We began by walking around a grid model on the floor, which helped people recognise what activities supported and which damaged their resilience. In another activity they worked in pairs to identify their particular stressors, writing them on paper and attaching them to strings, enabling the team to see that stress is universal, and also to advise each other on ways to manage it. This exercise ended with the team, cutting the strings, which everyone enjoyed.

Aware that the team handles difficult conversations with stakeholders, we also taught them a simple tool for shifting mindsets. To end the session, we invited the team to walk outside in pairs, to talk about the world they want to build to connect to the deep commitment they feel to their work, and boost their energy levels in nature.

Our team really enjoyed supporting Low Carbon Hub, and offering them powerful coaching skills to support their resilience and their ability to influence and inspire their stakeholders.