Social learning encourages us to recognize that every behavior has meaning and reminds us not to take perceived slights personally. Instead of becoming frustrated or hurt, social learning calls us to be open with one another, share information, and work together through collaborative thinking and problem solving.

One way that Sanctuary helps us with social learning and open communication is through the use of red flag meetings. A red flag meeting is a team meeting called in response to a crisis or a collective disturbance.

One important thing to remember is that red flag meetings are not blaming sessions and cannot be used to “fix” coworkers’ behavior. They are a vehicle for social learning and collective problem solving. Any staff member or customer can call a red flag meeting to get the support they need in resolving issues. The person calling the meeting chooses who they want to participate.

The idea of this meeting is to address the problem before it gets out of hand. During these meetings, the assembled team learns as much as possible about the situation by using social learning skills and collective voice to express concerns and create a plan to keep the problem from becoming worse. The S.E.L.F. model (addressing safety, emotions, loss and future) is a great tool to use in a red flag meeting.

For more information on how to call a red flag meeting, or how to facilitate one, check out this video.