Dorset Chamber’s initiative to provide support and build resilience amongst business leaders is well underway. ‘Got Your 6’ (GU6 for short) has been developed with the boss in mind, who is often carrying the weight of their organisation and their teams’ livelihoods on their shoulders.
The initiative, which launched at the Dorset Chamber Business Leaders event on 18 March, has been named after a term used by WW2 fighter pilots where they protected the ‘backs’ of fellow pilots in formation at the vulnerable rear ‘six o’clock’ position. Ultimately Dorset Chamber ‘has the backs’ of those in our business community; member or non-member, who may need some respectful and confidential support.
At a time where the pressure of running a business and managing a team is potentially at its most stressful, ‘Got Your 6’ aims to plug the gaps, offering like minded people with shared experiences to talk to, and potentially signpost to further help.
The initiative has been instigated by past president, Liz Willingham. “I have been concerned for some time about the lack of support specifically for employers. Perhaps there is an assumption that they don’t need the same mental health support as our workforces and that they are immune to workplace stress. The angle about grabbing your oxygen mask first before helping others really applies here and for our businesses to be in good shape, the leaders need to be effective, resilient and thinking clearly.”
GU6 has been developed with the support of our members including Ouch Training (who has just delivered Mental Health First Aid Training to the first GU6 Champions), Dorset Mind, Livewell Dorset, Chamber President Caron Khan, and Peter Radford from Beyond This.
Now with over a dozen Mental Health First Aid trained business leaders ready to share their knowledge and experience and listen to the challenges of those who may need to talk, GU6 is ready for action. A dedicated section of the Chamber website is being created to host a growing bank of relevant resources and information, all aimed at helping our business leaders thrive in a difficult time. Keep an eye out to see if there is something which may help you, or someone you know.
To find out more, follow @GU6Dorset on Twitter or see https://dorsetchamber.co.uk/gu6-dorset/