Just Add Dog: How a Furry Friend Creates Psychological Safety in Workshops
As facilitators, we all know that creating a psychologically safe space is critical to a successful workshop. The more we can encourage our participants to be vulnerable, and to share not just their knowledge but also their emotions, the greater psychological insight we can generate. That then leads to more sustained behavior change and the adoption of solutions that address underlying incentives and needs.
I recently had the opportunity, for the first time, to facilitate a three-day workshop with a small dog in the room. We were in a stunningly beautiful conference room for a facilitated workshop of about 12 people and were fortunate enough to be in a co-working space that allows dogs.
On day one, the participants arrived and we informed the team that we could have a small dog join us at the workshop if the group was interested. We gave the individuals a chance to approach us over the course of the morning to allow anyone with allergies or concerns to speak to us privately. When the response was overwhelmingly positive, I ran home and brought the pup back for the remaining 2.5 days of the workshop.
Now I can’t say with any measurable certainty that the furry friend was responsible for the success of the workshop, but I can tell you the following based on my observations:
This was a complex, deeply cerebral challenge we came together to solve. After three days, we designed a solution everyone approved of.
The participant dynamic was one of the best I’ve ever experienced—thoughtful, empathetic, honest, respectful, and creative.
Participants regularly sat on the floor with the dog, cuddled the dog, and focused on the dog when conversations got tiring—looking to the dog for comfort and a reset when they got intellectually frustrated—rather than directing their frustrations at each other.
The dog's presence allowed participants to be vulnerable, let down professional personas, and allow their authentic selves to shine through. I surmise this may have led to less constraint and improved creative contributions.
Now I fully concede these are simply my anecdotal observations from one workshop, but I would offer you the following to consider:
The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes animal-assisted therapy as a treatment for depression and other mood disorders because pets can have a positive effect on depression in a number of ways.
Multiple studies show that dogs and therapy dogs help alleviate stress and anxiety. Cortisol is a hormone activated by stress, and studies have found that being around animals can decrease cortisol levels. For this reason, many offices are starting to allow employees to bring dogs to work, and some universities are letting students borrow dogs during stressful times of the year.
Even just petting a familiar dog lowers blood pressure, heart rate, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension. Scientists at Washington State University discovered that just 10 minutes of petting a dog can have a significant impact. Study participants had a significant reduction in cortisol, a primary stress hormone.
Just looking at a dog can lift your spirits: a 2009 study in Japan found that staring into your dog’s eyes raises your level of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.” Besides the general health benefits of owning a dog, they are natural mood boosters. Those with AIDS are less likely to suffer from depression if they own a pet, according to a 2017 study.
The role of a great facilitator is to create an environment where participants can be their most authentic selves. Where their creativity, experiences, voice, and ideas are appreciated, welcomed, respected, and heard. It may be that just adding a dog is a variable that can unlock a new level of genuine, intelligent, and vulnerable workshop participation.