We’ve established our commitment to physical safety: creating safe bubbles, spaces, and buildings for people to gather, thus generating feelings of trust and safety. But what about the aspects of safety beyond just the physical? How can we create safety and trust within the areas we can control?

     The effects of propinquity are not limited to physical safety, rather they extend to emotional and cognitive safety as well. There is a great deal of importance and value in emotional and cognitive safety, which both relate to the ideas of trust and control.

     Control breeds feelings of power, which facilitates trust and emotional safety. People feel comfortable when they are in control due to these associated feelings of power.  Brené Brown discusses the difference between the things we have power over, power with, power within, and power to. We focus on power to and power with, as these are the aspects Brown highlights as inclusive and productive in bringing about change. Having the power to control outcomes, and associated power from working with others is key in understanding power and control as a means of generating trust and safety.

     However it’s worth noting that there are things we simply cannot control, and situations that may render feelings of powerlessness. In response to this caveat, we advocate for a perspective shift. Focus on what you can control, not what you cannot. With this mindset, you regain sentiments of control. We advocate taking what you can control into your own hands, and doing what you can to establish trust and safety, whether it be physical or otherwise. 

     This is precisely the mindset we’ve adopted at Haig Service. We believe that with control and power comes responsibility, and when this responsibility is fulfilled, trust and safety are established. We use our power to promote and create safe physical gatherings as best we can, and work to establish trust with our customers and between individuals. We know the importance of what we are doing spans far beyond just us. The more lives we impact through allowing people to practice propinquity, resilience, and feel a sense of belonging, the better.