How we used a business management theory to help students cope with uncertainty

One of the major factors affecting people’s mental health during the pandemic has been the uncertainty of it all: How will my life change? What should I do next? Will things ever go back to normal?

The business world is no stranger to uncertainty, especially when looking at global shifts. We therefore drew on a management theory called “HeXie” to try to give students the tools to cope with their anxiety.

The HeXie theory

Originally developed by Youmin Xi, a professor and executive president of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, the HeXie theory combines Eastern and Western thought to systematically and rationally address the unpredictability of global business.

It is based on two parts – introspection and action. The “He” principle asks the individual to look inward and ask themselves what they can do to achieve their goal. The “Xie” principle deals more with the external – what does the individual need from society to achieve their goal?

To equip our students with these skills, we organised workshops to guide them through the HeXie principle. In doing so, we provided a space for students to learn coping strategies that would help them feel more in control of their lives and foster a nurturing environment where they felt comfortable asking for help.

Creating a safe space for students to explore possible actions

We instructed students at the workshop to write their broad goal at the top, and sub-goals as needed. For example, one student’s goal was to reduce anxiety and improve their mental health. Their sub-goals included eating more healthily, exercising more, doing mindfulness exercises and speaking to a therapist.

To determine the “He” and the “Xie”, we asked the students two questions:

1. What can you do to achieve these goals?
2. What societal changes and actions would make it easier for you to achieve your goal?

Using the same example as above, the answers to question 1 could include deleting fast food delivery apps, signing up for an exercise class, downloading a guided meditation app and making an appointment with the university counsellor.

The answers to the second question could be for companies to reduce added sugars and fats in food, for government to make sure pavements are wide and well lit for outdoor running, for the university to provide a quiet space for meditation, and for society to work on destigmatising mental health support.

Identifying the wider context of the problem using the Xie principle helps the student identify where they can either work to change things by getting involved in social organisations, for example proposing a meditation room to the student council or talking about mental health with others; or how they can overcome existing challenges, by paying more attention to nutritional labelling on pre-packaged foods, or going to a nearby park to run, for example.

Key to helping students, however, is to offer them a safe space to gain these skills without fear of judgement. Our workshop was voluntary and open to students who were interested in improving their mental health in a supportive environment.

The challenges

A major challenge of presenting workshops like these is that most of the students who take part are already engaged, enthusiastic and working towards their goals. With mental health, the students who shy away are often the ones most at risk and in need of help. Therefore, we used snowball sampling, relying on engaged students to reach out to their peers and get them involved – this helped us to reach more students who might need the workshop.

It was vital to create a supportive environment that encouraged students to express concerns and problems that trouble them without fear of judgement. The workshop content and delivery techniques were designed to be inclusive. For students who were scared to go in person or shy, the workshop was conducted online and anonymously. It was held at a time convenient to participants. Some ground rules such as speaking from personal experience, active listening, and focusing on ideas but refraining from personal attacks were introduced at the start to help students stay on the same page. We encouraged all those taking part to offer their own support through little acts of kindness, practical help and simply listening to others who had not engaged directly with the workshops.

These are uncertain times, and one way to support students is to reach out to them with empathy and help them develop skills for coping and for helping others.

Zheng Feei Ma is a lecturer in public health; Jian Li Hao is a senior associate professor and chair of the university ethics committee; Yu Song is a senior associate professor and director of the Xipu Institution; and Peng Liu is associate professor and head of HeXie Management Research Center, all at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

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