Ok, let’s start with a heavy hitter… Hard Conversations.
This can mean different things to different Speechies based on your definition of hard and how comfortable you feel with conversations.
If you grew up texting or avoiding hard conversations, especially about uncomfortable topics, then you might find you are having quite a few hard conversations as a working Speechie.
A conversation is only hard if you want it to be hard.
If you are like me, and prefer an easier road, then I would start with the wisdom of Brene Brown.
She shares that when you want to have an open conversation, you need to be vulnerable. You need to be able to sit next to the person (not across from them) and you have to be able to take responsibility for 50% of the load (or blame).
Often we rehearse conversations in our head, over and over again. We expect certain answers. We expect certain outcomes. We go into these conversations wearing our invisible armour, often defensive, scared and eager to get the conversation done.
Then when we get the opposite outcome, the opposite of what we had hoped for, we are upset, frustrated and vindicated. ‘See I knew this would happen’. It’s an awful spiral. I know I hated it.
So now, I look at a conversation as just that. We are talking. I don’t rehearse it in my head. I don’t go in with an expected outcome. I understand that we might need to have many conversations to get a solution, an answer, an outcome. That’s perfect as every conversation builds trust, understanding and ease.
So whether you are mentioning to a parent that they may need to seek a paediatrican for their child.
Or letting a parent know that an autism assessment is needed.
Or asking your supervisor for time off.
Or asking your boss for a raise.
Remember it is a conversation. You are safe. There is no need to armour up.
