“Say My Name” and Other Simple Tips to Help with Better Communication
By Justyna Lorenc, Doctor of Audiology Whether you have a hearing loss or
“Say My Name” and Other Simple Tips to Help with Better Communication
By Justyna Lorenc, Doctor of AudiologyWhether you have a hearing loss or not, listening and communicating well takes practice. I recently read a great book called “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection” by Charles Duhigg. If you are a Super Communicator, you excel at connecting with others by monitoring the practical, emotional and social layers of a conversation. But before we can get to this point, we need to be able to hear people and be heard by people.
Here are useful everyday tips on how to better communicate with hearing loss:
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Say My Name. If you are participating in an active conversation or about to start a new sentence, say the listener’s name first to get their attention and wait a few seconds until they look at you. Ask them to do the same to you. This will almost always result in the person being ready to hear what you have to say. Whether they like what you have to say, that’s out of my hands!
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Turn Down the Music. Reduce background noise and position yourself to minimize unwanted sound. If there is less competing noise, it makes it easier to hear what people are saying.
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To booth or not to booth, that is the question. Always booth! If you are making a reservation at a restaurant you know well, consider requesting a specific seat. A booth or a cushioned bench to better absorb restaurant noise is best. This will make it easier to hear in comparison to sitting at a hard table in the middle of the room. Also consider sitting with your back against a wall or facing someone who doesn’t have a lot of noise behind them.
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Lighting and Visual Cues. Choose a well-lit area and face the speaker to take in visual cues. Make eye contact and take turns speaking.
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Clean and Check. If you wear hearing aids, check to make sure they are working properly. Are they charged, and are the wax guards fresh? Do you have a restaurant program activated? Time to book a clean and check if you haven’t had one in a long time!
Communication can be a super power. It can help bring you closer to someone and allow for deep conversations and improved relationships. Try these suggestions in your daily life and set yourself up for communication success!
