This episode is about SLPs and conflict management. It opens with a discussion of Nonviolent Communication, an approach that focuses on using empathy during challenging interactions. There are four main components in Nonviolent Communication: observation, feelings, needs and requests. A core understanding within Nonviolent Communication is that everything we do is in service of our needs. This idea can help us understand why others do what they do—and why we do what we do! Nonviolent Communication also uses animal metaphors to describe different communication styles. Jackal communication is aggressive and judgmental, and operates with a limited perspective. Giraffe communication comes from the heart, and it uses a more expansive perspective. After exploring Nonviolent Communication, I talk about strategies from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation. These strategies focus on finding common ground during a conflict. I close the episode with a reminder that listening can be one of our most powerful actions in a conflict. In his book Never Split the Difference, well-known hostage negotiator Chris Voss emphasizes that the listener is the participant who controls a conversation.

This episode shares communication tips to use during situations that tend to involve complex and nuanced conversations; e.g., at family gatherings over the holidays, and during meetings with parents or caregivers. The strategies that are included in the episode come from three recently released books about communication. The first book I discuss is Permission to Speak, by Samara Bay. The tips from this book include deep belly breathing and an intentional approach to glottal fry and upspeak. The second book I discuss is Supercommunicators, by Charles Duhigg. The tips from this book include knowing what type of conversation you are having, looping for understanding, and preparing for conversations ahead of time. The third book I discuss is How to Know a Person, by David Brooks. The tip from this book is all about working towards using communication to see the best in others.

This episode discusses the reasons why it’s important to support increased diversity in the SLP profession. I provide demographic information related to the SLP field, and then share results from two studies that indicate improved outcomes for patients and students when they have a shared racial or ethnic identity with their medical providers and/or teachers. I explain that in school settings, approximately 80% of students who receive SLP services are not white, and because 90% of SLPs are white, this mismatch could negatively impact student outcomes. Throughout the episode, I propose simple actions that SLPs can take to help make increased diversity a reality in our profession.