- Image by suchitra prints(Away for a few days) via Flickr
There are many pressures on organizations like ours that focus on serving struggling teens. Cultivating a therapeutic milieu takes constant attention. Attempting to close the academic gap for students like ours who often often arrive at therapeutic boarding schools behind in their studies demands a team approach that incorporates feedback from the students, the parents, the previous placement and our staff. And it’s always essential to keep our organization in a transformative mode so that it can continue to grow as best practices change.
All the tasks that face us demand good communication. Even during these difficult economic times, as a leadership team we spend a large percentage of out efforts focusing on the demands of communication. And the challenge comes in many forms. Internal memos, external releases, crafting attentive responses for the wide range of constituencies that we are in dialogue with; helping our staff to have the consistent messaging; facilitating communication between our students and their families of origin.
It’s important to remember the factors that enhance the quality of communication. This includes appropriate knowledge of the subject under consideration, showing patience, an even temperament, and active listening. Giving attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues while showing courtesy, demonstrating understanding, and nonjudgmental attitudes are musts. And where these aspects are missing, regardless if it’s with student, staff, parent or community member, helping others to join into these demands to ensure clarity of communication lines needs to remain a top priority.
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