Reconsidering how welcoming, open and friendly our spaces are, particularly for those who are coming to us with some feelings of hesitancy, or even trepidation, is always helpful. Barrier-oriented signage can be particularly off-putting (WHO, 2013). How long since we considered our office entrances? Our signage? Our phone manner? Our emails?
Attempting to consider our own practices with a 'beginners mind' is difficult, but is very useful (Daft, 2008). The image accompanying this post (WHO, 2013, p. 60) is familiar to anyone who has visited a hospital: and is even more so under Covid-19.
We can attempt to resurrect our beginner's mind by taking a notebook with us, or using a note-taking app, and NOTICING throughout the day our experiences of personal and environmental welcomes, or how we are "greeted and treated" in a variety of situations (WHO, 2013, p. 61). We would then reflect upon our findings, considering the following:
- How did each situation make us feel?
- Did we feel welcome? Or unwelcome? Why?
- Did we feel included? Or excluded? Why?
- What would have made any experience better?
- How could we apply that learning?
- What influences the way things are done?
- What do we need to avoid?
From that, we would be deliberate in planning a welcome strategy, now being clear in how we would like to make our clients feel when they come to see us.
Sam
References:
Daft, R. L. (2008). The Leadership Experience (4th ed.). Thomson-South Western.
WHO (2013). Chapter 5: Practical Considerations in the Counselling Process, in Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Care: A Handbook for Building Skills. World Health Organisation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304189/
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