Competent Communication

When I think of an effective communicator one person immediately comes to mind.  I think of Rita.  She is a friend and colleague who spent many years working as a psychiatric nurse.  She used her many experiences to build a repertoire of workshops on the topic of social and emotional wellness.  Rita has a wonderful sense of humor that she incorporates into her presentations.  She is also a master at providing examples that are easy to relate too.  I have heard her speak many times over the years and I always find myself think “I know just what you mean” as she points out circumstances that have been stressful.  Her demeanor is warm and caring.  Even when she addresses a large group, she has a way of making you feel like she is talking directly to you.   Rita presented a workshop to my staff of teachers and family advocates last Spring that was a wrap up for our program year. Throughout the year, our professional development theme was related to social and emotional wellness for children and those that work with them. Rita has the ability to communicate on a level that was meaningful to my staff and make it relevant to the work they do which made the workshop very beneficial on a professional and personal level for everyone.  I use Rita as a model for communicating with people both personally and professionally by incorporating a little bit of humor and also keeping it real.