Navigating ‘tough’ conversations on welfare
Understanding key principles of effective communication is especially paramount as producers and their industries approach navigating tough conversations related to animal welfare.
Becky Taylor of Mosaic Veterinary Partners and Sage Pullen McIntosh of the Calgary Humane Society provided a wealth of key strategies and tips for effective communication.
Helping to provide insights on the best approaches at the 2019 LCC were Becky Taylor of Mosaic Veterinary Partners and Sage Pullen McIntosh of the Calgary Humane Society, who co-led an energetic, workshop-style interactive discussion on this topic.
Examples of key tips included: gain perspective, ask and listen, identify the real problem and ‘flip the switch’ to make a stronger connection. “One of the big challenges sometimes is to take the emotion out of your reaction,” says McIntosh. “A good approach is to keep it professional, not personal.”
Understand what you’re feeling, says Taylor. “When we acknowledge a strong feeling, it reduces its strength and allows to think and express ourselves more cognitively. Remember, an emotional brain is not a thinking one!”
Thank you to Rural Roots Ag Days and Cole’s Ag Communications for sponsoring this talk.
