“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” – Rudyard Kipling
Words are powerful! Consider these famous brands whose whole identity is defined by a few words.
- Bounty: The Quicker Picker Upper.
- American Express: Don’t leave home without it.
- United Airlines: Fly the friendly skies.
- Disney: The happiest place on earth.
We remember these words. These words have power. These words have certainly left an imprint!
We’ve focused a lot on the power of words over the last year in this blog. Words can define how people view themselves and their situations. Words can empower. Or words can stigmatize and judge. Our belief and practice @AFreshPOVforYou centers around using words that focus on strengths and create solutions, instead of words that dwell on the past and on problems.
You may know that we partnered to help create the Telly Award winning video, Changing the Conversation (you can find it here), that focuses on the impact words have when living with a chronic medical condition. The video begins with Words are powerful! We’ve watched this video hundreds of times and yet, it still brings a tear to our eyes. Why? Because the words resonate with our emotions and what we believe to be true, but most importantly, the words came directly out of the mouths of individuals who live with diabetes – Every. Single. Day. They shared their thoughts, feelings and emotions with us to create the inspiring words incorporated in the video.
Now what if the same thing happened with healthcare communication? If careful thought was given to words used in conversation with clients; choosing words that resonated with people living with diabetes. Words that mattered. We can change the way they feel. Words that empowered them. Words that could transform them for the better.
Over the course of writing our blog, engaging in research, and connecting with the diabetes community we have been compiling words that align with the tenets of a solution-focused approach to care and education. Words spoken by people with diabetes in surveys, research and focus groups. Words expressed during Twitter chats. Words written in papers.
So we considered…
How can we draw attention to these words and have them easily flow into conversations between diabetes care and education specialists and their clients?
As a step in that direction, we are launching into a new series of blog posts focused on some of these key words that inspire solution-focused thinking. These words, their meanings, and impact are so powerful that we will devote a blog to each word. Our hope is that each post will spur thinking, inspire, motivate and provide practical guidance as we’ll challenge you to incorporate the word into your daily practice and encounters.
How are your words impacting others today?
Together, we can slowly evolve our vocabulary and ultimately change our messages. Together we can embrace possibilities, opportunities and create a fresh vision for the future.
We welcome anyone interested in our approach to Subscribe to our blog and we’ll email you when a new post is published!
If you are a healthcare professional and interested in learning more about our solution-focused practice and approach, when you subscribe to our blog, we’ll send you in return a FREE resource of 10 Solution-Focused Questions to start a solution-focused discussion with your clients.
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