How to speak up to make a difference in care

Helen Gruber is a wellness coach who guides and supports care teams to care for themselves, so that they can continue to care for others with more ease and less overwhelm. A regular on our Carer Webinar Series, in this blog she shares tools for how to speak up when you see something that needs to change when you’re working in care. Because whatever your role, you can make a big difference by being heard.

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Whatever your role is in care, your voice matters. It doesn't matter what your job title is, that doesn't define the value of your voice. All of our voices are important. Our experience, our compassion and our insight can all make a big difference.

So here are three principles to make sure your voice is heard. Follow these and speaking up will feel possible, safe and powerful, no matter what your role is

1. Speak from purpose, not pressure

Before you speak up - pause - and ask yourself why does this matter? Is it about safety, quality, fairness or someone’s wellbeing? When you speak from a place of purpose, your tone naturally becomes steady, rather than defensive or emotional.

So instead of saying: "This isn't working." Try instead: "I've noticed something that could help us deliver better care. Can I share it?" Think about what your words are and how they are heard.

2. State what you see, not who's to blame

Often we get caught up in talking about what other people have done or didn’t do. And it doesn't help. We're all a team working together and we're all going to make mistakes. People will listen much better when they don't feel criticized.

So when you're talking to someone about your concerns, think about what you're observing. What have you seen? What's going on? Why does it matter? What's the impact on you, your colleagues or the people you're caring for? And then, ask for what you’d like to be done differently. What support do you need or what's your solution?

3. Stay in your lane, but stand in it fully

You can’t fix everything. So remember what's actually your responsibility and don't get caught up in other people's jobs and what you think should be happening in their role. Focus instead on sharing what isn't working for you and what support you and your team need. By doing this, you build trust with your colleagues, your line manager and the people you care for.

Some ways to say this include:

• "from my role, here's what I'm finding…"

• "what would help me do this safely is…"

• "here's what I need clarity on…"

Wrap-up

When you need to speak up, take a moment and pause instead of pushing through. Speak from purpose. Say what you're seeing. Own your own lane. Ask for what support you need. And then when you're speaking up like this, you shape the culture around you. So speak up as soon as you can. It'll be really, really good for you and make you feel better and it will help everyone around you too.

Remember: you don't need a loud voice to make a difference. You just need a steady one.

Watch on demand
Catch-up on Helen's full webinar (including audience Q&A) which shares simple shifts you can make so that your voice is heard.

Working her way up from carer to registered manager, Helen Gruber is now a coach and educator who supports care teams to care for themselves, so that they can continue to care for others with more ease and less overwhelm.