Lean in to hard conversations. It is a difficult task to do and takes, careful and considered probing questions to provide a safe space to have those chats. They need to ensure that you can be trusted to be respectful of the information. It is a vulnerability that scares others, but if, as a practitioner, you can keep the person psychologically and emotionally safe, then it is more likely that you will access more relevant and richer information to support you in your work.

The BSP Role in itself a complex role where the BSP finds themselves in a broad and diverse range of interpersonal relationships (with clients, their stakeholders, family needs, individual needs, etc.) – all complex and at times challenging. As such we must be able to leverage a range of differing communication skills. It is important that we learn the following five (5) types of communication.

• Oral communication: Thoughts and ideas and your specific behavioural messages are shared through speech. Examples include implementation presentations, one-on-one meetings, and virtual calls, etc.
• Written communication: Our report writing is crucial and we must write in a number of differing ways even in the one document, so developing your written communication skills is crucial.
• Non-verbal communication: We share information using our body language, without the use of written or spoken words. We also teach and/or expect our clients to use a range of differing communication techniques, for example, use of sign / Keyword signing, facial expressions, facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and gestures, etc.
• Active listening: Active listening is about receiving information. When someone is listening actively, they might ask questions to understand the information better, but refrain from focusing on their response so much that they fail to hear the speaker.
• Contextual communication: Information is shared with mutual, potentially unspoken, understandings of various factors such as interpersonal relationships and the environment.