Responsible freedom of speech

[purpletigron]

Miscommunication is the bane of all relationships.

How can I help* someone** to find their voice***?

* 'help' as in: A practical, managable thing I can do - maybe, even, this afternoon.
** 'someone' as in: Someone who does not currently feel able to exercise their 'right' to free speech.
*** 'find their voices' as in: Help them to effectively to respond to criticism.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Tea with honey?

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Agave nectar :-)

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

(Oops, guess I wasn't properly logged in. That was me.)

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

LJ is doing this to a lot of people (Exploder users?) at the moment!

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Nah - happens to me on safari as well...

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

You didn't tell me that you'd "gone on safari"... :-)

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

A) Let them write down a response and then read it out.

2) Have them respond to the criticism facing away from the person issuing the criticism. Alternatively put on a mask. Sometimes the trappings of anonymity can help.

#) Let them talk as long as they can/like/need to before being responded to. Let the response be an affirmation of their feelings (I hear you say that you feel thus-and-such when I say this-and-so). Find at least three positive things to say about their response before starting to address the issues being criticized.

b) Have the person issuing the criticism be willing to say that they don't understand what the problem is, but that they are willing to accept there is a problem and that they want to work on it in more or less fraught situation. Offer hugs, but be willing to give space.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

This is all good, good advice.

Next question, though ... how do I seek out the voiceless, to be able to help in this way?

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

I don't have an answer to this.

The glib answer is to "listen to those who sit in silence".

But for those who feel they have no voice, I have no specific answer. Although, should it be possible, extend to them an (and my) invitation to express themselves.