Empowering Clients to Move Forward By Barbara Buchleitner, CIRS-A Christopher Moore, CIRS-A Amanda Norman

Empowering Clients to Move Empowering Clients to Move ForwardForward

By Barbara Buchleitner, CIRS-A By Barbara Buchleitner, CIRS-A Christopher Moore, CIRS-AChristopher Moore, CIRS-A

Amanda NormanAmanda Norman

GOALSGOALS

• Interactive forum to identify common difficult callers

• Identify potential techniques to help callers empower themselves

• Develop and discuss “best practices” for empowerment

WHAT IS WHAT IS EMPOWERMENT?EMPOWERMENT?

EmpowerEmpower

To equip or supply with an ability; To equip or supply with an ability; enableenable

AIRS, STANDARD 1, QUALITY AIRS, STANDARD 1, QUALITY INDICATOR 1INDICATOR 1

• Explore the inquirer’s own resources (e.g., friends, family, faith-based community)

• Suggest ways the inquirer can advocate for him or herself, when appropriate (empowerment)

Empowerment in action focuses onEmpowerment in action focuses on

• Participation• Partnerships• Education• Critical reflection/consciousness• Transformation of perspectives• Competence Building Source: McDonough, K.E. & Davit, J.K., (2011) “It Takes a Village: Community Practice, Social Work,

and Aging-in-Place,” Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 54, 528-541

TOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENTTOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENT

• Supportive listening

• Setting boundaries

• Help client to develop Action Plan

• Options, skills, and resources they’ve used before

• Ask the 2nd question!

• Clarify expectations

TOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENT TOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENT (continued)(continued)

• Reality check (your rainy day is here)

• Clarify needs, prioritize needs

• Demystifying the process

• Identify strengths

• Treat client as an equal

• Follow-Up

• Working as a team

NEVER WORK HARDER NEVER WORK HARDER THAN YOUR CLIENT!THAN YOUR CLIENT!

Some common difficult Some common difficult caller archetypescaller archetypes

Empower this!Empower this!

Image taken from “The Flame Warriors” by Mike Reed http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/

Chicken LittleChicken Little is the caller who calls in crisis mode because of something they may have seen on the news, or heard from friends. The threat is largely due to hysteria, but the actual threat to the client may be minimal. Examples of Chicken Little calls

include H1N1 callers, Bed Bugs, Health Care Reform, Snow Storms, etc.


Hard headA genealogical cousin of the Yeah-but, this caller has difficulty

understanding how the options that you are presenting are going to help his situation. No matter how you rephrase

options, he doesn’t seem to grasp the usefulness. For example, a caller is having problems with the high cost of prescriptions and likes to go to his local pharmacy. You explain that many times ordering thru the mail with a 90 day supply is cheaper. The caller admits that his physician has told him that but we

still wants to “support his local pharmacy” and wants another way to get his meds subsidized. When you explain that there

are no other options using his insurance plan, he hangs up saying, “you’re no help at all!”


The VictimThe Victim is a caller who is especially needy and sees

themselves as the chronic target of everything. They are especially prone to dependency and either through simple lack of knowledge or the desire to have things done for them, they will be especially difficult to empower. This caller may not be able to stop crying long enough to tell you their needs. It is

important to assess whether the victimhood is acute or chronic, and to not dismiss what may be legitimate bad

circumstances.


The Cry-BabyThe Cry-Baby is the more malevolent cousin of The Victim. Like

The Victim, they may use tears, but they are far more manipulative. Over their lifetime, they have perfected learned

helplessness and are generally capable of doing many things independently. However, they prefer that someone else do it

for them. Of all the archetypes, they may well be the most challenging for empowerment.


Mass ConfusionMass Confusion is the caller that never clarifies exactly why they’re calling. Chances of them following up on any referrals (or even fully

receiving referrals) are minimal. They can range from largely silent to perseverant in speech. Often, this type of caller may have a mental

illness or age-related illness that limits their organizational skills. The fact that they were able to call you is actually a major victory for them.


Yeah, But….The “Yeah, But” is the caller that calls with a problem for you to

solve, but shoots down every solution the I & R Professional says, usually responding with “Yeah, but….” and then giving reasons

why that solution can’t possibly work for them. They enjoy testing your knowledge and either already know the solution to their issue

or know there is no solution.

The Hostage TakerThe picture above is you. The Hostage Taker is the

caller, who has something to say and refuses to let you go until they say what they have to say. They’re not calling for a particular solution, because they usually already know the answer. They just have to blow off

some steam, and unfortunately, you’re their next victim.

ROLE PLAYROLE PLAY

Role PlayRole Play

• What went right?

• What would you do differently?

• What specific empowerment techniques did you see in action?

To Summarize…To Summarize…

• Accept that you may not be able to help every client, and that’s okay.

• Don’t be afraid to utilize different strategies. There’s no universal empowerment tool

Thank you from the Land of Thank you from the Land of Pleasant Living!Pleasant Living!

• Barbara Buchleitner, CIRS-A, 410-222-4257 x226, [email protected]

• Christopher Moore, CIRS-A, 410-222-4257 x225, [email protected]

Documents

Empowering Clients to Move Forward By Barbara Buchleitner, CIRS-A Christopher Moore, CIRS-A Amanda Norman