An estimated one out of every 100 people in the world stutter. Stuttering can be a source of stress in any situation, but it can be particularly problematic in the workplace. In a recent survey of people who stutter, 86% of respondents agreed with the statement, “Stuttering has, at times, interfered with my job performance.”
Stuttering and other fluency issues can cause issues in the professional world on several levels. Often the speech difficulty itself isn’t the issue. Rather, the person who stutters may lack confidence in their ability to communicate, and refrain from saying what they want to say in certain situations or to certain people. This hesitancy in speech can greatly affect overall communication and subsequently, job performance.
It’s never too late to get help from a speech-language pathologist for fluency issues. The speech therapist can work with the person who stutters on several levels, teaching techniques to modify stuttering and increase overall fluency. Often, the speech pathologist will also provide counseling designed to increase confidence so that the person is better able to speak their mind, with or without a stutter.
Last year we received a call from a family member on behalf of their loved one that was dysfluent (stuttered). After obtaining the necessary information from the family member, I asked to speak with the individual that would be receiving the training. Sadly, I was unable to understand even his name on the telephone. Fast forward that story to today: that individual is completely fluent when we speak on the telephone! He has truly mastered the techniques that help him to control the stuttering. We have most definitely impacted his personal and professional life.
Have you had a personal experience with stuttering in the workplace? Share your story below in the comments section!
Do you want to improve your communication skills and learn how to make the most of your professional interactions? Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com and let our team of corporate speech-language pathologists help you turn your speech into your most powerful professional tool. Don’t live in NYC? No problem! Our services are Skype ready, so CSS can help you improve your communication from anywhere in there world.