”Oh, I don’t need a microphone, I’ll speak louder,” is the bane of those with hearing loss attending lectures, conferences, or simply being out with friends in a louder setting. Dr. Jessie Ramey does a great job advocating for use of hearing assistive technology in higher education. This article takes Dr. Ramey’s advice further and discusses how to ask for accommodations.
Many people with hearing loss use remote microphones or other assistive technology. When asking a speaker to use such technology, a common and frustrating response is “I'm ok without a microphone, I can speak louder.” When speakers don’t use assistive equipment, it is much more difficult to hear. This difficulty is called cognitive load. And, when that person is your boss, the power differential increases stress. And stress equals cognitive load (see my Hacking Hearing talk, I relate my own experiences in dealing with cognitive load in the professional setting).
Steering abnormally high levels of brain power solely towards hearing makes it difficult for the brain to do one of the most important functions it’s designed to do: Process information and to effectively connect and communicate with the person to whom you’re talking.
So, how do you get people implement necessary accommodations? Better yet, how can we change a potentially negative and stressful encounter into a positive one? Done well, asking for an accommodation and deftly navigating a complex encounter can highlight your communication skills in a public setting. These soft skills are seldom taught or researched, but are hugely important in today’s competitive professional environment. Hard of hearing people who have been successful invariably have great soft skills.
Here’s how I’ve learned to deal with the "I'm ok without a microphone, I can speak louder” conundrum.
Later—need to separate yourself from prior feelings that may elicit PTSD
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