What Makes the Choice Work
By Leeanne Seaver
I’m a great believer in luck, and find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
~ Thomas Jefferson
How lucky were we?
In light of the continuing pandemic, it seemed risky to have an in-person Leadership Conference in Nashville last September. The reasons to move ahead with it after 2020’s cancelled event were compelling, but so too were the arguments against it. For over a year, we scrummed toward the goal—the nourishment and inspiration of being all together that strengthens and sustains this community.
Not a single report of anyone getting sick affirmed the worth of untold hours of careful deliberation. That was fortunate, but I don’t think luck gets the credit.
In making a conscious choice to come together for some much-needed organizational communion, Tennessee and Kentucky Chapter leaders, the HQ planning committee, and H&V board had to address myriad concerns and hold themselves accountable on many levels. Not everyone was on the same page about things politically or philosophically. Deliberations were respectful but intense at times. There were moments of “OK, this is beyond us… let’s wait and see what the CDC does.”
The conversation continued as more information was available. Ideas were proposed, pursued, incorporated, or nixed. As late as three months before the September event, the cement hadn’t dried on the decision to host the conference, but the intention was strong and pulled the plan forward.
With due diligence, that plan was developed. Information and resources were identified then customized for this group. Everything was vetted for communication accessibility, and opportunities were leveraged (ex: a donation of clear masks for all).
Directives and expectations were drafted, honed, then communicated through various platforms to all Chapters ahead of time and to all participants at the time. Accommodations and supplies were plentiful and accessible; adherence was modeled by those in charge. Check-ins happened regularly to ensure everything was going to plan, and concerns were swiftly addressed.
Janet DesGeorges and her team can be very proud of the successful result—as validated in post-conference evaluation surveys and by the esprit de corps that’s still being felt. I’m happy to spotlight this achievement in such great detail, but that’s not actually the point of this column.
This undertaking is a perfect example of our mantra: “What works for your child is what makes the choice right.”TM
Whether the choice is to convene a conference during a pandemic or to pick the right mode or method of communication for a child who’s Deaf or Hard of Hearing, there is so much involved in the process of making good decisions. Every angle and aspect of the situation must be considered by those who have a stake in the outcome. Relevant expertise beyond the circle is essential. Meaningful dialogue must influence the process and result in an actionable plan. Everyone involved should know what a successful outcome will look like… and how to intervene if things go awry.
But that’s just making the decision—and that’s only the beginning. Making that choice work is an on-going process that puts us through our paces every single day. It might not be an exaggeration to say we have to keep making that choice every day, based on new information. This is where the D/HH child comes in—there will be new information that s/he/they are providing and that must influence this process.
It’s not a one-off moment of decision, but a process that makes the choice work.
Sometimes it doesn’t work. The best plans take that into consideration and have a plan for that, too. At the end of the day, no one knows if the decision is right until it’s been made and proven, which is a process, not a choice. That’s why we say “What works for your child and family is what makes the choice right.”TM ~
H&V Communicator – Spring 2022