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Guide - Conversation style guide appendix A

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FOI 24/25-1367 - DISCLOSURE LOG | DOCUMENT 25

Guide - Conversation style guide

appendix A

SGP KP Publishing

Exported on 2025-04-28 03:51:30

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Table of Contents

  1. Recent updates …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
  2. Before you start …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
  3. During the conversation ………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

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This article provides guidance for an access delegate, bereavement officer, business support officer, complaints officer, compensation delegate, early childhood partner, enrolment officer, external review officer, home and living delegate, internal review delegate, liaison officers, local area coordinator, national reassessment delegate, National Contact Centre, participant critical incidents officer, participant support officer, payment officer, planner delegate and planner (non-partnered area) to:

  • understand techniques to use during the conversation.

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1 Recent updates

October 2023 Recent guidance.

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2 Before you start

You have read and understood:

  • article Guide – Conversation style guide.

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3 During the conversation

Set up a collaborative conversation

It’s important to recognise the way you structure and conduct a conversation contributes to a person feeling listened to, respected and empowered.

That is why you will work collaboratively with the person to establish some structure for the conversation.

You will spend a few minutes at the start of the conversation discussing the reason you and the person are speaking. This will help you both reach a mutual understanding about the purpose of the conversation and make the best use of your time together. This does not need to be written down or completed formally.

You can set up a collaborative conversation by:

  • introducing yourself by name to the person
  • explaining your role with the NDIA and how you may be able to help
  • explaining the purpose of the conversation, including:
    • why you are having the conversation
    • what you need from the person you are speaking to
    • how long you think the conversation will take
    • giving an opportunity for the person to identify anything they would like to discuss
    • reaching an understanding of the outcome you are both seeking.

Prompts to support a collaborative conversation

  • Today I need to find out a bit more about you so I can make the best decision about your request/plan, is there anything you would like to talk about in this conversation?
  • We may not have time to discuss that today. I can show you where to find more information at the end of this conversation if that would help?
  • If we are getting off track, how would you like me to remind you of the structure we set for our conversation?

Before you continue the conversation ensure the person you are speaking with:

  • understands the structure you have set together
  • has the support they need to participate in the conversation
  • is happy to proceed with the conversation.

You will do this for all conversations, whether by phone, face-to-face or through another channel such as web-based.

To learn more about phone and web-based conversations, refer to article Guide – Conversation style guide appendix B – Navigating different types of conversations.

Prompts to check the person’s understanding and comfort

  • It sounds like the purpose of our conversation today is … does that should right to you?
  • Based on what we have discussed, are you happy to continue our conversation?
  • Is there anything else you need to feel supported during this conversation?

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Always explore safeguarding

A general principle which guides our actions under the NDIS Act, is the support of people with disability to exercise choice. This includes respecting the rights of people to take reasonable risks when making choices about how they want to live their life.

Your conversation with the person provides an opportunity for open discussion to identify any actual and potential risks.

You can use the conversation to encourage the person to develop their own strategies and safeguards to reduce their potential exposure to harm. This will help you decide if you also need to put additional safeguards in place.

For more information, refer to article Guide – Safeguarding the participant’s interests.

For participants: The Participant Critical Incidents Framework helps you know what to do if you suspect or obtain information that a participant may be:

  • subject to physical, emotional or financial abuse, neglect or exploitation
  • at risk of suicide or self-harm
  • at risk of harming others.

Refer to the Participant Critical Incidents page on the intranet for more information.

For other people: You will immediately alert your line manager if you suspect or obtain information that a person may be:

  • subject to physical, emotional or financial abuse, neglect or exploitation
  • at risk of suicide or self-harm
  • at risk of harming others.

If a person is at immediate risk of harm you should:

  • call 000 to contact the appropriate emergency service
  • alert your line manager as soon as possible.

Prompts to explore the persons safeguards

  • Can you tell me about a typical day for you?
  • Who helps you if things go wrong or you need to talk to someone?
  • What sort of things do you enjoy doing?
  • Who do you like spending time with?
  • What do you think about when choosing a provider?
  • Who would you speak to if you think a provider or support person isn’t treating you fairly?
  • Refer to the Responding to Suicide and Self-Harm Fact Sheet for more information.

Safeguarding conversations can be emotionally tough. There are techniques in article Guide – Conversation style guide appendix B – Navigating different types of conversations to help you talk about safeguarding with people who contact us.

Set the tone

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You have the same voice all the time, but your tone changes. The tone you use at the start of the conversation will influence whether the person feels that you are listening to them. It will get the conversation off to a good start and show that you are interested in their circumstances and concerns. Adjust the rhythm and volume of your voice depending on the person’s ability to hear you clearly and their level of understanding. You will also change your tone depending on the emotional state of the person you are talking to. For example, you would use a different tone of voice to talk to a person who is nervous or upset than you would with someone who is more relaxed.

Build rapport

The mirroring technique builds a connection and rapport with the person. Where appropriate, use some of the same words (keywords) or phrases as the person you speak to. Mirroring can give the person the feeling they are talking with someone familiar and so the conversation is easier and more comfortable. Don’t try to copy the person as this will not be your usual style and may come across as false or unapproachable. Remember a person’s outward gestures may not always mean what you think they do, so use your judgement when you think mirroring is useful.

Tips for rapport building

  • Mirror a person’s tone of voice, rate of speech and word choice
  • Use friendly, neutral and respectful communication to show and guide the participant to mirror your communication
  • Listen and use the participant’s keywords in conversation and in your questions
  • Note down keywords.

Actively listen

Active and effective listening is a very important communication technique that requires you to provide verbal and non-verbal feedback to people. It shows them you are listening and understanding. You need to fully concentrate on the person and understand and respond to their needs, not just hear what they are saying. At times a conversation may include a third party, interpreter or National Relay Officer so your strong active listening skills will be valuable here.

Active listening requires you to listen with all your senses. Convey your interest and your focus on the person by:

  • using both verbal and non-verbal messages such as maintaining eye contact if this is possible for the person, nodding your head and smiling
  • allowing the person to finish everything they are saying before you respond
  • encouraging the person to continue
  • use paraphrasing to make sure you understand what the person has said.

When you provide this feedback and level of interest, the person will usually start to feel more at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and honestly.

Prompts to check your understanding

  • So from what you are saying John can only access public transport with your assistance?
  • Just to check I am hearing you correctly, it sounds like you support John to manage his finances?
  • Just so I am sure I have understood you correctly, I am hearing you would like to self-manage your plan. Is that correct?

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It may take some time for the person to tell you about their circumstances and needs. Take time to build trust. During the conversation, if you remain silent the person may feel like they are not being understood or that you are not listening to them.

Don’t make assumptions – listen to what is being said and consider all information available to you.

We can gently encourage the person to use active listening, too. The person may have spent a lot of time preparing for the conversation with you. They may want to give you lots of information about their life, their progress and what they think about their interactions with us. You may need to encourage the person to slow down and listen to your questions or your explanations. You could lower your voice and speak more slowly and quietly to encourage them to listen intently to hear you. You can also gently and respectfully remind them of the structure you set at the start of the conversation to help bring their focus back.

An authentic, two-way conversation relies on both of you listening, understanding and being open and honest.

Prompts to check for mutual understanding

  • Before we move onto the next question, I am going to repeat what you have told me to make sure I have heard you properly.
  • Let’s pause here and go over what we have spoken about.
  • Can I check that I have explained that properly? Can you tell me what you think the next steps are?

Checking you understand what the person has said demonstrates active listening. It isn’t just about showing you are actively listening or checking facts; you can also use it to help the person think through what they are saying or reporting they are doing. This is also a useful way of owning a misunderstanding, and not making the person feel frustrated because they can’t get their point across.

More prompts to check your understanding

  • I think I’ve confused things, did you say…?
  • I think I’ve got this wrong, did you just say…?

Ask effective questions

Using the right questions at the right time in the conversation will allow you to have a genuine conversation with the person. It will build rapport and direct the conversation to cover the things you need to discuss.

Open questions connect you and the person together as you gather information. Asking open questions gives the person an opportunity to give you a longer full answer and draw on their lived experience and feelings. Open questions also give you more time to understand the person’s current circumstances and needs.

Open question prompts

  • What does a normal day look like for you?
  • What do you enjoy doing?
  • How have you been getting on with your support worker?
  • How do you get to your appointments?
  • What would you like to do more of?

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  • What type of assistance do you need to cook meals?

Closed questions can be useful when you need a specific response or a simple “yes” or “no”. You may choose to use closed questions to bring a discussion topic to a close. Closed questions also help to find out a specific piece of information so that you can find something in the person’s record.

Closed question prompts

  • Does your support worker visit your home every day?
  • How often do you catch up with your friend Jane?
  • Do you always need someone to help you to prepare your meals?
  • How often do you go to work at the coffee shop?
  • How long has John lived at Shipton Grove?

Probing questions are another way to find out more details. Probing questions will help you to get clarification, ensure you have the whole story and that you understand it thoroughly. They can draw detailed information from the person if they are unsure or uncertain about the conversation.

Probing question prompts

  • To help me understand, can you please give me an example of how you support John to access the community?
  • Can you tell me a bit more about how you use your 4 wheel walker at home?
  • I heard you say that spending more time outdoors is important to you, could you tell me a bit more about what that would look like?

Leading questions help you manage the conversation to resolution, in a way that allows the person to make choices and have control over the outcome. Leading questions might help you if you need to manage the conversation to move on from a particular topic. Leading questions also help if you need to test how the person feels about a particular idea. You can use assumptions in your questions to introduce information and suggest alternative approaches or processes to the person. Leading questions also give you the opportunity to give the person a choice between options.

Leading question prompts

  • Shall we go ahead and look at the steps for starting to self-manage your plan?
  • Let’s discuss the information we need from your occupational therapist. I can provide some examples. Would that be helpful?
  • I can walk through the next steps with you now, over the phone. Or, I can help you find where the information you need is on the NDIS website so you can look over it late?

To learn more about having conversations, refer to articles: Guide – Conversation style guide Guide – Conversation style guide appendix B – Navigating different types of conversations

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