Effective Communication about Budgeting & Paying the Bill Megan Kennerknecht Assistant Director of Financial Aid SUNY Geneseo

Agenda Keys to Effective Communication Knowing Your Audience Stages of the conversation Positive Phrases Conversation Preparation Practice Makes Perfect Questions

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou

Keys to Effective Communication Active Listening Eye Contact Paraphrase and/or ask questions Keep body language open, professional, and positive Do not interrupt Silence is OK Reduce distractions Note the content, not the delivery Clear Messaging Be mindful of your tone & volume Be aware of your body language Avoid jargon Keep your emotions in check Take a solution-based & student- centered approach Use professional language Directness over ambiguity

Know Your Audience Money is personal, the conversation should be too. Everyone has a story. While we don’t have time to hear the whole tale, we should: Exhibit cultural competence Recognize learning/processing styles Be mindful of subconscious bias Acknowledge the student by acknowledging their problem.

Stages of the Conversation Introduction Gathering Information Problem/Issue Identification Exploration of Options Making the Plan Closure Follow-Up, if needed Don’t forget to document! 

Positive Phrases: Great question, let me take a look… What options have you explored?”… Okay, let’s figure it out together. Happy to help. I don’t have that answer for you right now, but let me find out and get back to you. I understand your frustration/confusion/have to make a difficult choice. I’m happy to go through the options you have available. Take your time, we get it- this can be overwhelming. I want to make sure I understand… or Tell me more about… Please let me know if you’d like to go back over anything. What other questions do you have?

Conversation Preparation Review the account thoroughly. Look for options before meeting with the student, if possible. Know the resources available to the student on the campus. For frequently asked questions, create a quick handout/fact sheet/reference list for the student to take with them.

Practice Makes Perfect

Questions