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Stuttering in the Workplace 1 in every 100 adults stutter. There are about 3 million adults in the US workforce who stutter. Employers often overlook the true potential of people who stutter. People who stutter have the same drive, ambition and capabilities as their more fluent colleagues.

What is Stuttering? Stuttering is a communication disorder where the normal flow of speech is involuntarily disrupted. Stuttering generally involves repetitions or prolongations of sounds and syllables, or hesitations or blocks in making voiced sounds.

What is Stuttering? Stuttering may also be accompanied by secondary behaviors, such as closing the eyes or arm movements that are intended to avoid, postpone, or hide the disfluency. People who stutter know exactly what they want to say, they just might physically have trouble saying it.

What is Stuttering? The precise causes of stuttering are still unknown. Researchers consider stuttering to be neurologically and genetically based. There is no cure for stuttering.

People Hide their Stuttering Companies may not realize some of their employees stutter because those who do, often feel compelled to hide it. People who stutter worry about being judged as less intelligent and less competent. Some people who stutter avoid speaking situations from conference calls to presentations to meetings to after work social situations.

Stuttering Myths False beliefs about people who stutter persist. Myths include that people who stutter are: Less educated Less capable Non-assertive Anxious Shy Nervous Insecure Unsociable

You can embed this video NOTE: You can embed this video to show during your presentation. It’s a little tricky to do. Direction on how to do it is found in the notes section below. Option #1: Share via YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyojdKnNd7M This option requires you have internet access when giving your presentation. You should pre-load the YouTube video link in your web browser. At the point of the presentation where you want to share the video, you will need to stop the PowerPoint presentation and go to the video link in your web browser. Hit play. (Make sure the volume is loud enough.) Afterwards, go back to the displaying the PowerPoint presentation.   Tip: If you are displaying your presentation on a big screen from your laptop, you will need to use your computer’s external audio jack and plug into the sound system the big screen display uses. You will need to problem solve this BEFORE starting your presentation. Option #2: Embed the video into the Presentation This is an advanced thing to do. Follow the guidance shown from this Microsoft Office support page: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/insert-or-link-to-a-video-on-youtube-8340ec69-4cee-4fe1-ab96-4849154bc6db Tip: If you are displaying your presentation on a big screen from your laptop, you will need to use your computer’s external audio jack and plug into the sound system the big screen display uses.

Successful Careers Teachers Lawyers Physicians Finance Specialists IT & Software Developers Entrepreneurs Marketing Managers Sales Representatives Speech Language Pathologists Customer Service Reps. Web Developers Industrial Engineers

People Who Stutter Are Great Hires Benefits brought to the workplace by people who stutter may include: Patience, perseverance, and resilience gained from dealing with their stuttering. Greater empathy and sensitivity to others. Better listening skills. Appreciation in the value of preparation. Enhancement of your organization's image as one that promotes diversity and inclusion.

Listening to a Person who Stutters Listen just like you would anyone else. Maintain natural eye contact, even when the person is stuttering. Focus on what the person is saying, not how they are saying it. Do not try to fill in words or complete the person’s sentences. Don’t equate hesitant speech with uncertainty.

Helping a Person who Stutters Foster a judgement free work environment. Be open and talk about stuttering with the person who stutters. Encourage the person who stutters to disclose their stuttering to supervisors and co-workers.

National Stuttering Association The National Stuttering Association (NSA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1977. The NSA brings hope and empowerment to adults and children who stutter, their families, and speech professionals through support, education, advocacy, and research. The NSA has local self-help chapters for Adults, Kids, Teens, Family, and Military personnel.

NSA San Diego Chapter XX members Meets monthly on the 4th Wednesday of each month (6:00 -7:45 PM) Mission Valley Library 2123 Fenton Pkwy San Diego, CA 92108 NOTE: Customize this page with a photo of your Chapter and information about when/where your Chapter meets.

www.WeStutter.org/CareerSuccess