We teach our students the importance of word choice as future lawyers. We emphasize that the best practice in advocacy is mindfulness in communication. But are we practicing our best practice?
Today’s post is a quick reminder about the importance of avoiding the “F” word to best support our students and the success of our programs. And by the “F” word… I mean “fail.” Human minds are programmed to fear failure. When our brains hear or read the word “fail” it triggers the chemical flight or fight response that makes our brains function at less-than-best processing abilities.
Using the “F” word in your syllabi, course policies, lectures or individual meetings undermines your work to improve student outcomes. Threatening students with “failure” if they don’t complete x, y, or z simply reinforces their romanticized fears and pushes them closer to realities where failure is realized. While we know that some students and their habits are more primed for success than others, it is not helpful to use the “F” word as a tool for motivation. Rather, reframing the “F” word into opportunities for positive reinforcement serves to create a growth mindset and foster new neural connections.
The next time you consider using the “F” word, instead:
1. generate course policies that promote growth, self-reflection, and accountability without fear.
2. incorporate psychological word choice into your daily conversations. Psychological word choice is the cognizant selection of words and phrases that better control the tone and flow of a conversation. Instead of issuing threats with the “F” word consider presenting options that yield degrees of success. Words like “unsuccessful,” “suboptimal,” “future improvements,” and “growth areas” are some alternatives when providing feedback.
3. consider your personal areas for improvement and your personality type. If you tend to be someone that needs to be in control, you may be using the “F” word as a mechanism to satisfy your desire to control without recognizing the harm it is doing to programmatic success.
After all, there is no “F” in academic and bar success.
(Amy Vaughan-Thomas)
