Use Your Voice - Dare to Listen: CUSS/DARE Language

Have you ever felt unsure of how to share your concerns or speak up?

• Yes

• No

• I don't know

Scenario: You notice a colleague didn't wash their hands after tying up the garbage bag and now they are putting their hand in the shared box of donuts in the breakroom

Using CUSS language, how would you clearly communicate your concern?

• "Stop! Wash your hands first!"

• "Can you pass me a donut too?"

• "I am concerned you didn't wash your hands after handling the garbage"

After voicing your concern the colleague shrugged their shoulders and continued eating their donut. How would you restate your concern with more assertive language.

• Nothing, I don't want to deal with this

• "It makes me very uncomfortable that you didn't clean your hands before getting your donut"

• "Stop! Your hands are dirty and you're touching food we share?

After stating your concern again the colleague uses the hand sanitizer then states, "I washed my hands" and reaches for another donut. You are worried your colleague will not continue to clean their hands before accessing shared food. Using Step 3 of the CUSS tool, what could you say?

• "Thanks for cleaning your hands. It is unsafe to not clean your hands before touching food as you or others can get sick"

• "I'm going to put a sign on the fridge door to remind you"

• "You are going to make everyone sick around here"

Later during your shift, you see the same colleague touch some soiled linen, then get a glass of water without cleaning their hands. You need to stop and have further discussion, as your previous attempt has not resulted in the action needed.

• "You didn't clean your hands again!"

• "You're going to make everyone sick"

• I noticed you didn't clean your hands before getting the water. Lets stop and discuss this more"

After using CUSS language, the colleague said "oh I did wash my hands, but you didn't see it. I washed them in a room down the hall because there is no hand sanitizer here". Use DARE language to respond. The first steps are to define the concern and confirm your understanding, assess the situation, and open the conversation to problem solving. What might you say using the DARE tool?

• "That's a problem. See you later!"

• "That's great! I didn't see you because the hand sanitizer is so far away. That's a problem isn't it?"

• "What can we do about this?"

The next step In DARE language would be to "respond", in order to close the loop. What would be a correct response? (may have multiple correct answers)

• "I will speak to the manager about installing more hand sanitizer stations"

• "I found out that more hand sanitizer stations will be installed in the break room tomorrow"

• Don't follow up at all

When can you use CUSS/DARE language?

• Only when you are mad

• When someone comes to you complaining

• When you are concerned

• Anytime, anywhere