Bruno Kahne has worked for the last 15 years as an auditor, trainer and consultant for companies in fields as varied as the nuclear, food and construction industries.
He currently works for AirBusiness Academy, the international training centre of Airbus. Bruno is Belgian, lives in France, and delivers courses all over the world, where, unusually, he teaches hearing people the benefits of communicating more like deaf people.
I first became aware of his ideas when I read an article online four years ago, and was very close to meeting him in France to interview him and cover his work, before editorial budgets and other commitments got in the way. I was very pleased to make contact with him again recently and ask him about how he views deafness and communication.
Could you explain why you think Deaf people are better at communication?
Hearing people can see Deaf people in two different ways. Either as people who have lost something – their hearing – or as people who have gained something – the ability to communicate without sound.
In the first case, Hearing people will express at best compassion towards Deaf people, which will be perceived by them as offensive. In the second case, pity will be replaced by curiosity, respect of the difference, and desire to learn skills which are not found in the Hearing world. Here are a few examples of those skills:
- Deaf people talk one at a time, in a very sequential manner. Hearing people talk all at the same time, and often interrupt one another.
- Deaf people are able to be simple and precise at the same time. Hearing people are either simple and vague, or precise and complex.
- Deaf people stay focused on the interaction. Hearing people disconnect regularly.
- Deaf people constantly reformulate and check understanding, saying when they don’t understand. Hearing people never ask others to repeat, and never say when they don’t understand something.
How can hearing people learn to communicate in a ‘Deaf’ way?
Our children show us on a daily basis that to learn, three conditions are required:
1. To have a role model. Someone better than us who can be observed and mimicked
2. The opportunity to imagine in our minds and our bodies the behavior we have observed
3. A secure and positive environment, protected from any form of criticism or mockery
The best courses on the market apply the two last conditions using simulations and exercises to help trainees experiment with new behaviors in the protected environment of the training room.
However, this training can only fail because they don’t meet the first requirement, the most important of the three. Who are the trainees supposed to copy? A theory written on a paper board, or a trainer who can only pretend to be better than the trainees?
As Deaf people have developed specific behaviors which help them to communicate faster than Hearing people, and with much more precision, and as they are present in the training room, the trainees, through highly interactive exercises, simply have to copy their behaviors, consequently adopting a more precise and rapid form of communication.
How did you discover the phenomenon of Deaf communication?
It was 5 years ago. It would take me too long to explain how it happened (for those interested, the full story is recorded in the introduction of my book). Let me just say that it is the story of a Hearing trainee who listened to his inner voice and wrote a name and a phone number on a small piece of paper, because he was convinced that something incredible could come out of a meeting between two people. And he was right.
What do your trainees think of the course?
Being strong in emotional content, this training not only pushes people towards change, but also remains in people’s minds for a long time. Here is a quote from an e-mail I received six months after a course, from a Vice President of a High Tech company: “Working with Deaf trainers helped me understand that I was not as good a communicator as I thought I was. I understood that I should change, that I could change, but most of all, I understood how to change. The emotions that I felt during the course forced me to challenge many of my strongest beliefs. This course gave me the desire to become better. Thank you for this beautiful lesson of humility.”
Tell me what your book is about?
At the beginning, I didn’t think about writing a book. I’m a trainer, not a writer. I just wrote an article on the course I had developed (read it at: http://www.strategy-business.com/article/li00076?pg=all) and immediately received lots of e-mails from all over the world: the USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, India.
I received an e-mail from a Deaf person who told me that after reading my article, for the first time of his life, he understood who he was. This e-mail profoundly touched me. But the e-mails that pushed me to write a book were those from people who after reading this article, were telling me that they couldn’t find my book on Amazon. Of course they couldn’t. There was no book. So I decided to write it.
I first did some research and was surprised to find out that thousands of books and papers had been written on all the sufferings and misfortunes of deafness, and on all the things that Deaf people should learn from the Hearing world, but nothing on what the Deaf world could bring to the Hearing one. I was stunned.
The book I have written (which hopefully will be published later this year) goes against the tide. Here, the teachers are Deaf people, and Hearing people are the students. The content is based on the accumulation of 5 years of research which gives a first book containing 10 lessons from the Deaf world to help Hearing people improve their communication skills.
The second, which is nearly finished, touches more on personal development: how Hearing people can adopt Deaf behaviors such as being more comfortable with their body, or being more happy and humble like Deaf people, two behaviors which are less and less common in the Hearing world. Both books are full of quotes from Deaf autobiographies, and transcriptions from face to face interviews of Deaf people, to avoid the mistake of having a Hearing person talk for the Deaf world.
Interview by Charlie Swinbourne
Paul Redfern
June 1, 2012
Wow! I’d love to meet him.
Hiccups
June 1, 2012
Wow! it has helped me to see communication from a different perspective – I knew we deaf people were good communicators but not really understood why! …cant wait to read the book !
Rob
June 1, 2012
Excellent and inspiring article. I too can’t wait to read the book.
“Deaf people constantly reformulate and check understanding, saying when they don’t understand.”
Although I have never seen it that way before, I think this might explain why I have been quite successful in my career as a deaf technical communicator. I keep asking questions where others give up and assume.
katia
June 1, 2012
Fantastic! It is really interesting!!I want to know more!
Kyra Pollitt
June 5, 2012
WoW! I bet he’s made a lot of money….
Lies Voskuilen-Schalk
June 5, 2012
Ja ,ik vind echt interessant en inspirerend verhaal. Ik zou graag om hem te ontmoeten
Splinter van Schagen
June 5, 2012
Interesting, I truly want to know about this! Cannot wait till your book is published!
Tom Uittenbogert
June 6, 2012
Echt interessant! Ik zou het boek in het Nederlands graag willen bestellen. Wanneer wordt dit boek gepubliceerd?
Bruno Kahne
June 6, 2012
Thank you for your uplifting – and international – comments. I’m currently working on the illustrations of the book and hope it will be released by the end of the year. To clarify my standpoint: my interest in the Deaf world wasn’t triggered by a personal need. I’m not Deaf, and there is no one in my family who is. I “clicked” on the Deaf world like you do on a song, or a movie. It was like a wakeup call. It made me grow and become (I hope) a better person. Since then, I’ve been working with Deaf people and writing a book to express my gratitude, to help people (Hearing and Deaf) get out of their box and see the world from a different – and much better – angle. So, to answer Kyra, to this day I’ve not made a dime on this. On the contrary. I have sponsored with my own money events – such as Youth Camps – to give to teenagers the opportunity to work with Deaf trainers and improve their communication skills.
Ian Portnoy
June 8, 2012
Mr. Kahne, I enjoyed your article very much. I have developed a concept that transitions deaf industries from analog to the digital spectrum, and need a devil’s advocate critique. It is very clear from your articles Mr. Kahne, that you possess the ideal perspective. Would you be willing to critique? Regards, Ian P.
Bruno Kahne
June 13, 2012
Dear Ian, Happy to help if I can.
C.J
June 11, 2012
It has me Confused as there is many different levels of Deafness????
Bruno Kahne
June 13, 2012
Just like with the Hearing world, the Deaf world can be divided in many sub-groups: completely deaf people, profoundly deaf, hearing impaired, hard-of-hearing, clinically deaf, culturally Deaf, prelingual deaf, postlingual deaf, deaf from hearing parents, deaf from deaf parents, deaf people who sign, deaf people who lip-read, deaf people who oralize, and deaf people who have decided to remain silent. Some of them believe they belong to the same culture, others behave like complete strangers.
Ian Portnoy
June 14, 2012
Mr. Kahne, may I have your email address to send you the document? Or you can message me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ian.portnoy
Bruno Kahne
June 15, 2012
Dear Ian, Here it is: bruno.kahne@airbusiness-academy.com
Ian Portnoy
June 16, 2012
Thank you!
Lindsey Elizabeth Schocke
June 28, 2012
Great article and definitely the deaf communication style would be useful for hearing people to learn.
Working in a call center and having moderate to severe hearing loss, I find that my coworkers underestimate my competence at communicating with customers and coworkers. The value of speaking to a hearing-impaired call center rep is that I do not assume that you understood everything I said, and I am patient with customers who have difficulty hearing over the phone. I check for understanding and make sure to speak clearly, especially when the phone connection is spotty. I am sympathetic and rarely interrupt the customer I’m speaking with because I’m concentrating on what they are saying. So many of my coworkers are just waiting for the moment they can interrupt with a cheery “I can help you with that” and then take control of the call, so that they can rush the customer off the phone. I enjoy the journey toward helping the customer. =)
maggisummerhill
July 3, 2012
Thank you for a great article Charlie and Bruno Kahne, as a hearing person who suddenly became profoundly deaf I am awaiting your book with great excitement.
evelynhunter
July 4, 2012
Very interesting. As a SODA, I’ve been in countless situations with deaf family and friends and had never considered the differences. Now that I really think about it, the eye contact alone creates a feeling of being ‘heard’ and I cannot recall a single time when my individual conversation was interrupted…..possibly joined in by another, but not interrupted. Unfortunately , this is no longer the norm in similar conversations with hearing people. I’ll be sharing this link on our website to share with our interpreters and deaf connections.
Donna Adkins
July 9, 2012
Great article. I am extremely hard of hearing and will eventually lose all my hearing. I use eye contact and visual so much when communicating, that someone made a comment to me one time and said “you are hard of hearing, aren’t you?”. I answered “how did you know?” She replied “because you don’t interrupt, listen very carefully, and focus on my eyes and lips”.
Bill Irwin
August 14, 2012
Bruno, Very interesting article indeed. Thank you for this!
I am a “hard of hearing” deaf individual who was mainstreamed in the educational system. I didn’t know sign language until I went to College (RIT) and learned ASL. I also did not know much about my “Deaf” side of my personality. It took me a while to accept and become comfortable with my body, something I can relate to in the article.
I do have a unique perspective to share from being in the Deaf World as a HOH individual. I am Deaf, but I am also in the 5% that can speak well and interact with hearing people. While this obviously gives me advantages in the hearing world, I have also faced issues that are unique to someone in my position. I am neither part of the hearing world nor part of the deaf world, but I am part of both! Unlike Deaf or Hearing people who are 100% identified as being in either worlds, I am not part of both and am not fully accepted by both.
Please feel free to contact me if you feel it will help with your endeavors.
Regards,
Bill
Bruno Kahne
August 15, 2012
Thank you Bill for your generous offer. The book I write is full of interviews as I don’t want to speak in the name of the Deaf world, but wish to let people express themselves. I’m still weak with a few chapters. How can I contact you?
Linnea Laufer
July 13, 2013
My situation is similar to Bill’s. I was born hard of hearing, but it was not discovered until I was around 2 1/2. The age I should have been responding to verbal communication or my parents calling me from across the room and so on. Once my parents realized the problem, the strange incidences prior to that then made sense to them. I started wearing a hearing aid at age 5 and went to into regular classes due to no special ed classes being available. However, I was taken out of class once or twice a week for Speech Therapy from Kindergarten through 9th grade. By the time my brother was ready for school (he was also born hearing impaired) there was a hearing impaired class available. but since I was keeping up with my peers it was decided for me to stay put in the regular classes. Like Bill, I did not learn sign language until college. Eventually I learned it well enough to use interpreters in my college classes. Now I am somewhat rusty since I don’t use in my every day life. I too feel like I have a foot in both worlds, straddling the fence so to speak. Don’t totally fit in the hearing world nor do I fit in the deaf world. I am not even much a part of the deaf world at this point.
In the meantime I have lost more hearing in the right hear which used to be my better ear. I know that understand the spoken language has gotten much harder. If I can’t see your face, I can’t understand what you are saying. I no longer talk on the phone except now and then with my CapTell phone. I am still not used to it. It has been a struggle and continues to be a struggle to cope in the hearing world. I work in a rehab department now and sometimes I am an educator to the people I work with in understanding hearing loss since more and more people are losing their hearing.
The frustrations of being hearing impaired are deeply buried within me, but I do admit those frustrations will still blow back up to the top every now and then.
I am also willing to share experiences as a life long hearing impaired and now almost totally deaf adult.
Michelle
August 14, 2012
Bruno, every point you made, I said, “THAT” and “THAT” then “THAT” I am the only Deaf administrator and sign language user for contracts. When I call in meetings, I use but always stress an importance of clear communication among myself and hearing colleagues. I sometimes wonder if it’s me who always ask for clarification or get them to repeat what they say. Now I understand their “hearing” way, tend to be vague, moot, lack of eye contacts… So now I know there’s nothing wrong with me. I am going to share your perspective with everyone. How exciting. I’d love to invite you as our guest speaker/trainer at one of our staff meetings! I’m here based in Los Angeles, CA. 🙂
Bruno Kahne
August 15, 2012
Hello Michelle, thank you so much for your comment. Happy to have helped out a bit. I do hope that the book will have a strong impact on both the Hearing and the Deaf worlds. There is indeed nothing wrong with you. To the contrary. And I hope your colleagues are humble and open minded enough to recognize it and to copy your natural good practices. I would love visiting with your team, but unfortunatelly, Toulouse, France is a bit far. Maybe if one day I’m on vacation or a business trip in LA… 🙂
Irene Winn (Mrs)
March 21, 2013
Thank you, from the heart.
I am Deaf and proud of it
April 5, 2013
As with communications, there are many more things that deaf people brings benefit to hearing people, just that they didn’t know it, eg, visual communications in public facilities (although quality is not as good as public announcement system). Increasing number of new designed buildings are becoming ‘deaf-friendly’ as such, open-space area, use of natural lighting, etc, also known as ‘deaf-space’. I suppose we need to promote ourselves a bit more for them to see how we are contributing to the society in a positive ways.
KimWallmach
June 19, 2013
Reblogged this on witstranslate.
Janice Cagan-Teuber
July 10, 2013
The article is very interesting. I would like to add one comment that I believe needs to be emphasized to people who can hear. Many Deaf people, especially those born Deaf or who became Deaf very young, prior to learning spoken language, have not lost anything. They do not have a “hearing loss”. They are not people of “loss”.
prpttccnsltnt
July 10, 2013
Does anyone know when these two books mentioned will be published?
Editor
July 10, 2013
Not at the moment but we’ll tell everyone once we hear when it’ll happen – Ed
darleen
July 10, 2013
i did something similar to this while teaching visual gesturalization communication in Maine.
Chris Wixtrom
July 10, 2013
Wonderful concepts!
Sean Gerlis
July 11, 2013
Great article, and I’m thrilled to have some one like you to stand up and educate people how to communicate efficiently. Also I’m providing effective communication workshops here in America in various capacities and felt gratified how much the need to ensure clarity in communicating with other people n our everyday lives.
I have a question, how would you solicit your course/workshops in any conference that appeals them? Most of time, when I try to propose this topic to hearing people, it has been easily passed over. Any suggestion you give, would be extremely appreciated.
I look forward to your book and hope to meet you one day.
Bruno Kahne
July 11, 2013
Hello Sean. Thank you for your kind words. I’ve been a trainer in leadership, management, communication and personal development for more than 15 years and with my team we are often more in the priviledge position of having to refuse work than to look for it. So, when a client ask for a course on communication, I directly offer the one we have developped with my Deaf colleagues. Not to promote any ideology, but simply because it is the best course we have. And when they ask for a leadership programme, I also recommand to start by a module on communication with Deaf facilitators because experience shows that when we start that way the emotion felt by Hearing people being put in contact with Deaf facilitators forces them to some humility which is extreemly useful in the learning process and in helping them to open their mind for the following modules.
TL
July 11, 2013
Charlie, This is TL. LOVE THIS. Sharing now.
Anne Marie
July 11, 2013
I look forward to reading your book one day from your worldly less acamedic perspective, from what I can surmise your background. I am accustomed to reading this topic in anthropology-sociology fields and can clearly see common pragmatics you pointed out about us Deaf people. I cannot help being appreciative of you standing up for us to show how we have to offer to the world. Thanks.
Hey, if you need help with your book, I will be glad.
Bruno Kahne
July 11, 2013
Hello Anne Marie. You’re right. Despite my PhD, I’m often uncomfortable with the rigidity and sometimes disconnection of the academic world, and prefer a more pragmatic and down to earth approach. Thank you also for your offer. The first book on communication is in the final phase (should be published this summer), but for the second on behavior (which is still a draft) I will need all the help I can get.
Susan Leitson
July 15, 2013
What a fascinating article! Bruno, you have really helped foster an appreciation of Deaf people and sign language by leaps and bounds. I look forward to reading your books and hearing more from you on these topics. That deaf people communicate better than many hearing folks is a foreign concept to most hearing people (even to us sometimes.) Thanks again for your work and your insight.
Stan Pease
July 24, 2013
I think Bruno Kahne will become to communication what Dave Ramsey has become to financial independence… A fresh way to look at an old topic that we all thought we were experts at, when in actuality we were only demonstrating our total incompetence. I applaud and encourage your ground-breaking work.
Bruno Kahne
July 25, 2013
Dear Susan and Stan,
Thank you so much for you kind words of encouragement.
They really touch my heart!
KAHNE
October 12, 2013
The book is now available on Amazon. You will find it by typing “Bruno Kahne Deaf Tips.” I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Nick Southern
January 31, 2014
Brilliant, Bruno! I read this fascinating article in June 2012 and have been waiting for the books to be published. I checked several times in the past and today I saw one of them has been published already. I’ve ordered a copy online and I’m looking forward to read it when it is delivered at my place. Well done!
Bruno Kahne
January 31, 2014
Thank you Nick. I will be very interested to have your feedback on “Deaf-Tips, powerful communication” once you’ve read it!
Peter-Anthony Glick
December 6, 2016
Hi Charlie. Bruno suggested I reach out to you via this blog post about the work I have just done related to his Deaf Tips.
I gave myself a challenge to demonstrate that all 12 tips can also relate to online communication (such as this blog!). I was particularly thinking of social media context inside an organisation using tools like Yammer or Jive.
Bruno helped me improve the arguments on some of the tips and
you can find my arguments on my own blog here:
http://leveragingknowledge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/how-bruno-kahnes-12-deaf-tips-relate-to.html#links
Your comments welcome!