Yesterday I had a most unimpressive doctor visit. It left the patient in me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, and the patient experience professional in me disheartened. The experience was filled with missed opportunities to make me feel cared about as a human, knowledgeable about my own body and needs, and involved as a necessary part of my own care. I challenge you to think about how using advanced communication skills might make a difference to others, and help you feel more engaged and experience less burn-out.
I’ve been reading The Chaos Imperative: How Chance and Disruption Increase Innovation, Effectiveness and Success by Ori Brafman and Judah Pollack, and find myself indirectly discussing many of the concepts raised in this book with colleagues and healthcare leaders. The notion that chaos can create “organized serendipity” made me think about my work with Language of Caring clients. Chaos seems to be around us in abundant quantities. The idea that new, exciting and creative ideas can come from chaos is a stretch for most of us who like some sense of order in our lives and in our organizations.
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the Catholic Health Assembly Conference: Building Bridges by Faith in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I presented the Language of Caring message as it applies especially to faith-based health organizations. I was inspired by how a focus on communicating compassion resonated with leaders who attended. It resonated with them personally and with their organizations’ missions.
I’d like to share a summary of key drivers and priorities for action that can help healthcare professionals express compassion so that it permeates their organizational culture.
“Our employees are our most valuable asset” is often overheard in organizations, and thriving organizations supply plenty of evidence to prove it. These days, smart leaders embrace going beyond the rhetoric and commit to taking strategic steps to inspire, strengthen and appreciate employee engagement. For years, I have helped myself and other leaders remember the foundation and guidelines for creating an environment of engagement in an easily remembered acronym—C.A.R.I.N.G.
