During a recent hospital visit (I’m fine) I observed many failed communications between well-intentioned doctors, staff, and patients. Barriers to effective communication can stem from the message content, how it is delivered, and how it is perceived – all fertile grounds for misunderstanding. But the failed communications I witnessed seemed more basic: stemming from failure to do three things: set expectations ahead of time; explain, briefly, the reasons for actions or requests; and close the loop by confirming what was heard or what needed to happen next. Ask yourself if you include these three steps in your everyday communications – you’ll likely improve your outcomes when you do.
© Beth O’Sullivan 2019