By: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA
A recent Seth Godin blog hit home for me. He says, “Long words when short ones will do. Fancy clothes to keep the riffraff out and to give us a costume to hide behind. Most of all, the sneer of, “you don’t understand” or, “you don’t know the people I know…” ‘It’s complicated,’ we say, even when it isn’t. We invent these facades because they provide safety.”
I am not sure if it is about safety or just failing to immerse in the other side of the conversation but I have watched leaders (and ALSO liaisons and recruiters) do this while speaking to doctors, especially when trying to make a sale. Often today it is a business partnership conversation, but it can sure be clinical too. Business acumen is not everyday conversation for a physician. And let’s face it, doctors like to “get it”. The all too familiar next step is that both talk in their “own speak” and the conversation often stalls. If you have ever been in this situation, how did you turn it around? Here’s what I have seen work:
- Define words that may be new to the prospective audience. The same holds true if everyone is describing a word a bit differently. For example if you are initiating discussions about the CIN, have a sheet that describes it or have a 2 line delimitation that introduces the value of the network for them. Definitions need only be a few well thought out words, but they are important.
- Don’t assume. It is hard to believe that a citizen on the planet is not aware of the current changes in health care, but awareness and clear local impact might be very different. Create a few questions that, without embarrassing the other party, give you the chance to start at the right place for their knowledge. Doctors understand this process as they use it with their patients all the time. Sometimes it is a simple as saying, “I am sure you are aware, but let me take 2 minutes to update you on some of the legal obligations for us with marketing doctors…”
- Be interesting. This works for a variety of things! People will listen better when the speaker engages them. Who is often explaining background to your doctors? Are they interesting?
- Acronyms are a killer. Healthcare is filled with all sorts of acronyms. Make sure if you use one, you state the word and then share the acronym to be sure you are on the same page.
- If true, acknowledge that others have needed to ask questions. Let your group know that other groups of physicians have had many poignant questions. Nobody wants to be the guy who does not get it. Much of the work we are doing with alignment is complex. Likewise, if we are visiting with a PCP regarding a complex new radiation oncology model, it will be important to provide a safe approach for discussion.
- Ask more. When you are introducing new content to doctors, have a couple of lines of information that you share and then ask a question to re-engage them and make certain you are progressing the dialogue together.
- Use your close. At the end of any conversation a few lines to wrap up the conversation and suggest next steps can always start with a summary. That gives you one more chance to reframe the content from the discussion.
This all requires that we pre-plan, read the audience, ask more questions and ensure we have good background on the service we wish the doctor will endorse. Frankly, I see more breakdown with legal staff and internal stakeholders than with liaisons. If you have seen this in your organization, please share those approaches that have been successful for you.