Category Archives: first impressions
It’s Time to Show Up – a physician coach’s perspective
A friend of mine was chastised through her childhood for being too enthusiastic – “people aren’t like that,” she was told. Instead, she was encouraged to “tone it down,” which apparently made those around her feel more comfortable. Another friend is committed to … Continue reading
Our perfect patients: how physicians can mold our practice to optimize everyone’s satisfaction
An internist recently shared a story about an elderly couple – both were her patients. One day, the woman remarked, “I love you, because you tell me what you think.” The doctor was flattered that her style was appreciated. She felt … Continue reading
The Magic of an Apology – a physician coach’s perspective
Yesterday, I cleared my calendar for the long-awaited delivery of a new dishwasher. Arriving early so I wouldn’t miss the delivery hours, I imagined having a dishwasher that would work well, with a black face to match all the other … Continue reading
Which me is needed here?
As a physician, I’m often asked by family and friends to advise them, or at least to explain what might be happening with their health or in their interactions with medical professionals. It usually feels good to use my experience … Continue reading
Being Persona Non Grata
Last week, I was a patient. I was brought to an exam room and interviewed by a friendly nurse with a great bedside manner. She introduced herself, showed her human side, and then left me alone in the room, with … Continue reading
The Elephant in the Room – How to make friends with the monitor in your exam room
At a recent doctor’s appointment, I was ushered into the exam room by an assistant. She never introduced herself and spent our entire time together with her back to me, facing a computer screen. As you can imagine, the interaction … Continue reading
What’s in a smile?
At a recent conference, I spoke about communication in the healthcare setting and suggested that the major premise of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Blink, has a lot to tell us about how we interact with our patients. Gladwell provides data showing … Continue reading
Do-overs in the same barn
In, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell explains that we often make decisions in the blink of an eye. In fact, Gladwell shows us, we frequently form an opinion of people we meet within the first few seconds. This makes it important for … Continue reading
What if we just don’t know?
Medicine is an inexact science. We diagnose two patients with the same disorder, treat them with the same therapy, and one recovers while the other one doesn’t. I’m sure we have all had that experience. Hard core “knowledge” that we … Continue reading
Seeing people for real
Last night, a friend shared a story that really struck me. A waitress approached a family of three sitting at a table in a diner and asked what they would like to eat. The little girl replied, “I’ll have a … Continue reading
