October is a really busy month for our family. We have a lot of birthdays in this month as well as anniversaries. Our anniversary is on the 23rd and the date has a special meaning to our families. My parents and Rick’s parents were both married on October 23, 1965, and we were married on the same date 33 years later. We always took it as a sign that we were meant to be together, but anyone that has ever been married knows that marriage is a lot of work and a lot of communication. I often tell newlyweds that the times you want to talk to each other the least is the times you really need to talk to each other the most.
I am sure the same could be said for healthcare. It is definitely a lot of work and a lot of communication. We often see that the biggest problems we have between departments are simply a breakdown in communication and the assumptions made on both sides. It is human nature to avoid conflict as a protective mechanism. We had to do this exercise at a LDI one time where we had to seek out another leader that we had been struggling communicating with and sit down and talk through our concerns or frustrations. I can tell you that our relationship improved considerably after that, and we worked much better together as we had a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. So, this week my challenge to you is to stop putting off that necessary conversation. Pick the one thing that has been causing you stress and worry, and face it head on. You may be surprised that it isn’t nearly as bad as you think, and you will definitely feel better for having made the effort.
