Deliberate Relationship Building

I’ve been taking a course on Coursera called “Agile Meets Design Thinking”, and essentially a lot of it is about building closer relationships with our users, clients and how might we uncover and create hypothesis that will add value to their product and services.

At the same time, I’m also the sole caregiver to my aging mother, and have been looking into public programs for caregiver support. Thankfully there are many programs in BC and looks like the theme and intention of building strong relationships is coming up in public programs as well.

In the public medical field where general practice doctors refer patients in this case senior patients to speciality care; there is a need for them to be in better relation. Better relationships between the two types of doctors increases job satisfaction and makes work more meaningful and addresses burnout. Key parts to creating better relationship include:

  • A focus on respectful communication

  • Being compassionate with each other

  • Communicating clearly

  • Engage in deliberate relationship building

  • Have day in-person interactions

  • A need to embrace a team approach with timely communication and role clarity

What does it mean to have respectful communication?

First let’s look at what incivility looks like:

  • Skipped hello

  • Talking over, down, being condescending

  • Sarcasm

  • Eye rolling or other demeaning gestures

  • Showing little interest in someone else’s opinion

  • Rude use of technology

  • Calling someone out, blaming publicly

  • Demeaning or derogatory remarks about a person

  • Doubted a person’s judgement in a matter in which they have responsibility

  • Not answering calls or delaying doing so for intentional miscommunication

  • Impatience

  • Yelling

And, on the other hand here are five fundamentals of civility:

  • Respect others and yourself

  • Be aware

  • Communicate effectively

  • Take good care of yourself

  • Be responsible

It is very interesting to see the similar need for closer relationships in both product design and in public programs. I wonder if our digital transformation and the speed in which we can communicate effects our habits in creating meaningful relationships?

Either way, I think I’m excited and feel glad that theses topics are being discussed in the public space and are being addressed to improve our care and relationships.

- Wynne

Source:
Michael Kaufmann, Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Program, multiple publications
“Event April 29, 2019, Coordinating Complex Care for Older Adults.” Event April 29, 2019, Coordinating Complex Care for Older Adults | Shared Care, www.sharedcarebc.ca/results/events-and-outcomes/event-april-29-2019-coordinating-complex-care-older-adults.

Collaboration, Leadership, PersonalWynne Leung