Lecture 4: Essential Interpersonal Skills for Healthcare Professionals

Lecture 4 Essential Interpersonal Skills for the Healthcare Professional Essential Interpersonal Skills for the Healthcare Professional 1. Tactfulness and Diplomacy 2. Courtesy and Respect 3. Empathy 4. Genuineness 5. Appropriate Self-Disclosure 6. Assertiveness versus Aggre...

Lecture 4 Essential Interpersonal Skills for the Healthcare Professional Essential Interpersonal Skills for the Healthcare Professional 1. Tactfulness and Diplomacy 2. Courtesy and Respect 3. Empathy 4. Genuineness 5. Appropriate Self-Disclosure 6. Assertiveness versus Aggressiveness ‫اللباقة والدبلوماسية‬ ‫المجاملة واالحترام‬ ‫تعاطف‬ ‫صدق‬ ‫التعبير عن الذات بشكل مناسب‬ ‫الحزم مقابل العدوانية‬  1-Tactfulness and Diplomacy When you disagree or let someone know of your displeasure, you should always do so in a way that is tactful and diplomatic, that is to say, in a way that does not disparage, or put down. saying something that is tactful and diplomatic in front other as “This is probably something I shouldn’t know, and besides, I have to attend to some of my patients. Please excuse me.” By saying this, You would let the other person know two things: first, that you donot want to engage in this second, that you are there to work and serve the needs of the patients Courtesy and Respect Showing consideration for other people’s feelings and needs means courtesy When you show respect for another person, you show that you value That person. show respect to others by using both nonverbal and verbal signals. Nonverbally, by shaking hands when meeting, and especially by showing that you are paying attention to them: by maintaining a good posture toward them when they speak to you, by facing them, and by making appropriate eye contact with them Verbally, you can show respect by using an appropriate title, and by using their name. You can show respect to another person by giving them attention when interacting with them  Empathy Showing you understand to the point of feeling how another person feels Empathy tells the other person that you are there to fully acknowledge what they are feeling and that, within the appropriate limits of your power, you will try to provide support and care Genuineness To be genuine is to be completely yourself when dealing with others to be completely open and honest—in all of your words and actions. By being genuine, you let others know that they are getting the real you, that you are not putting on any sort of act, or putting up any sort of front. Patients sense your genuineness when you show them courtesy, respect, and empathy, and you show that you are doing your very best to serve them and their needs. Appropriate Self-Disclosure -To self-disclose is to open up, or show something, about one’s self. we self-disclose when we want to show others that we have experiences similar to theirs, and by doing this we show them that we have something in common with them. to show empathy for what that other person is feeling as a result of their experience In self-disclosing to the patient, you should be careful to avoid the following: 1.Telling a story about yourself simply for the sake of telling a story about yourself 2 Telling a story that is not about you but about the holiday eating problems of someone else the patient does not know; 3 One-upping the patient by trying to outdo their story on the pitfalls of holiday eating; 4 Removing the focus in any way from the patient. Assertiveness versus Aggressiveness As an HCP with effective communication skills, you will need to be assertive in your communication style. Express ideas, opinions, and feelings while still respecting the ideas, opinions, and feelings of others To be an assertive communicator is to be able to stand up for what you believe is right without any undue anxiety about what others may think of you  When disagreeing with a colleague, an assertive communicator will use clear and direct language while remaining relaxed and respectful. An aggressive communicator can tend to use confrontational and even sarcastic language, while maintaining a tense and often superior attitude. Examples An assertive communicator will say, “I understand what you’re saying and your point of view, but I just don’t agree with you.” An aggressive communicator might say, “I don’t agree with you because you’re obviously wrong and your opinion is ridiculous.” End of the Lecture