Douglas Everett, a British chemist and author, once said, “There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.” When challenges come up in your practice, whether with patients who are unhappy, staff who cannot get along, or cash flow that is tight, do you catastrophize about the situation, do you view everything with rose colored glasses on, or are you consistently as objective as possible? Many mix a dream world with reality, as indicated in Douglas Everett’s quote.
On one side are those who fear the worst. If a team member fails to say “good morning” there are concerns that something must be wrong. If a patient has questions about treatment, the first thought is that the patient must lack trust. Overreactions short circuit effective communication and decision making. Consider the impact this has on teamwork, leadership, and the care you provide.
On the other side are those who typically think everything is fine. Conflicts will just work themselves out, alarming trends will quickly pass, and tough decisions can be delayed to a sunnier day. Avoidance of important issues and becoming overly passive are potentially just as harmful to a practice and team as overreacting to the situation.
How can you become more objective when addressing challenges? The first step is to recognize your blind spots. Do you tend to fear the worst when challenges come up or do you often just brush things aside assuming everything is fine? Next, consider what you tell yourself when confronted with challenges? For example, are you sounding an alarm to overreact or is fear making you shy away? Consider how past experiences have impacted your decision-making process. Finally, seek the advice of someone you trust to help you make more effective decisions. Step through current and past experiences to understand how to handle things more objectively and proactively.
Adding more objectivity into your decision making takes effort. But the return on investment will benefit your entire practice not to mention your overall personal development.