They simply dropped the ball. After the surgery, the medical team had a breakdown in communication. Better said, there was no communication to the family about the surgery, the outcome or next steps. She stepped into the midst of the confusion and frustration. A medical team member took responsibility and apologized for something she didn’t cause. Her humility and demeanor was comforting to the family. She communicated everything she could and tried to answer each question with patience and competence. She tried to fill in the gap for the doctor who was a “no-show” to the family.
Communication breakdowns happen. The important factor is how we respond when the breakdown occurs. This team member’s courage and empathy allowed her to dive into a precarious situation and lead with authentic care. Her concern did not erase the frustration but she did offer help that eased the irritation.
We spend a lot of time talking about communication. I think it would be wise to focus on how to repair broken communication. It takes courage and strength to address relationships that are broken, teams that are dysfunctional and communication that has been misunderstood.
Make the decision to do the difficult thing of repairing your communication breakdowns and you will make a difference.
Larry
The Breakdown
