Healthcare and Leadership 

Warm-up chat: When someone strongly disagrees with you, what’s your first instinct?

1. I try to explain or clarify my position. 

2. I try to explain why their position is wrong. 

3. I ask questions and try to find the crux of the disagreement. 

4. I go quiet, de-escalate, or disengage. 

5. Feel activated internally. Even if I stay calm on the outside, I feel defensive, scared, or angry. 

6. Other??

What’s the upside of your instinct?

What’s the downside when it goes unchecked?”

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to 1-1 communication? Imagine a case like this: 

• Your health system now requires a mandatory training program that focuses on intercultural competence. Two employees refuse to participate in the program for political reasons. They claim that the program affirms "moral relativism" and "open borders." People who do not complete the training are not eligible for professional advancement within the health system. 

Practice telling your co-workers that they are required to participate in the program. 

Be Clear, Concise, and Compassionate. 

Do not over-explain the situation. Do not undermine your position by agreeing with them.  Do not argue with them. 

What is your plan for responding to their concerns and objections? 

What’s a political or values-based conversation you’re avoiding at work? 

How can the skills we discussed so far help you navigate this conversation? 

Let's share some quick sentences that you can use in large meetings when conversations about values become tense or unwieldy. 

• De-escalation  

  • “I want to understand what you’re saying, not argue—can we slow this down?”

• Clarifying confusing rhetoric

  • “This matters to me, and I don’t want us to talk past each other.”

• Practicing curiosity

  • “What feels most important to you about this?”

• Promoting openness

  • "Nothing you say about this topic will affect my overall opinion of you. I just want to know what you think." 

• Establishing shared values 

  • “Let's try to figure this out in terms of the measurable human impact.”

• Boundary-setting 

  • “I want to keep talking, but we need to make a special effort not to insult each other.”

• Reframing 

  • “I’m actually not sure this is an either-or situation.”

• Redirecting 

  • “Let’s pause this topic for now, and we can circle back after we've made progress on a related issue.”

• Assurance 

  • "I hope you know that I respect you even though we disagree.”

• Repair

  • "I know this is a tricky topic, and I really appreciate your openness and honesty."

Leaders improve by reflecting on their successes and failures. Whenever you navigate a difficult conversation, ask these questions: 

• What are you proud of? 

• What scared you? What were you afraid of? Why was this aspect of the conversation uncomfortable? 

• What’s one moment you wish you handled differently? Going forward, how will you avoid this? 

• Which skill do you need to develop to handle this kind of conversation more effectively? How will you improve this skill?