Breaking leadership convos down: 1. Empathy- we can be aware w/o responsibility for their emotions. Also- defensive posture blocks empathy.
This is big, I really struggle with this interpersonally at work! #hapc#pedpc @KtNeuendorf#Ascend2020
2. Levels of discomfort.
Using words to not make difficult times worse. Attend to discomfort, acknowledge it, don't heighten it.
Having a crucial conversation as a leader is different than in patient care- colleagues have greater control than patients. #hapc#pedpc#Ascend2020
I love this- asking someone to change will probably result in discomfort. "As adults, we need to take ownership...There's something about having discomfort that can lead to change."
As clinicians we want to mitigate discomfort. Not our job as leaders. @KtNeuendorf, brilliant.
3. Use clear and unambiguous language.
Speaking on that tension in desiring to decrease discomfort so we use soft language, which can lead to confusion, which isn't actually compassionate.
4. Notion of neutrality.
This stretches me too, @KtNeuendorf!
Letting things roll off, keeping calm body and mind, not reacting in emotional situations.
Yep.
"People want to know who they are following...If we are too neutral, they don't know where we stand." @KtNeuendorf defaults to neutral, recognizes it, and recognizes when an opinion is needed.
This is a fantastic quick talk, Katie! Thank you! #Ascend2020
Yesterday I asked my MIL about her mother. She (my GMIL) was born in 1920 in Northern Thailand. She had her first child when she was "about" 19. She had 11 children. 1 died when she was "2 or 3". My MIL came home from school and she was gone. 1/
Her mother was uneducated. She knew some numbers and could sign her name. I asked if she wanted an education and my MIL said "No, the girls weren't supposed to go to school. They were supposed to have the kids." 2/
My MIL became a nurse. I asked her once if she had wanted to be a doctor- she had. But nursing school was more affordable for her family of 10 kids. I asked her yesterday if her mother supported her coming to the US. She looked me in the eye and shook her head. "No." 3/
In the midst of the last week, I lost mindfulness. I was in a reactive state all week. Threat-react. Threat-react. It's impossible to feel like the best version of myself for patients like that. In #pedpc, children are still dying of other things. 1/
Time slows down and stops when a child dies, of anything.
And I have done my best to show up as a #hapc doc, for my patients, their families and my team. But I failed in many ways this week.
2/
I was rocking my baby Wednesday night. This is an emotional touchstone for me. This is when I center, when I feel like the best version of myself. My abilities match her needs perfectly. The stress falls away, and we rock. I was able to center for the first time all week.
3/
Can we talk about this for a second?
This is really lovely and exciting and a privilege.
I appreciate the acknowledgment of hard work and energy.
And- I've had a really tough few months.
The burnout is real. 1/
I had a hard pregnancy.
Then the baby didn't sleep.
I kept thinking, if I can just sleep, everything will be fixed.
Sleep is better. But everything isn't fixed.
2/
Apparently an early/mid-career crisis is very developmentally normal at this point. (Reassuring.)
It started to feel like all the decisions I thought were purposeful, were passive.
What of all of this did I actually mean to choose to do and be?
3/
I think many people in my institution can’t wrap their heads around my role in “Change the Outcome.”
But if the child died, we failed. End of story, right?
No.
1/
If the child died surrounded by unnecessary noise, we failed.
If the child died without dignity, we failed.
If the family did not stay after the death as long as they would have liked, because of our systems of care, we failed.
2/
If the parents did not have the opportunity to do legacy work in an anticipated death, we failed.
If the family does not get the best bereavement care posssible, we failed.
If the child did not die in the preferred location, we failed.
3/