Communication- the lifeblood of fruitful relationships…a perspective from two physios
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply”
We have seen first-hand from our experience working in physiotherapy and sports medicine that it is easy to communicate well but so easily to communicate poorly. Being curious that bit longer, asking more questions and being an engaged listener feed into getting a more accurate and truthful answer (read anything by Michael Bungay Stanier and you will learn the importance of asking more, not always giving advice).
Active listening is so important for building rapport between patients/ clients and the clinician. Too many practitioners try and cajole the questions to suit their own agenda to tick boxes in their assessment. If you allow patients to tell their story themselves then you should get all that you need - apart from a few clarification questions. They normally would have an instinct about what may work for their treatment - although they may not recognise it, such as when to work and when to rest an injury. As Covey says, “seek first to understand then be understood”.
A significant factor in a successful rehabilitation or recovery pathway is the trust between patient and therapist. Empowering the patient in suggestion of ideas or progression of rehab can and usually does drive motivation and buy-in of next steps. If trust is developed, then you have more leeway in developing objectives. It is fair to say that the only rehab that works well is the rehab that is actually done! So many patients do not comply when out of sight - but largely this is down to not committing to the process and trusting their advice.
Openness and radical transparency, words taken from Ray Dalio are pivotal in effective and empathetic communication. To have any successful relationship, be that in the professional field or at home personally…laying your cards on the table and communicating regularly makes all the difference. Holding things out or not sharing what could be toxic feelings could lead to combustion of a relationship down the line.
Invest in your communication skills to get better and understand what you do well and what you do not. We were taught formally in university about communication to ascertain a clear diagnosis, create a joint-shared management plan and prognosis. We continue to invest time and energy into improving this area; it is the heartbeat of everything. It is a skill that the best leaders have in abundance in any sector.
“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening”