Transcript Communication Skills for Nurse Leaders

Communication Skills
for Nurse Leaders
July 2014
Cheryl Barnes BSN, CMSRN
Alyssa Breznau BSN, CCRN
What is Your
Communication
Style?
Why is Understanding
Communication Styles Important?
• You Asked for it!
• You have told us that you would like to improve your communication skills and learn how to
approach one another more effectively
• Patient Safety!
• The Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert that holds us accountable for how we
communicate and the impact it has on the care we provide
• Pascal Metrics – Culture of Safety
• Last year, employee feedback indicated that only 56% of us agreed or strongly agreed that
disagreements in the work setting are resolved appropriately and 25% agreed or strongly agreed
that it is difficult to speak up if we perceive a problem with patient care
• Understanding your own style helps you build on your strengths and set goals for areas of
weakness
• Considering the style needs of others establishes rapport and trust
• When your style or demeanor causes resistance, others may purposefully clam up and you
won’t even know you’re the cause of the problem.
Objectives
• Identify each individual’s own communication style to
enhance effective communication
• Recognize common communication styles to support and
improve peer communication
• Relate use of communication styles to current nursing
leadership practice
Communication Style
Assessment
Communication Styles
Discussion of 4
communication styles:
2-Task focused
2-Relationship focused
Connectors
• Relationship- Focused
• Reliable team player who looks after everyone in
their “tribe”; consistent and caring
• May be stubborn and non-supportive of pushy
people and what they view as impulsive ideas
• Count on others to set the tone and determine
direction
Connectors - Continued
• Consistent & reliable once given their
responsibilities
• Like to work with others instead of alone but take
their time trusting and allowing new people to join
their established groups
• Do not readily give opinions, but this does not
mean they don’t have any
• Diligent & dependable, they often know the most
about how work is getting done
Connectors - Continued
• Like to be asked what they know and they
appreciate personal recognition (done privately)
• Desire consistency, social bonds and
acknowledgment for effort as well as results
• May appear stubborn but can be very flexible
and adaptable if they understand why the
changes are being made and how the change will
benefit themselves and others
• Seek to reduce stress and promote harmony
Thinkers
• Task – Focused
• Tend to excel when they like their work; can think
through all the angles and contingencies
• May appear combative, critical and sarcastic
• Love to gather information
• Enjoy reading and presenting their findings in
detail
Thinkers - Continued
• Need to mentally rehearse before they present and
take time to evaluate and wind down after the
show
• Take their time making decisions, but stand by
decision once they do
• Don’t like to talk about personal issues, but like to
discuss hobbies and issues
Thinkers - Continued
• Prefer clear expectations, specific goals,
deadlines and structure.
• Live by a sense of order, methodologies and
personal responsibility.
• Love to win, and will compete with themselves if
no one is available.
• Proud of their good work
• Like acknowledgment but won’t ask for it
Doers
• Task – Focused
• High-Achievers & leaders; drive necessary results
• May be impatient and insensitive
• Like to be in control
• Like quick action and like to see results
Doers - Continued
• Like to get to the point without formalities
• Don’t like details and love shortcuts
• Like Autonomy, freedom and taking risks
• Self-Starters, innovators and love to expend
physical energy
• Like public recognition, especially for creating
results that make a difference in the world
Influencers
• Relationship – Focused
• Can lighten up even the darkest of moments; can
be inspirational, understanding and encouraging
• May be wishy-washy in their decision-making and
seem impractical.
• Like to verbally process their thoughts; “think out
loud”
Influencers - Continued
• Like to interrupt others, especially when they are
excited about the topic; consider this a
conversation, not a disruption
• Enjoy people, desire approval and tend to be
friendly, creative and persuasive
• May need help staying on track and following
through on tasks; late on assignments they do not
like
Influencers - Continued
• Desire social interaction, acknowledgment and
chances to be creative and have fun
• Often see the bright side and can be very amusing,
dramatic and passionate about work
• Help others get through difficult times and can build
rapport and support
• Genuinely like people, but may get caught up in a lot
of drama since they are quick to want to help fix
things and people.
• Teasing is one of their favorite pastimes
What is Your Style?
Your high score demonstrates your strongest
communication style, especially under pressure.
Your secondary score indicates your fall-back or
adaptive style or styles. There are strengths
associated with each style as well as limitations.
Considerations for Low Scores
If you scored below a 5 on any style, be aware of
how you treat others who demonstrate this style.
You may have little patience or tolerance for
people who tend toward these styles.
Yet these are people you need around you to
support your efforts. Do not alienate them.
Instead, find ways to collaborate with them.
Scoring
1 = Doer
2 = Thinker
3 = Influencer
4 = Connector
Scenarios
For each scenario, ask yourself:
“What was each person
experiencing?”
“How could the exchange have
gone better?”
Strategies
DOERS
• Be clear, specific, brief and to the point
• Stick to business
• Be prepared to support your ideas and work
Try to Avoid:
• Talking about things that are not relevant to the task or issue
• Being unprepared or incomplete. Avoiding or beating around
the bush
• Appearing unsure or disorganized, but not asking for help
Strategies
THINKERS
• Prepare your “case” in advance. Be prepared for a debate.
• Stick to business
• Be accurate and realistic
Try to avoid:
• Being giddy, casual, informal, emotional or loud
• Pushing too hard for results or being unrealistic with deadlines
• Being disorganized or messy
Strategies
INFLUENCERS
• Provide a warm and friendly environment. Do little things to
show your care.
• Don’t deal with a lot of details (put them in writing)
• Ask “feeling” questions to draw their opinions or comments
Try to Avoid:
• Being curt or cold. Cutting them off if they have something to
say
• Controlling the conversation. Not allowing them to talk and
express
• Focusing on facts and figures
Strategies
CONNECTORS
• Begin with a personal comment – break the ice
• Present your case smoothly, non-threateningly
• Ask “How?” questions to draw their opinions
Try to Avoid:
• Rushing headlong into business. Creating tension.
• Being domineering or demanding
• Forcing them to respond quickly to your ideas. Demanding
change
How to Get Your Head Right
Before Opening Your Mouth
It only takes a moment to send a conversation down the wrong
track and it happens in our head
Looks Like:
See & Hear  Tell a Story  Feel  Act
1.
2.
3.
4.
We see what a person did
We tell ourselves a story about why they did it
This leads to a feeling
Feeling leads to our action
We argue that people act the way they do
because of uncontrollable personality factors
(their disposition) as opposed to doing what
they do because of forces in their
environment (the situation).
We see actions far more readily than the
forces behind them. In contrast, when we
consider our own actions, we’re acutely aware
of the forces behind our actions
Final Thought…
Diversity is the Key to
Innovation and
Success!
References
• Reynolds, Marcia, How you connect and disconnect with others: The 4 dominant
communication styles. Retrieved from http://outsmartyourbrain.com/4-dominantcommunication-styles/
• Altmiller, G. (2012). The role of constructive feedback in patient safety and continuous
quality improvement. Nursing Clinics of North America, 47(3), 365-374.
• American Association of Critical Care Nurses (2005). AACN standards for establishing and
sustaining healthy work environments. A journey to excellence. Retrieved from
http://www.aacn.org/WD/HWE/Docs/HWEStandards.pdf
• Doyle, D., Copeland, H, Bush, D., Stein, L., & Thompson, S. (2001). A course for nurses to
handle difficult communication situations. Patient Education & Counseling, 82(1), 100-109.
• Dull, D., & Fox. L. (2010). Perception of intimidation in a perioperative setting. American
Journal of Medical Quality, 25(2), 87-94. doi:10.1177/1062860609352107
• Fontaine, D.K., & Gerardi, D (2005). Healthier hospitals? AACN’s healthy work environment
standards that help managers build solid patient safety cultures through nurse retention,
productive communication, and true collaboration. Nurse Manager, 36(10), 34-44.
• The Joint Commission. (2008). Behaviors that undermine a culture of safety, 40. Retrieved
from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/SEA_40.PDF
• Pascal Metrics. (2012). Safety Attitude Questionnaire. Washington, DC. Retrieved from
http://www.pascalmetrics.com/
• Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2005). Crucial confrontations. Tools for
resolving broken promises, violated expectations, and bad behavior. New York, New York:
McGraw-Hill