The Importance of Communication in the NHS

The pressures on the NHS are increasing, with greater patient numbers and ongoing threats of strikes being only two such examples. This has made it much harder for everyone to do their jobs. Communication among colleagues, teams and patients becomes even more crucial, and ensuring messages are received and understood is not always so easy.

We know from the work of Carl Jung and Eric Berne (transactional analysis), amongst others, that everyone has a preferred way of working and communicating and that those with different preferences may not always get along as well as those who have the same preferences as themselves. For example, someone who likes to hear a quick overview of a situation will likely not take on board a message which has, from their point of view, too much detail in it. Similarly, those who need all of the facts and detail to make a decision will likely be less happy to implement a solution they may not have full confidence in if all the detail behind the decision does not look as if it has not been properly considered. This is only one of the many differences that exist in terms of differences in communication preferences.

We are definitely more influenced by those who have similar preferences to our own. We will find it easier to work with them, trusting their decisions and more readily taking on board their communications. However, this can lead to ‘groupthink’ and less-than-optimal decisions being made.  In worst-case scenarios, we can end up with a ‘cloned’ team, where everyone thinks, acts and communicates in the same way. This can result in some key attributes being ignored, such as a lack of challenge or creativity or the ability to implement a solution quickly.

We need to be able to adapt our own working and communication style to those we work with to ensure our messages are received and that we have the influence we need to carry out our roles effectively.

Develop Global is offering two workshops. One is to help us identify and adapt to differences in the preferred working and communication styles of others, using the key drivers in transactional analysis. The second will enable us to use data to tell a story, using psychological techniques that will influence others to take action by engaging the heart as well as the mind.

HPMA members will receive one place free for every paid place.  Please book your place by emailing Karen.Morrison@develop-global.com or calling Shirley Dalziel at +44 (0)7740 737739.

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