Taking a closer look to see the detail.

Understanding the emotional experience of another can be, well let's face it... challenging. When we all have our own stories, our own emotional component and motivations behind all sorts of facts in our lives, not to mention stress.

Staying in an enquiring mind is something that I often talk about when trying to understand the reasoning behind someone's situation, or what they are communicating, or trying to.

With empathy being so embedded in our own perception, it can be difficult to see beyond what we first see; what we first hear. Often interpreting what we think is in front of us and not sharpening up out focus to see some of the less obvious detail. This takes resources and time, which is often in short supply.

It has long been known that in from a healthcare perspective, seeing and understanding the whole person and how the condition affects the person, and how the person's circumstances and experiences affect their condition is crucial (NICE Guidance). So too when a complaint or incident has happened, is it important to be taking a closer look to see the detail - From all involved.

• What is really being experience?
• What is really being felt? Grief? Fear? Sadness? Blame?
• How is this influencing communications and actions?
• What about the culture we care creating and operating in?
• What information may affect the outcome of an investigation? But also what information may not, but is still part of the experience and observations of care and the story?
• Is there psychological safety for another to feel ok to share what their experience is?

Being able to have an enquiring and question mind, using empathy and compassionate engagement, is often when we are more able to see the detail that may support relationships of trust and understanding with another person too gain the rich data and detail. When we can see what really matters to someone, we provide a level of detail in communication back that can very positively improve the experience and future learning for individuals and organisations.

#psychologicalsafety #vulnerablility #empathy #compassionateengagement #PSIRF #Complaints #Incidents #patientsafety

A Journey Through Complaints and Incidents Using Empathy and Compassion