Rafael Salazar II, MHS, OTR

In my experience, you get a much more collaborative and constructive conversation when you approach it with the feeling of "wanting to understand". For example, saying things like, "Hey, I've noticed {insert issue}. It appears that {you're not as engaged/etc.}. Am I reading that right, or is there something going on that I'm not seeing?" Starting by stating the issue, your perception of it, and then asking for confirmation from the employee (while providing them the ability to clarify their position, explain their view, etc.) takes the conversation from a one-way "corrective" conversation, to one of understanding and problem-solving.

Take the time to prepare for the conversation by understanding the root issue being addressed. Often, "tough conversations" are tough because they involve difficult situations, whether ethically or emotionally. In those instances, you need to make sure that you're addressing the actual issue itself, and not ancillary issues or symptoms of the problem. It's easy, when you're preparing for a difficult conversation, to bring in other, tangential issues, especially if you feel unconfident or that you need to "justify" having the conversation. So take some time to really sit down to understand the root issue you want to address in the conversation. And then also try to understand how the employee might see or understand the situation.

I encourage people to prioritize self care in 2 main areas: 1) physical health and 2) emotional/mental health. Spend some time every day doing something that improves your physical health (running, exercise, walking, Jiu jitsu, etc.). Research shows that physical activity helps improve mood, so it also helps with the emotional/mental health side...but it also works in the opposite way. If you're physically unhealthy, it will negatively impact your mental health and mood. In addition to physical health, focus on doing something to decrease your stress, clear your mind, and improve your emotional/mental health. In this area, I generally encourage people to do something involving social connection.

The reality is, we live in a world where telecommunications tech can connect us across the globe. This should naturally become incorporated into healthcare delivery. I have advocated for a hybrid approach to care since working on a project that involved establishing virtual service delivery operational procedures for a state department of behavioral health. Telehealth can include not just synchronous visits, but asynchronous service delivery such as store and forward & secure messaging features. These greatly improved access to care across various geographic regions and socioeconomic contexts. The big challenges with it however are licensing/regulations and billing/reimbursement.

One big thing to consider is an individual's history or experience of the healthcare system. Whether it's the individual themselves who had a negative experience, or a family member, these experiences can be impacted by psychosocial factors stemming from cultural or socioeconomic environments. These experiences impact a person's trust in the healthcare system or providers delivering care, which impacts outcomes.

I'm a big fan of customizing any strategic planning template to fit the mission/values of the organization. You don't want your strategic plan to read like some vanilla, management consultant-driven boiler plate "plan". You want your leadership team to embrace the plan, which means taking their input into consideration as well when you're making adjustments and customizations to the template.