Are You Ear-resistable? It Pays
by Mary Jane
Mapes
My friend Kathryn went to see her internist who prescribed a new blood
pressure medication for her to take. Since Kathryn was already taking a different
medication from another doctor, at the end of her doctor's appointment, she asked her
internist if there would be any problem with mixing the medications. The internist,
standing in the doorway, responded with, "Kathryn, I'm late for a train. If you want
to discuss this, make another appointment." He then turned and walked out.
All the internist would have needed to say was, "Kathryn, I understand your concern
about mixing medications, but rest assured, there should be no problem with you taking
both drugs." But that didn't happen. Instead of actively listening, the internist
chose to dismiss Kathryn's comment as something not worthy of discussion at the time. My
friend did not get empathy, individual care and attention, a critical ingredient needed to
bring people back …and, as a result, Kathryn has gone looking for another doctor.
Empathy, our ability and willingness to actively listen, is the foundation of trust in any
lasting relationship. When trust is high, tension is low, and, conversely, when tension is
high, trust is low. To lower tension, we must increase trust. One of the best ways to
achieve that is through the practice of active listening. It is through active listening
that we are able to clear up misunderstandings, discover customer needs, handle conflict,
diffuse angry customers, maximize our efforts, and increase our value to the customer and
to our employer.
©Copyright 1999-2006 Mary Jane Mapes All rights reserved.
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