Coaching – Emotional Intelligence

Physician Emotional Intelligence  - Your Key to Better Patient Care and Life Contentment

• Are you a physician who frequently gets himself / herself in trouble for “having a big mouth”?
• Are you someone who has been written up for disruptive behavior and is looking for resources to improve your every day behavior?

I know it is a frustrating experience and you really don’t have time to deal with this … and you have to do it in order to keep your credentials.

You probably are an established physician with strong clinical skills and a good patient base. You have the drive to make a difference for your patients or in your practice / department but it is often misinterpreted as headstrong, disruptive or inappropriate. That’s why you got yourself in some issues. You either had an argument with a colleague / staff member / administrator. Or you received complaints from patients / low patient satisfaction scores and now you are required to look for ways to better your interpersonal skills. Your reputation is on the line and you admit (and if it is just in silence) that you can come across edgy sometimes.

Disruptive physician or anger management workshops where you are away from home for a few days are not your best option; your time is limited and you are ready to take action now. Instead what you are looking for is a confidential setting where you can work through the issue, develop solutions and condition yourself with the emotional intelligence and emotional competence that is needed to thrive and create better outcomes and more harmony in your career.

In the past 8 years I’ve worked with many physicians who were looking for ways to improve their behavior and here are 3 reasons why physicians can easily lose their patience at times:

1. Stress, frustrations, and “stories” are many times the underlying sources for the behavior
Think about it from this perspective, according to a 2011 study published by Cejka Search, nearly 87 percent of physicians are moderately to severely stressed and burnout rates fluctuate between 40-60 percent. Stress and overwhelm have become a major source for inappropriate behavior where a physician loses it and suddenly explodes. Additionally, it leads to medical errors and premature physician turnover.

2. Constant changes, uncertain future and lack of balance
Reimbursement cuts, tighter budgets, higher patient volumes, new EMR system, etc. put additional time requirements and pressure on physicians. The pressure from each side and the limited supply of time and energy can develop to a pressure cooker situation where they just don’t know how to handle it all.

3. Lack of Skills
When the pressure increases, interpersonal skills are even more critical. Many physicians admit that they never enrolled in a communication or interpersonal skills course. They know that they can be a bit “edgy” and realize now that the way they communicate doesn’t give them the intended results.

There’s got to be a better way. And there is. The solution is to build emotionally intelligent physicians.

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What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotions have the potential to get in the way of our most important business and personal relationships. A key part in personal and professional success is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the capacity for effectively recognizing and managing our own emotions and those of others. Studies show that IQ alone will not make success in life and that the recipe for excellence gives far more weight to emotional competencies than to cognitive abilities. Emotional competence matters twice as much as IQ and expertise for excellent performance in all jobs. Top performers are found to be strong in each of the five emotional intelligence areas: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills Goleman (1998).

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is used interchangeably with Emotional Quotient (EQ). In simple terms, EI refers to emotional awareness and emotional management skill which provide the ability to balance emotion and reason as to maximize long term happiness. It is being able to monitor our own and others’ feelings and emotions which results in stronger relationships and collaboration with others.

Research in a variety of industries and job levels reveals that Emotional Intelligence was two times more important in contributing to excellence than intellect and expertise alone. The health care industry that is in the threshold of change responsible to the call to excellence has the power to influence outcomes by creation a culture that integrates and strengthens emotional intelligence in their physicians and supporting staff.

As a result physicians who are developing their emotional intelligence will experience:

• Reduced energy drainers such as complaints, worries, frustration
  Self-awareness and self-management – 2 key components of emotional intelligence are at the source of discerning and letting go of complaints, worries or frustrations. Eliminating these kinds of energy drainers will restore balance and contribute to a boost of productivity, and contentment.
• Effective communication, coaching, and relating skills with staff and patients
  Communication is the connection skill between individuals. Patient care, patient safety, and teamwork depend on highly effective communication skills. Emotionally intelligent physicians have the skills to elevate their patient care and team work to a new level, where they will be able to properly address conflicts, resolve misunderstandings, and celebrate accomplishments.
• More peace of mind, balance, and contentment
  The “being” of a physician has a big impact on the response of and the interaction with patients. Physicians who are feeling more balance, contentment, and peace of mind will transmute these feelings on their patients and will be able to address anxiety, worries and concerns of patients in an efficient way.

Do these outcomes motivates you?

Emotionally intelligent and balanced physician are an asset to any healthcare organization. They are the heartbeat of an organization and their behavior and leadership has a huge impact on the bottom line of the organization such as:

Improved patient satisfaction scores and better patient care
Again research in a variety of industries and job levels revealed that Emotional Intelligence was two times more important in contributing to excellence than intellect and expertise alone.

Decreased expenses due to turnover
Balanced and content physicians will more likely stay in a healthcare organization where they feel valued and appreciated and where they have the skills to create their own happiness.

More harmony, calm work environment and greater productivity
Physicians with emotionally intelligent behavior will be able to influence their team to greater performance, better harmony, and collaboration.

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So are you ready to develop your or your physicians’ Emotional Intelligence?

The Balanced Physician EI Program makes it simple for you to learn and master self-management and interpersonal skills on-the-job and in your personal life. Through this transformation program, we provide you the personalized support and tested resources so you can create not only better outcomes in your practice but also more balance and life contentment.

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The keys to the Balanced Physician Emotional Intelligence Program are:

Just in time, real world on the job experience. You meet and master the demands of your practice / personal life just in time. Instead of being dropped off at a seminar where you learn general principles,  we give you customized support, where we role play and discuss your immediate and unique situations.

Expert support that gives you additional horsepower to get more done. Besides providing additional resources and a safety net, we will provide you with proven techniques and a practical foundation to prepare you to deal with the challenges you face every day.

Personalized attention so you can develop the skills that are most meaningful, useful and joyful to you. You’re able to get immediate feedback on your actions, which help you build your skills so you can become one of your organization’s most valuable and emotionally intelligent physician.

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The primary components include:

1. In-depth evaluation to analyze your current behavior and develop a program strategy. A communication style inventory, an Emotional Intelligence Assessment, possibly a 360 feedback survey, and goal sheets will set the direction of the one-on-one coaching.

3. 2-one hour individual coaching sessions each month where we tackle the situations and challenges that confront you day-to-day. You will gain clarity about what the real challenge is so time and energy are not wasted. Once the challenge is clear, the actions you need to take will be even clearer.

3. Extensive support including phone calls, emails between coaching meetings, workbooks, tools and exercises. On-going support and easy to use materials offer tools that will guide you to implement new practices and become the effective and efficient physician you strive to be.

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How it works

Phase 1: Before the program:
You will engage in a conversation with the coach to learn about the program, clarify your goals and clearly identify your measures for success. Additionally, you will be led through an assessment process to heighten your self-awareness and identify the areas for transformation.

Phase 2: The Program
The feedback of the personal assessment creates the customized agenda of this program. For the next 4-6 months individual phone or Skype meetings focus on the challenges and headaches you want to overcome. This is where your skills are honed, reinforced and focused on solutions. Every 3 months we will evaluate your progress and the continuation of the program.

Phase 3: After the Program
3 months after completion of the program you will have a follow-up session with your coach to share progress, possible questions, and future goals.

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Why is the Balanced Physician Emotional Intelligence Program for you?

This program is for you if you are ready to expand your capacity to improve your bedside manner, develop stronger relationships with your staff, and enjoy a more balanced and content life.

However this program is not for everyone. It is designed for open-minded physicians who are able to put their ego to the side and who desire to produce better results and build stronger relationships in their environment. If you are ready to expand your capacity to deal with and embrace everything that comes at you in a powerful way, then this program will be the right investment for you.

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The next step

If this appeals to you, I invite you to contact me for a complimentary EI Strategy Session. This will be a 45 minute conversation to see if this program is a good fit for you. I never know absolutely whether I can help someone and I don’t know what your specific challenges might be. However, I offer you this opportunity so that I can learn more about your situation, your goals and challenges and, if appropriate, explain how I produce breakthrough results for my clients. There is no commitment, cost or risk with this conversation. At a minimum you will come away with some useful insights and tips that are immediately usable. Fill out the contact form below and I will be in contact with you within the next 24-48 hours.

I’m looking forward to meeting you.

Iris Grimm

Comments or questions are welcome.