"How do you handle critical negative feedback
from others as well as from yourself, when
you feel that it is not deserved? Does it push
you to make the changes that critical people
think that you are ignorant of or you
are wrong about?"
Criticism can be constructive or destructive depending on how it is worded to you. It's the same effect that you have on medical patients when you instruct or advise them. That's why we are often told to think before we speak and never respond to challenges when angry. It forces professional people to walk the tightrope for projecting the appropriate communication slant with others.
The Bible explains that our tongue has the power of life and death over others. We are all capable of inciting others, by what we say to them and how we say it, to do terrible things or wonderful things. And it can be initiated by a very few words.
When a consulting general surgeon once told my wife, "You are ignorant and stupid to have ever believed such nonsense the other physicians told you." Which made her burst out in tears, quickly left the office, arrived home while sobbing and unable to explain to me about the problem/cause. It's fortunate that I did not go with her to that appointment, because I would have wound up in jail.
I suggested to the medical society committee that arbitrated my complaint, that that surgeon might want to hire a bodyguard if he treated patients in such a manner--because Marine husbands often are sitting in the waiting room that might not like how their wife was treated. Even worse, the surgeon knew that I was a physician when he revealed his lack of integrity.
The issue of negative and positive sides to what we say or write are important in the practice of medicine for many reasons...
My series of articles that I wrote about, "Why Physicians Fail," years ago brought this issue
to my attention. I, as many writers often do, catch a passing thought about one of the rules of writing--Readers just don't like to read negative creatives and topics slanted in a
negative direction.
However, when most all descriptions about important issues are painted in a positive stream, it seems that most readers walk away with a smile. Probably that's because they are thinking they were able to avoid any written suggestions that the reader interprets by mirroring themselves as
being incompetent.
Most readers recognize that all issues aren't as pretty and positive as described. There's a downside to about everything, which often is a reminder that something can be done to turn negatives
into positives.
If the negativity points out the areas of thinking, action, and responsibilities that need improvement, make the points positive. In medical practice today there is a great need for physicians and other healthcare professionals to seek ways to combat the increasing pressures and deterrents that negatively threaten your medical careers.
So, if you are intending to create a newsletter to send to your patients--make it constructive and positive as appropriate throughout.
Even the worst punitive criticism about one's own potential failures can be presented in a manner
that is not only constructive, but also profitable in nature. This is what is behind my series of articles about why and how doctors fail themselves in so many ways that they don't recognize.
My contention is that someone has to point out these frailties to them and inspire physicians to move up and ahead beyond what they think they can handle.
The evidence easily visible today tells us that the majority of physicians are barely able to maintain
a mediocre medical practice for many reasons. This is exactly the opposite of the circumstances of
medical practice 80 years ago.
Because I watched my practice disintegrate in front of my eyes as a result of these changes, not knowing how to rescue it, I understand the extreme frustration most physicians feel today about losing their private medical practice for financial reasons. My greatest frustration about that is that the cause of the issue can be corrected quickly by providing a business education for all
medical students.
For physicians already practicing, they can learn it all on this website from all the materials, information, articles, and advice that is readily available.
My series of articles about this issue of medical practice failure, in my view, necessitates irritating
physicians who read what I write as a means to push them to recognize their own shortfalls and what to do about them. I don't write to ridicule, nor to distract from the excellent work physicians are already doing while practicing medicine, to find fault, or to cast suspicion on your capabilities.
Every physician is capable of doing, improving, growing, learning, and deciding that they can do considerably more in their medical practice business part of practice than they are doing today.
The problem is that the knowledge about how to do it is sorely lacking. The cure for this problem for most physicians is obtaining a sound business knowledge which I have been trying to make them aware of over the past many years.
One of the misleading aspects of most programs available for improving and streamlining medical practice business for better efficiency and income is that of upgrading office business procedures, equipment, and software sold to you will not resolve the real causative factors that lead to medical practice financial failure.
The resolution of the practice failure problem is actually caused by only one single process noted above. Until physicians correct the gap in business knowledge that is absolutely necessary, medical practice financial failure will continue indefinitely. I guarantee that.
Oddly enough, a similar type issue of brick-walled efforts are now toppling our own government.
----Professional Probe----
"Why try to hide your stress,
when you look so beautiful when
you are stressed."
Articles©2013-2022/CGG INVESTMENTS LLC. All rights reserved. #133, 3-18-22
