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Three Keys to De-escalation for Trust Recovery
When someone is angry in a healthcare setting, it’s easy to assume they want compensation, confrontation, or control. But most of the time, what they’re really seeking is resolution, reassurance, and repair. When we respond with emotional intelligence, we can turn a moment of trust rupture into a moment of trust recovery. Here are the
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Taking ACTION against violence in the workplace
Have you ever experienced violence in the workplace? I have. I’ve been punched, spat upon, had things thrown at me. I’ve been called everything but the name my mother gave me. Once, someone even shared my child’s full name, his school address, and my home address—paired with a threat to “take care of things.” The
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The Practice of Presence
Listening…truly listening…is one of the most powerful tools in any relationship-driven field In high-stakes environments, whether you’re leading a team, supporting a client, mentoring a student, or caring for a patient, presence isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Presence means showing up with your full attention. It means listening not just for what’s said, but
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The Cost of Complaints
Fully resolved complaints can preserve millions in patient lifetime value — while unresolved ones quietly drain revenue, trust, and referrals. Here’s a LinkedIn-ready article titled “The Cost of Complaints” with embedded financial data and citations. The Cost of Complaints In healthcare, complaints are often treated as noise, a nuisance to manage, a form to file,
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Three Keys to De-escalation for Trust Recovery
When someone is angry in a healthcare setting, it’s easy to assume they want compensation, confrontation, or control. But most of the time, what they’re really seeking is resolution, reassurance, and repair. When we respond with emotional intelligence, we can turn a moment of trust rupture into a moment of trust recovery. Here are the
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Understanding Displaced Emotion and Responding with Grace: It Might Be Their Birthday Cake
When people lash out, we often focus on the words they say or the behavior they show. But in moments of crisis, those reactions are rarely about what they seem. This story begins with a birthday cake, but it’s really about grief, fear, and the invisible weight people carry when their world is upended. In
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Confrontation vs. Collaboration: The Intent That Changes Everything
Conflict is inevitable. But how we approach it determines whether we build trust—or break it. When we enter a difficult moment with the intent to win, defend, or deflect, we’re not resolving, we’re confronting. And confrontation, no matter how polished, is a power play. It’s about positioning, not connection. It may feel satisfying in the
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Statistical Significance vs. the N of One
Data is my love language. I’m a complete geek about it. What’s interesting is that I’m also known as a storyteller. I often say that data gets people to the table, but story changes how they work. So how much data do you need to identify performance improvement opportunities? Well… it depends. You need both
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Absorbing Anger: The Counterforce of Calm in Conflict
The Physics of Emotional Absorption In physics, Newton’s Third Law tells us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. But in emotionally charged human interactions, especially in moments of anger. The most effective response isn’t equal. It’s intentionally opposite. When someone is yelling, we don’t yell back. When their speech is pressured, we