Seek to Understand
Jason Alviene
Passionate Healthcare Leader | Doctor of Chiropractic & Master's in Sports Science | 25+ Years of Clinical Expertise | Educator | Business Strategist
“Seek to Understand… Then and only then can a solution be offered.”? Dr. J
Bailey has a terrible issue. She woke up with a headache, which had happened before, but today was not the day for this to happen. She knew that with a pounding head, it would only get worse by day's end, and she had a large presentation at 6 pm. Panic set in as she needed this lecture to be perfect with her normal, upbeat attitude.
As she scrambled for Advil and ice, she came across an advertisement she had seen many times before in her medication drawer. A coworker gave her a pamphlet about chiropractic and how they can help with issues like her headache. She figured it could not get any worse and called the chiropractic office in desperate desperation. Luckily, they had an opening at 10:45 am and took the appointment.
This is a common experience for most people, whether for health reasons or other problems that arise in life. For Bailey, her upcoming experience at the chiropractic office will be nerve-racking and riddled with uncertainty. She needs a solution, and she hopes the chiropractor has one so she can perform at her presentation that evening.
When she finally sees the doctor after completing all the intake forms, one of two things will happen. Either the doctor will offer a solution without fully understanding Bailey’s issue, or the chiropractor will allow Bailey to explain her true issue before a solution is provided.
The most common mistake in any process is providing education too early. For example, Bailey will describe to the doctor where her headache is and how it hurts based on the doctor’s questions. The doctor will immediately educate on what could be going wrong and how the treatment is the solution. That sounds good, but the doctor failed to understand Bailey's emotional issue with the headaches. The doctor should have questioned differently. The questions should be asked: How come today was the day you needed to start fixing this issue? How is it affecting your life, and what is it interfering with?
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Understanding the issue fully is necessary to create trust and confidence between both parties. The solution for this chiropractor should not be able to fix the headache. Still, it should focus on allowing Bailey to achieve her presentation and reducing the likelihood of this issue affecting her ability to perform in the future.
As I conclude this article, please seek to understand the person across from you before offering any solution. This principle applies anywhere in life, including close personal relationships.
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With Gratitude and Appreciation,
Dr. Jason Alviene