Making Difficult Interactions More Respectful

Dr. Omar Guzman reflects on how a practice to cultivate more respect shaped the way he interacts with his patients.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2fwen962

Episode Summary:

As an ER doctor in an overworked healthcare system, Omar Guzman isn’t always able to build the relationships with patients the way he’d like to. For our show, Omar tried a practice called the 7 Elements of Respect. By contemplating his own motivations and biases, practicing deep listening and prioritizing relationship-building, Omar was able to develop a meaningful connection with a patient and was reminded of why he decided to pursue medicine. Later, we hear from Diane Johnson, the creator of this practice, to learn more about the multifaceted aspects of respect, and how developing empathic relationships can shape and strengthen our sense of community.

Practice:

1. Acknowledge the conflict and affirm your commitment to understanding and moving forward.

2. Ensure that you are staying honest and true to yourself.

3. Hear new perspectives by practicing deep listening.

4. Recognize the importance of emphatically interacting with others.

5. Let go of any pretenses or sense of ego by practicing humility.

6. Notice how these actions affect your internal motivations.

7. Practice building relationships and connections with others.

Today’s guests:

Omar Guzman is an ER doctor in Visalia, California.

Diane Johnson has a PhD in Organizational Behavior and is a consultant focused on leadership, change management and organizational development. She is the creator of the 7 Elements of Respect.

Learn more about Diane and her work: https://www.mmapeu.com/

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Four Ways to Help Your Coworkers Feel Respected: https://tinyurl.com/2p8uvhnb
How Do We Ensure That Students of Color Feel Respected?: https://tinyurl.com/5n8534ek

What Middle Schoolers Can Teach Us About Respect: https://tinyurl.com/4ua4va6s

Five Ways to Have More Constructive Disagreements: https://tinyurl.com/tt26uy84

More Resources on Cultivating Respect:

MIT - Creating a Culture of Respect: https://tinyurl.com/44kzr95s

NYT - How to Be More Empathetic: https://tinyurl.com/nf675dkk

BBC - Deep Listening: Finding common ground with opponents: https://tinyurl.com/yjby4zjx

How do you cultivate respect in your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/mszb2wfx

This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on "Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility." To learn more, go to https://tinyurl.com/2dj6hw29