Inquiry process can help build leaders
Intense dialogue and inquiry in small groups can do more than help solve pressing health care problems; they can help mold the profession’s future leaders.
At M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Duke Rohe, FHIMSS, performance improvement specialist, has been working closely with three administrative fellows.
"Our inquiry involves exploratory sharing of yourself," Rohe explains, noting the group has dialogued together regularly.
"It’s been very valuable to learn about the technique and use it," says Melissa Tarelkelz, MHA, one of the administrative fellows, who was approached by Rohe last July, shortly after she came to Anderson.
"The three of us come from different areas and didn’t know much about each other or about inquiry," she says.
"Early on, Duke helped us learn to communicate on a different level. Without that, we probably would not been able to build trust among the group as quickly; we now have the ability to look at issues differently, to build teamwork, and to communicate on a much deeper level," Tarelkelz adds.
Not a simple process
This is more complicated than it sounds, she says. "The word communication sounds so simple, but when you sit down and think about creating a shared understanding, it isn’t."
However, the benefits are clear, Tarelkelz adds. "Now, when Duke makes a point, I really have to think about that point instead of how it might impact my own agenda," she explains.
"That’s one of the main benefits," Rohe adds. "Shared understanding is a collective recognition of the needs of everyone at the table. Your inquiry is to look into and try to understand the other person."
Tarelkelz sees this experience as a valuable one in light of her career goals.
"We are on the career track of being health care leaders," she notes.
"We are learning this skill in our formative years; we may all go in different directions, but we can take it with us whether we stay here or go. In terms of teams, it’s something we can take forward with us to the people with whom we work in the future," Tarelkelz adds.
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