Value Purpose Trust

A doctor friend and I were discussing the multiple roles he played in his work life and his desire to rebalance, to spend more time in research and less time in clinic. He was accomplished in both. We talked about why he wanted to make that change and what each had given him. He knew seeing patients in clinic had made him a better listener and a better diagnostician. His exceptional skills in observing, analyzing, questioning, and making decisions quickly all came from that work.

As he talked about it, he said “the best clinicians are those who move quickly past what a patient presents to identify the real issue and engage the patient in a practical discussion of their options - and any concern raised is a question of value, purpose, or trust”. The bit at the end of that observation (that Value, Purpose, and Trust are the underlying themes of any question or challenge) should have come with a pantomimed hand dropping a microphone.

My mind instantly jumped to my own professional life of meetings, emails, slide decks, and hallway conversations. He was right. When people pushed back on plans, they were raising concerns of Value, Purpose, and Trust. For my work, I swapped in simple definitions and paired questions: Value, the importance or priority of a goal, “is this the best use of our limited resources?” Purpose, the reason to do something, “is this the right solution to that problem?” Trust, our belief in the reliability of that step or team, “will this achieve what we need from it?”

Listening for the TYPE of concern, I could respond quickly, more genuinely, and in a way most likely to address the issue. While discussing plans for his career in medicine, my friend provided me with an important insight into my work in technology program management. In a casual comment, he identified and provided a solution to a problem I hadn’t even thought to put into words.

To build consensus with my partners, we need to agree that: this problem is the priority, this is the right solution to that problem, and these are the right people/resources to tackle it. Any raised concern questions one of these three truths, and the response needs to be framed in terms of that truth.

I forced myself back into the moment because I wanted to be present for my friend. That moment would replay in my head many times in the following months, and would help me become a better listener and a better partner. Mic drop, indeed.