Communication skills for appraisers Active listening Active listening involves paying attention to the verbal cues (the words people use) non-verbal cues (such as body language) and para-verbal cues (such as intonation, volume and pace of speech) that lead to a fuller picture of what the doctor is trying to convey and perhaps what they are revealing unintentionally. No rigid script for appraisal will work. Communication skills depend on being used flexibly in response to the individual and the level of rapport that has been established. It helps to prepare some useful questions to ask. These may be used during the preparation phase and in the appraisal itself. Using them rigidly would sound stilted and prevent the free flow of the appraisal, but thinking them through beforehand can prevent difficulties with how to approach a topic with a doctor. You will rapidly develop your own style, but sometimes having a stem question or idea your sleeve” can help keep things moving. “up Open questions: Six honest serving men Kipling’s honest serving men’ are the starting for many open questions. They cannot be ‘Six answered with a simple or that closes down the discussion, and are useful in getting the “Yes” “No” doctor to talk freely. Extract from Rudyard Kipling (1902) The Elephant’s Child: keep six honest serving men, “I (They taught me all I knew); Their names are and and ‘What?’ ‘Why?’ ‘When?’ And and and ‘How?’ ‘Where?’ ‘Who?’” describe…” is another useful opener. “Please Closed questions Closed questions are useful for refining understanding or eliciting detail and are generally that can be answered or or with one word answers. “Yes” “No” Clarification questions More direct questions can be very useful in clarifying specifics in an area of discussion. They are sometimes called questions because they lead the conversation in a particular direction. “funnel” Beware of clarifying too soon. you give me an example of that?” is a useful way to start to “Can clarify an issue.
Communication skills for appraisers Active listening Active listening involves paying attention to the verbal cues (the words people use) non-verbal cues (such as body language) and para-verbal cues (such as intonation, volume and pace of speech) that lead to a fuller picture of what the doctor is trying to convey and perhaps what they are revealing unintentionally. No rigid script for appraisal will work. Communication skills depend on being used flexibly in response to the individual and the level of rapport that has been established. It helps to prepare some useful questions to ask. These may be used during the preparation phase and in the appraisal itself. Using them rigidly would sound stilted and prevent the free flow of the appraisal, but thinking them through beforehand can prevent difficulties with how to approach a topic with a doctor. You will rapidly develop your own style, but sometimes having a stem question or idea “up your sleeve” can help keep things moving. Open questions: Six honest serving men Kipling’s ‘Six honest serving men’ are the starting for many open questions. They cannot be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No” that closes down the discussion, and are useful in getting the doctor to talk freely. Extract from Rudyard Kipling (1902) The Elephant’s Child: “I keep six honest serving men, (They taught me all I knew); Their names are ‘What?’ and ‘Why?’ and ‘When?’ And ‘How?’ and ‘Where?’ and ‘Who?’” “Please describe…” is another useful opener. Closed questions Closed questions are useful for refining understanding or eliciting detail and are generally that can be answered “Yes” or “No” or with one word answers. Clarification questions More direct questions can be very useful in clarifying specifics in an area of discussion. They are sometimes called “funnel” questions because they lead the conversation in a particular direction. Beware of clarifying too soon. “Can you give me an example of that?” is a useful way to start to clarify an issue.
appraiser-training-resource-pack.docx