Emotions in Decision-Making - Hindrance or Help?
III. Learning Points & Questions for Readers
- Emotions in Decision-Making
- Understanding Complaints Data
- Learning Points & Questions for Readers
Learning Points
Managers need some space to consider the results calmly. A research project done a little time after the event will still uncover as it did here, sad and painful memories but at least the complainant is not standing over the complaint manager with a poker. So there is some space and time for learning and for improvements to be made. The learning points are:-
- Draw on existing hospital data, so validating survey numbers by reference to other information
- Be honest about the limitations of any one particular survey
- Confront and incorporate emotions by using complainants' words to demonstrate the feelings and give some weight to the complainants' perspective
- Even when numbers are small, large differences can occur that point to a very clear message.
These elements combine to create data that persuade and recruit colleagues to participate in the team-based or departmental based action that brings lasting improvement. All that remains is to tell complainants that this has happened.
Questions for Readers
1. I have characterised the NHS complaints system as:
"an investigation-based process that seeks to establish 'facts' by going back and taking acounts from clinicians and others involved. In doing so, it disguises and hides the emotional aspects by throwing the fire blanket of process over the blaze of feeling. This may dampen feelings down - it rarely extinguishes them; rather banks them up - so making things more comfortable for the managers and clinicians involved - the dispassionate path of process can reassure those whose conduct and judgements are being challenged. They feel safer if the process looks even-handed and 'fair'. (We can discuss another time whether things have to be this way.)"
But to the complainant of course, whose feelings are being ignored and tidied away in the interests of process, this looks like indifference, condescension or at worst total exclusion from an approach which is then seen as favouring the insiders. The dispassionate process disarms the consumer whose major weapon is emotion. Can it be a surprise then if satisfaction is so low with a process that puts them through a lot and apparently delivers so little?"
Is this true in your experience? Must it always be so? Tell us what you think.
2. What experience have you had in coming to terms with research into emotional experiences, vividly recalled? Did you trust and use the data? Did representing how angry or upset users were, just annoy colleagues or spur them to action?
Colin Adamson, February 2006