Effective Communication

The primary goal in effective communication is to develop quick rapport and trust.

Steps to foster a positive connection during the first five minutes of an initial encounter are to:

• Observe how the person interacts and reacts to their personal and physical space.
• Assess the environment and create a calm, safe space for interaction.
• Try a smile, say “hello”, and check their response. 
• Be relaxed and use humor.
• Show compassion, grace and humility.
• Give your undivided attention, and act like you have all day.
• Be yourself, be real, and not perfect.
• Find out their goals.
• Ask strategic questions and share reflections.
• Identify ambivalence.
• Show unconditional, positive regard.
• Nurture hope.
• Begin to enter their world, and learn their backstory.
• Find out their struggles, hopes and fears.
• Leave behind your bias and judgement.
• Establish quick rapport and start the process of earning their trust.
• Treat each person as the expert on their life.

The following are tactics to promote trust through effective communication:

• Focus your attention on the individual and use active listening skills.
• Tune in to the person’s feelings.
• Show compassion and mirror mutual respect.
• Do not agree or disagree with delusional content; instead look for a shared reality.
• Reflect back what is heard.
• Ask clarifying questions, explore for meaning and keep it simple.
• Engage patients in making informed choices about their lives.
• Discuss lack of choices in situations where warranted.
• Remain polite, say goodbye, and ask if you may meet again if a person does not want to talk and wants you to leave.
• Ensure that engagement is non-threatening;
• Avoid lecturing, judging, demanding. Consider following with, “No judgement here,” when asking about sensitive subjects such as substance use.  
• Consider the impact of word choice on implicit and explicit bias.