Could Compassion Be Commercially Smart? with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak
Jul 16, 2021
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Dr. Stephen Trzeciak, a physician-scientist and chief of medicine, discusses his research on compassionomics and its impact on organizations. He explores the difference compassion makes in healthcare, reversing burnout, and creating cultures of compassion. The podcast also touches on the relationship between time and compassion, the potential pitfalls of empathy, and the power of asking and being present. The episode concludes with insights on compassionate leadership and recommendations for further reading.
Compassionomics, a field examining the scientific evidence behind compassion in healthcare, reveals its measurable effects.
Compassion plays a crucial role in reducing burnout among healthcare providers and creates more fulfilling relationships with patients.
Contrary to popular belief, compassionate connections can be made in less than a minute, and showing compassion can create a sense of time abundance.
By asking questions to understand others' worries, leaders can foster a culture of compassion and make meaningful connections.
Deep dives
Compassion and its Distinction from Empathy
Compassion involves an emotional response to another's pain or suffering, coupled with the desire to take action to help alleviate that suffering. It goes beyond empathy, which is simply understanding and feeling another person's pain. Neuroscience research shows that while empathy activates the pain center of the brain, compassion activates the reward center, associated with positive emotions.
Compassionomics: The Science of Compassion
Compassionomics is a field that examines the scientific evidence behind compassion in healthcare. It aims to understand the impact of compassion on patient care and the well-being of healthcare providers. The book 'Compassionomics' reviews over 1,000 scientific abstracts and 280 research papers to demonstrate the measurable and meaningful effects of compassion in healthcare.
Effects of Compassion on Patients and Providers
Compassion has several mechanisms of action that positively impact patient outcomes. Studies show that when healthcare providers deeply care about their patients, they provide safer and higher-quality care. Compassion also plays a significant role in reducing burnout among healthcare providers. It activates the reward center of the brain, which is associated with positive emotions, and can create more fulfilling relationships with patients and colleagues. Additionally, research suggests that compassionate behavior can be learned and improved over time.
The Time Element and Mindset of Compassion
Contrary to the belief that compassion takes too much time, research shows that compassionate connections with patients can be made in less than one minute. Moreover, spending time on others can actually make individuals feel more time affluent. The mindset of compassion involves recognizing the evidence base behind compassion, realizing that time is often available for compassion, and understanding that compassionate behaviors can be learned and improved through a growth mindset. Caution includes being mindful of different types of empathy and ensuring empathy and compassion are applied in an inclusive and rational manner.
Leadership Practice: Asking to Understand
Asking questions to understand others is a powerful leadership practice. By asking patients and colleagues about their worries, leaders can gain valuable insights and make more meaningful connections. This approach allows leaders to respond in meaningful ways and create a culture of compassion.
Recommended Resources and Self-Compassion
A recommended book for those interested in cultivating compassion in workplaces is 'The War for Kindness' by Jamil Zaki. It provides insights on bringing out the best in oneself and others. Lastly, it is important to have self-compassion and change the inner dialogue when experiencing failure, applying the same kindness and understanding one would give to a best friend or loved one.
Conclusion
Compassion is a powerful force in healthcare, beneficial for both patients and healthcare providers. It is a science-backed approach that can enhance patient care, improve provider well-being, and create more fulfilling relationships. Compassionate behaviors can be learned and improved, and even brief moments of compassion can make a meaningful impact. By adopting a growth mindset and recognizing the time available for compassion, individuals can cultivate a culture of compassion in their personal and professional lives.
Stephen Trzeciak is a physician-scientist and chief of medicine at Cooper University Healthcare, and professor and chair of medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Stephen specializes in intensive care medicine, and is a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical researcher, with more than 100 scientific journal publications. Currently, Stephen’s research has focused on a new field called Compassionomics. And he is the co-author of the best-selling book of the same name, which we are going to dive into in our discussion today.
In this week’s episode, Dr. Paige Williams speaks with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak about his research into compassion and the difference it can make in organizations.
Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.
You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.
Until next time, take care! Thank you, Stephen!
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