Impactful Communication: Dr David Schreiner Of KSB Hospital On 5 Essential Techniques for Becoming an Effective Communicator
An Interview With Athalia Monae
Pay attention. Eye contact and body language should reflect that you are interested in what the other person is saying, that you are “present.” You should just be listening and not checking your phone, glancing at your Apple Watch when it pings, or otherwise indicating you are impatient.
In an age dominated by digital communication, the power of articulate and effective verbal communication cannot be understated. Whether it’s delivering a keynote address, leading a team meeting, or engaging in a one-on-one conversation, impactful speaking can open doors, inspire change, and create lasting impressions.
But what truly sets apart an effective communicator? What techniques and nuances elevate a speech from mundane to memorable? As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. David Schreiner.
Dr. David L. Schreiner is the author of Be the Best Part of Their Day: Supercharging Communication with Values-Driven Leadership. He also is president/CEO of Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon, Ill. He is a passionate advocate for rural hospitals, having spent most of his life in small towns and working in small communities. Schreiner served on the American College of Healthcare Executives’ Board of Governors from 2016–2019. He is also the past chairman of the American Hospital Association Rural Health Task Force.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about communication, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I stumbled upon my career by accident. After finishing my undergraduate studies, I had no idea what to do next. I decided to travel to Kansas to visit my mom, and while I was there, I played basketball at a community college. The director of the program was also playing and mentioned that a student had dropped out on Friday, just before the semester started on Monday. I decided to enroll, and from the moment I started, I was hooked on the hospital environment — the doctors, technicians, nurses, administrators, and especially the patients.
I began my career at The University of Kansas Medical Center, worked briefly at a rural hospital in Missouri, and then came to Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital
in Dixon, Ill. in 1989 — where I’ve been ever since. I’ve been fortunate to have many opportunities for advancement here, and in 2011, I became president and CEO.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Leading a rural hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most interesting periods of time in my life. This global health crisis had a profound impact on our 125-year-old organization, emotionally, financially, and culturally. We had to adapt to evolving information from The Centers for Disease Control and The Illinois Department of Public Health and make protocol changes at a moment’s notice. Sometimes, we had to put out a message at 9 a.m. and change it again at 1 p.m. based on new information.
Despite the challenges, our community supported us in many ways. They blessed us with signs in people’s yards that praised “healthcare heroes” and brought an abundance of food to the hospital for our team. My goal was to be transparent and provide frequent updates, and I believe we achieved that. Our team members worked long hours and had to process their own fears about the disease, but we were able to double our employee engagement scores on a year-to-year basis, even in those disruptive
Times.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
1. Lead with Love — Be tough on policy and tender on people” is a phrase that we follow at KSB Hospital. Once, we had an employee who was responsible for actions that led to a high-profile legal case. Some people in our organization immediately suggested terminating this employee. However, after having a heart-to-heart conversation with them and their willingness to participate in required counseling, we decided to retain
them as a member of our team. This happened three years ago, and they are still a productive member of our hospital’s team.
2. Find ways to express gratitude — At KSB Hospital, we make it a point to find reasons to celebrate. Healthcare can be challenging, both physically and emotionally. That’s why we take the time to recognize our employees and show our appreciation for their hard work. I send notes to commemorate work anniversaries and birthdays, write
thank-you cards, and make sure to visit all departments and clinics every quarter to personally thank our team members for the work they do every day to serve our patients and their families.
3. Ask great questions and generate positivity — I’ve discovered that asking insightful questions is the key to building meaningful connections with those who matter most in my life. I’m truly interested in what lights up their soul, where they excel, and how I can help them break through any obstacles that stand in the way of personal and professional growth. My goal is to help them to unlock their full potential.
These three examples are three of 15 tactics described fully in my new book.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that we are all on the same page. How would you define an “effective communicator?” What are the characteristics of an effective communicator?
Effective communicators lead with authenticity and a values-driven mindset. They know who they are and they “show up” every day to bring positivity and enthusiasm to their presence.
How can one tailor their communication style to different audiences or situations?
Be careful with this one (see above)! A leader’s style should be adapted to the audience, but it’s important to stay true to one’s values and repeatedly come back to the organization’s mission.
For instance, I once interviewed a hospital CEO in the Pacific Northwest who was given the task of convincing the community to build a new hospital. Her board members were concerned about no new taxes. Therefore, this leader attended every community group that would let her visit and used the same base presentation, but her secret sauce was customizing each presentation to address the concerns of that particular group. For example, an older population wanted healthcare delivered in a new physical plant, while a younger group was worried about their property taxes. As a leader, it’s important to acknowledge and address the elephant in the room and lean into it.
Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt your communication style to reach a particular audience successfully?
I am privileged to engage in meaningful dialogues across the spectrum of our hospital’s team. At 9 a.m., I have the honor of discussing intricate clinical issues with a board-certified, Harvard-trained surgeon whose expertise is vital to our patient care. Then, at 9:30 a.m., I shift to a conversation just as essential with a GED-educated housekeeper, whose insights on safety measures, especially in these COVID times, are invaluable. Both these individuals are integral cogs in the machinery of our healthcare delivery. Their roles, distinct yet equally critical, receive my equal admiration and an attentive ear.
The essence of my interactions lies in recognizing and responding to the unique needs each brings to the table. Whether it’s engaging in a complex clinical discussion or understanding the practicalities of maintaining a safe environment, my focus is on what is most needed at that moment. This could be providing a solution, offering a listening ear, or simply being present in the conversation.
Effective communication, I believe, is not a one-size-fits-all approach but a dynamic and adaptive process. It begins with active listening, understanding the unique perspective of each individual, and then thoughtfully responding in a way that is both meaningful and respectful. This approach is not just about transmitting information; it’s about building connections, fostering trust, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their role, feels valued and heard.
How do you handle difficult or sensitive conversations while maintaining open and effective communication?
The key to handling difficult conversations is by being transparent and having frequent communication. To begin, let’s define the issue and ensure we both see the situation in the same way. After we have a shared understanding, we can then discuss how the situation could have been handled differently in a respectful manner. If we could go back in time and create an ideal outcome for everyone involved, what steps would we need to take? I cover this concept of appreciative inquiry in great detail in my book.
In your experience, how does storytelling play a role in impactful speaking? Why do you think stories are effective in communication?
As children, many of us learned from stories. Although my doctoral dissertation was not very exciting to most readers, I discovered that by converting the research into a series of compelling stories, it suddenly became more engaging. The reader can form an image of the participants in their own minds, insert themselves into the situation, and learn new and exciting ways to react.
I always start my presentations with a story, and at KSB Hospital, we begin every meeting with a patient story. This approach engages a part of our brain that positively responds to situations that impact people.
What are your “5 Essential Techniques for Becoming an Effective Communicator”?
1. Ask great questions and generate positivity — Asking great questions of your team often includes having people think about when they were performing at their best. Phrasing your questions in an appreciative inquiry manner goes a long way in the workplace toward generating positivity. It isn’t that you, as a leader, don’t see your
team’s missteps or the problems in your organizations. It isn’t burying your head in the sand or approaching it with trite phrases instead of real solutions. It is, however, about reminding people of their worth and reminding a team of the times when everything went right — and then chasing those results.
Asking great questions also means asking them of your customers, stakeholders, and, believe it or not, once this moves from a novel approach to a habit, the people in your life outside of work, too. Asking great questions involves one very important trait: cultivating your curiosity.
Be interested. Unfortunately, for many leaders, as we move up the corporate ladder, the tugs on our time grow more urgent. You may be thinking, I don’t have time to engage with so many people.
I am here to tell you that generating positivity depends on your engagement. You don’t have time not to engage with the people that matter to you the most. When I started my career, I knew the name of every single person I passed in the corridors of KSB hospital. We had 350 employees then. Now we have 1,000. As we grew and thrived, that became more difficult (I still try!). However, I still found that this interest and engagement was important enough that I could tailor it for a larger organization.
1. I have adjusted my schedule such that if I have to move through the buildings in order to attend a meeting, I allot an extra 10 or 15 minutes to get where I am going. This allows me to greet people, to chat with them, and (perhaps most importantly) to be stopped in the hall because someone feels comfortable enough to approach me, knowing I welcome it.
2. While I cannot speak with everyone every day, I can ensure that when I am speaking with someone I am “present” and focused on them. I can ask them great questions — and I can demonstrate in how I interact with them that they are valued.
This principle has reinvigorated me to go to work every day — even after years at my job. It is super exciting because every time you stand in front of someone different in the workplace, you get to hear their story and learn more about them. Each encounter represents an opportunity to hear from the people closest to our patients (for you that might be your customers). When we have employee orientations, we start with introducing our executive team. Then, while we’re all together, I have each employee go around and talk about themselves. Suddenly, that room is a bit smaller, and certainly warmer. That’s the positivity piece.
By the way, practicing this will help you, too. It’s not just organizational mumbo-jumbo. Shifting to this supercharged communications mindset will help you get “out of your head,” for one thing. You’ll also see your connections with your team deepen.
Don’t know what to ask? Consider that appreciative inquiry and great questions will vary by situation. One-on-one questions can be general — everything from how was your weekend to how has your work-life balance been lately? If you are a team leader meeting with someone about their career, you could ask, What would you like to learn? Are there committees or teams in our organization on which you would like to participate? What skills are you most proud of? What skills would you like to develop? What gets you most excited to come to work each day? And don’t be afraid to ask questions so you can improve: When do you feel most supported at work — and how can I get better at that?
I also talk about the “feel” that we create for patients and their families when they come into our building. And, you know, that’s as simple as eye contact and a smile and, can I help you? I educate new team members on the 10 and five rule: When we get 10 feet away from someone, make eye contact. When they move closer to five feet, say something. A smile and a simple “good morning” can invite our customers to interact with us.
In terms of positivity, this is where we would discuss the “culture” of your workplace. It’s as simple as “how does working here make you feel?” And it’s that complex. When we did our workplace satisfaction survey after we implemented the principles in this book, we had transformational numbers. Most of our employees would recommend working at KSB to their friends and family.
When you walk into KSB, prepare to feel welcomed. From the person who greets you at the reception desk to the people in the hallways. Our employees make eye contact, they say hello, they are helpful. In fact, I even had someone tell me people were so warm and inviting, the visitor wondered, “Do I know this person?”
You will hear employees say, “Can I help you? Can I help you find where you’re going? Did you have any questions about anything?” It’s not just business as usual, head down, walk into your next place, but engaging with people. That is incredibly important in our community. We share our positivity with others.
2 . Develop outstanding listening skills and practice regularly
There are many books out there on developing listening skills. However, it is an important element of our supercharged principle one, so we will touch on it here. More than anything, I think asking great questions has another piece: compassionate listening. Compassionate listening means:
- You don’t jump in and try to “fix it” right away. Allow the other person to speak fully.
- If it’s a complaint or problem, do not get defensive or take it personally.
- Be patient — too many of us try to finish another person’s sentence or “help” them find the right word. (Guess what? That’s actually not helpful.) For certain personality types (very often us C-Suite folks who have very busy schedules and a long list of responsibilities, and who often have a “time is money” mentality), this is a habit you will have to work at changing.
- Do not be instantly “reactive.” If you don’t have an answer, it is perfectly fine to say, “Let me get back to you on that after I look into it.” (But then make sure you, indeed, follow up. That is an essential key to developing trust.)
You may have heard of the term “active listening.” There are a variety of approaches or concepts, but most of them have some variation of these elements:
1. Pay attention. Eye contact and body language should reflect that you are interested in what the other person is saying, that you are “present.” You should just be listening and not checking your phone, glancing at your Apple Watch when it pings, or otherwise indicating you are impatient.
2. Be “active” in your listening. This means that yes, you are listening, but with more than just your ears. Observe the other person’s body language and facial expressions. For example, we have all asked someone on our team how things are going and they have said one thing, but their eyes or anxious appearance implied something else. You need to actively pay attention to these other nonverbal cues and clues.
3. Be active in your unspoken cues. Nod your head. Occasionally add a filler like, “Go on,” or some short, encouraging phrase showing you would like the speaker to continue. Ensure you are not presenting with arms folded across your chest or other “closed” body language expressions.
4. “Mirror” or provide feedback. You can use the technique of mirroring in order to ensure you have “heard” the intended message. “What I am hearing you say is . . . “ and repeating back, in your own words, what you thought the other person said.
5. Ask open-ended follow-up questions if needed.
6. Respond appropriately. Demonstrate empathy, understanding, and compassion, and withhold judgment. If it is a situation requiring a plan of action, discuss when you will get back to the person and then do so.
3 . Find ways to express gratitude
Sometimes a job is transactional. You work. You get a paycheck. Simple. Except for many people (in fact, most), a job is much more. In fact, a BetterUp survey concluded that nine out of 10 people would accept earning less money if their work was meaningful to them. This is not to say that you should not pay your team fairly. Every employee in our organization can find on our internal intranet their hourly rate compared to industry and regional benchmarks. However, it is to say that a job is often “more” than “just a job.”
For some people, their work friends are more like a “family.” For others, in industries like
healthcare and other front-line workers, education, or nonprofits, they find deeper meaning and contribution through what they do. Still others feel fulfilled because they get to exercise their creativity.
However, regardless of the reasons someone works, we all like to be recognized for our efforts. But gratitude goes even beyond that. Gratitude is a mindset.
Let’s go back to our active listening. I can demonstrate that I’m listening by expressing gratitude for what I heard. In my book I offered an example of appreciative inquiry regarding a hospital bill that was not itemized the way the patient’s family wanted.
Rather than getting defensive, I can express gratitude: “I’m glad you brought this to my
attention. I’m grateful to know this because I was unaware the bill didn’t have that information you requested on it. I would hate for you to leave our hospital’s family over something fixable like this. I am grateful you are giving us a chance.”
Gratitude does not necessarily have to be “thank you,” either. You may think of gratitude as admiration for someone on your team: “I admire the way you thought about that and your unique perspective. Tell me more.”
Gratitude should also involve recognition. At KSB we started something called Going the Extra Mile (GEM). It’s geared towards employee recognition and gratitude. Anyone can be nominated for that “wow” factor in how they do their job or interact with the public. Someone might have gone above and beyond for a patient. For example, an elderly man was having a very hard time with separation from his wife while he was in the hospital, and one of our nurses sat with him until he felt more settled and then checked on him extra, listened, and offered just that bit of extra hand-holding. I received a lovely note from a family member, and this provided the opportunity to recognize the nurse with a GEM award.
A person might be nominated by their supervisor for doing something extra. The fact is from the people who keep our hospital clean, to our dietary team members, to the phlebotomists, to the nurses, to the doctors, to the accounting department — we all make KSB a special place to work.
Generally, about 10 people will be nominated each month. Two people will be chosen for recognition as the GEM “winners” (though I dislike the word winner, thus suggesting losers in the context of gratitude). But then I will film a video for our website where I talk about some of the others, four or five, and their stories — who nominated them and why. In addition, any person who was nominated receives a handwritten note of thanks from me.
Every corporate culture is unique, so only you will know the best way to express gratitude to your employees for their hard work, so that they “hear” they are appreciated.
Obviously, bonuses and raises demonstrate appreciation. However, here are some other ideas for employee appreciation that you might implement:
- Gamification. In companies where productivity or deadlines are an issue, offering a rewards program for completing tasks or making an exceptionally difficult target can be a great way to show appreciation. Prizes can be extra days off, or modest gifts or gift cards. For most people, it’s the recognition that’s meaningful. But a prize is always welcome!
- Feed them, part one! One CEO I interviewed during my research said his family of origin celebrates with meals, so he adopts the same tactic with his work family. We all love a free lunch. Whether it’s buying pizza for a team that had to stay late to complete a report, or a team dinner, feeding your employees is a great gesture of goodwill and appreciation. I’ve learned over the years that it’s especially important to recognize those people who work evenings, nights, and weekends. One caveat here. Keep in mind that food is often cultural. Offering a free meal during Ramadan, for example, is disrespectful. Offering pork, when various religions do not allow it, is risky. There should always be options, which should include meatless or vegetarian, or other variety that ensures everyone you are feeding feels seen and appreciated.
- Feed them, part two! In addition to departmental lunches and the like, I try to invite groups to have lunch with me — people from all different departments and levels of the hospital, to discuss a specific topic of interest. That one-on-one time is invaluable. It also lets me connect with them on a deeper level. There’s no agenda. No PowerPoint. Just lunch and conversation about a subject they have demonstrated a certain passion about.
- Recognition awards. Just as with our GEM awards, expressing gratitude can be just that — expressing appreciation for a job well done.
- Celebrate milestones. Whether it’s a pin, a cake, or a bouquet or gift card, celebrating milestones is a terrific way to say “thank you for your loyalty and your dedication.” If it has been an extended period of time since you’ve celebrated, make something up and celebrate away!
- An annual volunteer day. Increasingly, companies are recognizing that work is
great — but employees want that meaning. Offering a paid day off to volunteer is
something that is a simple yet effective way to say “thanks.”
- Wellness offerings. Some companies will bring in a yoga teacher and offer classes during lunch hours. Many companies now offer benefits like gym memberships or alternative healthcare as part of their benefits package.
- Sporting events or other out-of-the-office treats. Who doesn’t love a baseball game? Tickets to events are another wonderful way to show your team that you appreciate them. Some companies plan all sorts of off-site events to celebrate the “wins.” We took over a hundred people to a minor league baseball game, and they were welcome to bring family members. It was a great way to connect.
Every company will be different — but what is not different is the value of this for morale.
According to Work.com, 69% of employees will feel and be more productive if they have recognition. A whopping 78% say recognition drives their motivation.
However, remember that sincere appreciation and expressions of gratitude, skills you will hone through supercharged communications, go a long way. I bet many people can recall a time when someone at work expressed gratitude — not a financial reward,
but sincere thanks — and how it made them feel.
4 . Be transparent with high frequency
This was an area I had to learn and take to heart as I gathered all my data.
As a leader, but specifically a leader in a rural area, I have known some of the people I work with for decades. We employ a significant percentage of the people of Dixon (we are the first- or second-largest employer). And if we don’t employ residents directly, then the companies where they work may support us. That can include car dealerships, restaurants, hotels, and pretty much any business that counts on the business of the hospital or its visitors and employees. We are vital to the economic health of our community.
In addition, as a smaller town/rural area, employees have families. So, if we employ someone, we also then impact their families and friends, further deepening our bonds with the community. Basically, and I mean this sincerely, if you live in Dixon, it is impossible not to know someone who either works at the hospital or has a family member who does.
While this might give you the warm fuzzies, what it meant for me personally was that I always had a paternal instinct of “Don’t tell people about troubles and don’t make them worry.”
That was just wrong.
When it’s appropriate, I have learned to pass along the bad news, to be transparent, whether that is a financial issue (and I do not know of a hospital that isn’t under pressure because of our dysfunctional reimbursement methods, the aftereffects of COVID, and so on) or something else. I don’t pass along information that is a “rumor” or that I do not yet know for sure. But our hospital impacts our employees’ lives, and they deserve to know what is going on.
I’ll finish my pandemic story here. I was communicating daily — every crumb of information. I had by now committed to transparency and was curbing my paternal instincts. However, as you may recall from the pandemic, information was changing, sometimes minute to minute.
This virus was behaving in both expecte and unexpected ways. The evening news was leading with death tolls and video clips of city hospitals overrun with patients and that were running out of beds, out of ventilators. In some large cities, they required refrigerator trucks for all of the bodies. It was horrifying. Mental health issues multiplied. Parents struggled with child care issues as schools were closed. As life has returned to near-new normal, it can be easy to dismiss it all as a bad dream (except for those millions whose lives and families’ lives were shattered by death and serious illness/long COVID). However, at the time, we were all desperate to know what to do and how to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Consequently, I was trying to pass along every scrap of information.
In addition, while I do not wish to get into politics, in our organization we follow the science. At the beginning of the pandemic, I stated to our board of directors and leadership team that, regardless of political views, KSB Hospital would be acting based on guidance from trusted resources and regulatory bodies. We had people upset by what I was passing along. As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Illinois Department of Public Health learned about the virus, analyzed the science, and provided updated guidance, for some people that changing guidance caused upset and a lack of trust. In crises, I totally understand that emotional reaction.
The fact that I was passing along information daily (even when nothing had changed) opened up everything I said to scrutiny. Ultimately, I opted to remain transparent but cut down on update after update. My mindset and approach was, “We’re going to follow the science.” However, I stopped updates when there was no changing news. I also waited until we had clear guidance before passing along information.
Now, transparency is not just a “crisis communication” strategy. Leading with transparency is essential in other areas and for a variety of reasons:
1. Your decisions do not just impact your organization. They impact real lives. Those real lives are attached to other people as well — families, friends, etc., of your employees. Life decisions are made based on information you share — and you owe it to your stakeholders to be clear. People move for jobs, they purchase homes based on their jobs, their partners make decisions based on their loved one’s position. That responsibility for transparency should not be taken lightly.
2. Transparency also applies to expectations. I am sure many people have had an experience, or knows a colleague or friend who has, of working for that “impossible boss” — the one who was never satisfied, but also never made clear what his or her expectations are. Clear expectations enable employees to thrive. When you know what is expected, you can create processes to achieve that.
3. Transparency — even about troubles — is healthier than the alternative. So much anxiety can revolve around layoffs, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate decisions that impact employees but that they have no control over. Lack of control, in any situation, exacerbates anxiety. It also makes the workplace ripe for gossip. Understandably, there are often negotiations or discussions happening in the boardroom that must be kept confidential. However, be transparent enough to say, “Yes, we’re in trouble and in the red, and we’re working to find solutions,” or “Yes, the company is for sale. As soon as we have information we can share, we will provide it.” Supercharged communications develops deeper trust, and offering a truthful, “I am not sure but I promise to tell you when I am sure,” will be taken at face value and appreciated.
4. You may have heard the saying (about passing along information): “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful?” This is often said regarding gossip or imparting criticism. However, I think it holds true in the corporate world, too. You might think of it this way: “Is it true — and shareable (i.e., not confidential)? Is it being presented in the most compassionate and transparent way possible? Is it helpful, useful — or necessary — to this team or individual?”
5 . Ensure team members feel informed and included
I learned a great deal from our former CEO, a larger-than-life man devoted to the hospital. He knew everyone, and was widely admired, with an outgoing personality. However, he was from the generation of CEOs and leadership who felt if there were six out of six votes from the executive team on something, his vote carried the weight of seven votes.
In fact, leadership styles have evolved. Once upon a time, leadership was usually autocratic. It was a hierarchy, fairly linear, and top-down. In the last 25 years, we’ve seen that change. Now, leadership is more people-oriented and collaborative. I may be the CEO, but I am part of a leadership team.
In addition, collaborative leadership tries to get us out of our silos. That’s why it can be so inspiring working in a hospital. Unlike selling socks, we have a medical purpose and higher cause that unites us (not that a sock company can’t be devoted to and love bringing their socks out into the world!).
We now expect leaders to be inclusive. Instead of barking orders or commands, we inform and use our soft skills, like supercharged communication, to pull people together into a cohesive team.
I will also add to this in our meeting-obsessed work cultures: I try to keep our people informed while also respecting their time. Meetings must be efficient. If you don’t do that, they likely won’t ask for a meeting again (and may try to avoid your meetings when you hold them). In essence, in the hospital, if a doctor meets with me during the day, they are volunteering their time. They’re getting paid based on the number of patients they see each day, with insurance and pressures to pack as much as possible into their day. If I ask them for a noon meeting, they’re meeting with me in lieu of eating lunch! I always want to be very aware of the idea that if we do not have content here, and we have a meeting on the calendar, cancel the meeting. You don’t have to be chained to it simply because it’s in your electronic calendar.
How do you integrate non-verbal cues into your communication? Can you provide an example of its importance?
Let’s answer this question with an exercise. Find a partner and sit facing each other. Person A must take two minutes to describe a challenge they are currently experiencing. Describe the situation in full detail. Talk about what is happening and how Person A thinks about the situation.
Person B is to listen without talking. Nothing. No words.
I’ve done this exercise across the country with hundreds of people. Person A describes that Person B made them feel heard, was interested, was concerned about their situation, and was “locked in.”
Why? Because Person B did not interrupt. They did not look at their phone. They made eye contact and occasionally nodded. Smiled or frowned. They non-verbally expressed love and concern for Person A.
Stop what you’re doing. Drag a friend to your desk. Set up the chairs and go.
How has digital communication changed the way you convey your messages? Are there any specific challenges or advantages you’ve encountered?
We’ll need to step up our game with digital communication, as the available technology allows us to create videos more easily and distribute material with less hassle. My research shows videos should be less than five minutes and distributed on a predictable basis. Choose weekly, every other week, or monthly, and then stick to the plan.
Public speaking is a common fear. What techniques or strategies do you recommend to manage and overcome stage fright?
Have a deep knowledge of your subject and the material you are presenting. I have spent years developing my leadership communication philosophy, and for most of you, the topic on which you are presenting falls in the category of subject matter expert. With professional slides and a solid understanding of your topic, you will knock that presentation out of the park.
I’m not a Swiftie, but I read that before walking out on the stage for every show, the last thing she says is, “No one here actively hates me.” Your audience wants to learn from you and will appreciate your expertise. Help them with your content and ability to deliver your message.
What additional resources do you recommend for individuals looking to improve communication skills?
Muscles strengthen when used, and the more activity the faster the growth. Actively and intentionally learn about the 15 communication hacks in my book, and then get out there and put those practices to work!
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Actively love. Tell people you appreciate them. Overcome the negativity so prevalent in our world by showing kindness always. A smile, a kind comment, maybe hold the door open for someone. All these things can help you to be the best part of someone’s day.
How can our readers further follow you online?
I invite you to hit my website at www.drdavidschreiner.com for links to podcasts, blogs and articles I have written. You can follow me on Linkedin ( Dr. David L. Schreiner, Ph. D., FACHE | LinkedIn) and Twitter (Dr. David L. Schreiner (@dlschreiner) / X (twitter.com)
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Athalia Monae is a product creator, published author, entrepreneur, advocate for Feed Our Starving Children, contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media, and founder of Pouches By Alahta.
Impactful Communication: Dr David Schreiner Of KSB Hospital On 5 Essential Techniques for Becoming… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.