How steering and deepening a feedback or debriefing conversation can often feel like opposing goals.

Healthcare educators sometimes feel that if they don’t ask open ended-questions they won’t connect with and understand the learners point of view.  But we also worry that we may not be able to manage the time or topic.  Some great examples of having it both ways are revealed by accomplished journalists and talk show host; they conversation on track yet give lots of space to hear other other person’s guiding principles or goals.  Scott Simon’s interview with author Scott Simon Jonathan Evison about his new novel, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance is such an example.  He uses “Advocacy plus Inquiry” pairing his observations and point of view with questions, as well as “previewing” sign post statements that keep the interviewer and listener oriented, to delve into author Evison’s inspiration, goals, and compassion for his characters.  Listen to the interview here:  http://www.npr.org/2015/09/05/437768179/harriet-chance-explores-late-life-reinvention

Jenny Rudolph, PhD is the Senior Director of the Center for Medical Simulation’s Instructor Training Programs – The Institute for Medical Simulation.