Radiologists must communicate efficiently and effectively with patients, families, staff and colleagues in the medical center and within their department. While most of this communication is straightforward, there are many opportunities for disagreements and interpersonal strains to interfere. The result too often is inefficiency in problem solving, low willingness to adhere to "agreements" as well as damaged relationships and diminished collegiality and civility in the the workplace.

As a result there is a need to learn and apply strategies to work out differences among colleagues and with patients and families more effectively in order to solve problems, reach agreements and preserve and improve relationships. 
This program will describe and demonstrate a practical model for negotiating with anyone where there are interests in common but also interests that diverge. We will apply the model to simple and more thorny interactions with patient, colleagues and staff. 

While positional power can attempt to force a plan of action over the objections of "subordinates", this type of relationship is actually rare in the day to day interactions and issues of a large medical practice, to say nothing of the interactions of a family and the broader community. People's untutored approach to trying to resolve differences in order to reach mutually agreed upon next steps too frequently causes hurt feelings and deepens conflict while resulting in "agreements" that are more imaginary than real and therefore result in low or resentful adherence.