The Performance Doctor: Build Your Legacy

leg·a·cy -ˈleɡəsē

noun

1. an amount of money or property left to someone in a will.

2. the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.

1. Eye Contact - Always maintain eye contact when introducing yourself to others. Yes, it can be intimidating, and uncomfortable at best, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become and the more people will take you serious.
   
   Don’t go mean mugging people. Simply look them in their eyes for about 3 seconds when introducing yourself, and keep a gentle eye contact with them when you are speaking.

2. Relaxed Movements - It’s no secret that people get nervous when meeting new people or groups of people. After all, you never know what might be getting recorded and shared online for everyone to see. Staying relaxed and moving with confidence, just like maintaining eye contact, comes with practice.

   
   There’s a saying in a movie that goes like this: “Confidence comes after, NOT before doing the thing.” It’s absolutely true! (If you know the movie let me know, because I suck at movie quotes)

   
   When I first took on teaching at Logan University, five minutes before my first Zoom class I was shaking! Uncontrollably shaking! I wish I could say it took a couple of classes to shake it off, but it took me almost 3.5 years before I stopped having these nervous shakes before classes.
   
   What changed? I knew (know) the material better than anyone. So why was I nervous? I had imposter syndrome, after all, I didn’t go to school to be a teacher. It took me 3.5 years to overcome imposter syndrome, and it was all thanks to the amazing students who always had follow up questions after lectures. It really felt like I was making an impact in their knowledge and understanding of the material.
   

3. Controlled Reactions - We currently live in a very emotionally charged and politicized world. While I am not here to tell you how to feel, and who to vote for or not to vote for. One thing that I have learned over the last 20 years, is:
   
   People listen more to the person who has their emotions under control and presents information in a clear and concise manner.
   
   This is exactly what your patients want and NEED. Someone who understand them emotionally and physically, but most of all someone who is able to communicate with them in a clear and concise manner so they can understand what is going on, and what can and will be done about it.
   
   You owe it to your patients, who are putting their trust in you, to not be reactive.
   
   Take the time to think about your response, and how you are going to explain it to your patient. Too often we speak immediately after and even before they are done talking.
   
   If they bring up something that grinds your gears, or they tell you another practitioner told them it would take 50 visits to help with their problem… avoid over reacting.

4. Control Your Movements - This pairs well with the last couple of points. If you’ve been to any of my lectures, you know I am quite the animated speaker. I move my hands when I am lecturing and teaching.
   
   This works in any environment to accentuate points, guide attention and keep the engagement high.
   
   This is something I feel it was engrained in me from my upbringing as I’ve come to realize that many people have to learn this.
   
   Maybe someone can shed some light and let me know why most people keep their hands by their side or in front of them when speaking?
   
   One, I find it highly odd when people keep their hands by their side, or on the podium when they are talking.

   
   Hand gestures can be a highly effective strategy when communicating with people in general and not just when speaking to large groups of people.
   
   Let your hands lose, let them do some of the talking for you, but don’t go flinging them like helicopters either…

   
   Be deliberate with how you move your hands.
   
   Let them be a tool of yours that aids your communication.
   

5. Speak With Confidence - This one could be, and it might as well be, it’s own issue one of these days. For now, this is the important, meat and potatoes stuff.
   
   In the rehab space, and in health care in general the phrase “it depends” has been thrown around quite often.
   
   I don’t disagree that in many situations, specially in the field of pain, recovery and rehabilitation, injuries and healing will depend on various factors.
   
   However, it is my opinion, that it is OUR job as clinicians, current and future leaders, in this field that WE HAVE TO DO OUR BEST to avoid this phrase.
   
   Our patients don’t want a maybe answer. They want definitive answers.
   
   They don’t want to hear what it depends on. They want to hear what the plan is going to be to get to a specific point in the future.
   
   Yes, deep down you know that it will depend on 1000 things going right, and one thing going wrong, but you can’t control everything your patient is going to do or not do.
   
   The best way to convey confidence is to remove words like:
   
   - “a little” better
   - “some” improvement
   - “it depends” on
   - “try” to
   
   Instead use phrases like these:
   
   - Expect 20% improvement in 2-3 weeks
   - The x-rays show signs of mild degeneration as expected based on XYZ
   - Recovery will take time and effort on your part
   - Complete 10 repetitions every time you walk by the couch

   
   These type of phrases remove uncertainty and provide your patients with measurable expectations.
   
   Yes, you are being definitive in your answers. I’d like to say you are being assertive.
   
   We’ve all been trained and educated to understand how tissues heal, what are the expected outcomes of different modalities and how long it will take for a patient to heal dependent on the injury. This is were following a systematic assessment with orthopedic and neurological examinations provides you with the best current information to provide the most accurate current diagnosis to your patient.