As compliance officers, challenging your assumptions is a critical skill for things like conducting investigations and audits. It also comes in handy when advising healthcare leaders as to whether or not their business decisions are compliant. Below are ten tips to help you in challenging your assumptions when working on any compliance-related matter:
Maintain Awareness. The first step towards challenging an assumption is recognizing when you have made one. Here, you want to start by identifying the thought processes that are leading you to make an assumption.
Question Your Assumptions/Examine the Evidence. When you do identify an assumption, ask yourself why you believe it? What evidence has led you to this assumption? Is it based on fact or opinion?
Seek Out Contradictory Evidence. When I was in law school, our professors made us advocate for both sides of a case in class. You can apply that thought process to assumptions, by actively searching for evidence that contradicts your assumption. The takeaway here is don’t get so blinded your own argument that you can’t see the other side.
Consider Different Perspectives. Piggybacking off of the last tip, try seeing the situation from various viewpoints. How might someone with a different background interpret the same information? If available, discuss the matter with others who may have an opposing viewpoint.
Practice Intentional Empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of others to understand their feelings, motivations, and perspectives about the situation. Doing so can help open up a perspective you might otherwise have not considered.
Evaluate Your Sources. Consider the credibility, (and biases), of the sources that have contributed to your assumption. Are they reliable? Are they objective?
Test Your Assumption. As you are gathering your information, try testing your assumption. There are a number of different ways that one can test an assumption—for example, you could discuss it a trusted colleague and see if that person has come to the same conclusion. Another would be to seek out additional information to validate your assumption.
Practice Open-Mindedness. Be willing to revise an assumption when new information becomes available or when you gain a deeper understanding of the situation.
Self-Reflect. Set aside time to consider whether your assumption has evolved or if new information has surfaced that is challenging it?
Learn from Your Mistakes. When an assumption has led to a mistake or misunderstanding, view it as an opportunity for learning and growth.
Assumptions and The Politics of Healthcare
Challenging an assumption is critical to navigating the politics of healthcare for a couple reasons. First, your own credibility as an independent and objective gatherer-of-facts will be strengthened. Your healthcare leaders will be able to see that your work product is unbiased and trustworthy, which helps develop rapport with them. Additionally, you will have developed a more comprehensive view of the matter, which can aid in developing potential solutions. As a result, your healthcare leaders will feel understood and that their point-of-view was considered. Over time, this will help you in developing a stronger business relationship with them.
Pulling it All Together
Challenging assumptions is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness and an open-minded approach. By practicing these tips, you can develop a more informed perspective on the various compliance-matters you are working on. Over time, this approach helps you achieve results that are compliant—and business friendly, allowing you to effectively navigate the politics of healthcare.
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