#121 – Tactical Empathy: how to turn resistance into momentum

Anesthesia Guidebook

What’s up y’all! I’m back at it after a summer hiatus. I actually wrote/recorded this episode back in May 2025, but then summer hit with camping trips, work projects, grad school, home renovations… you know, life! I’m pumped to bring this episode to you finally and this will be followed pretty quickly by a three-part series on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which is going to be stellar!

Check out these continuing education conferences with Encore Symposiums if you want to connect in person, as I’ll be speaking at each of them:

2025 October 20-23: New England at the Cliff House, Maine

2026 October 19-22: Autumn in Bar Harbor, Maine

2026 November 14-18: O’ahu Turtle Bay, Hawaii (Ritz Carlton)

This episode dives into tactical empathy: how to turn resistance into momentum in your conversations.

This could be useful whether you’re negotiating with your 4-year old on taking a bath, rebooking a flight after yours got canceled or in the boardroom trying to implement a new project or proposal.

In this episode, we’ll walk through:

1. The role of loss aversion in negotiation
2. Techniques of tactical empathy: naming, mirroring
3. The power of “yes, and…” (a tool from improv comedy)
4. How to “start with no” in a negotiation by asking “how am I supposed to do that?” in a kind, vulnerable way.

Why listen to this episode? If you want to become a better communicator, get the best deal in a negotiation or learn how to have entertaining conversations from over the drapes in the OR to a cocktail party, this is for you. Tactical empathy is about leveraging what really matters to you and other people with clarity when communicating.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, comments or feedback. Remember, the work you do is extremely important and incredibly valuable. You are the provider your patients need. Keep up the hard work. Be well and enjoy the journey!

References

Batalden, P. a. C., E. (2015). Like Magic? (“Every system is perfectly designed…”). Institute for Healthcare Improvement. https://www.ihi.org/insights/magic-every-system-perfectly-designed?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Camp, J. (2002). Start with no: The negotiating tools that the pros don’t want you to know. Crown Currency.

Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard business press.

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Voss, C., & Raz, T. (2016). Never split the difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it. Random House.