The case against thinking
Most of us rarely think in a systematic or focused way.
There are many good reasons for this.
With so much to do, so many deadlines to meet and a limited amount of energy we often feel overwhelmed.
We cannot cope. There is not enough time for anything else other than getting on with it. So we rarely make time for purposeful thinking.
At school we are rewarded for being able to regurgitate facts and spit out stock answers. Just grab a revision guide and reproduce the model answer.
If you take yourself to a search engine and type in any question you will be presented with at least one answer.
Why think if an algorithm can do it for you?
The impetus to think has been taken away. So why bother?
“The best radiographers are accomplished thinkers.”
Diagnostic radiographers who engage in ever complex procedures are required to think on their feet and problem solve at rapid rates.
Constantly reassessing the needs of the patient, the patient’s capabilities, trouble shooting equipment, selecting the appropriate protocol, producing diagnostic images, thinking at least one patient ahead…..amongst a host of other things.
As a lead you might be juggling rosters, complaints from PALs, writing a business case and convincing your staff that they want to work extra hours to clear the backlog.
The best of us are accomplished thinkers. Being accomplished thinkers allows us to find creative and effective solutions to complex problems.
It allows us to be able to see those important factors which may have been missed. It also helps us to stay calm and focused when the list has descended into chaos.
Strategic thinking and effective execution
There are many different types of thinking. Strategic thinking is concerned with determining our overall aims.
It allows us to consider the pros and cons of an action. What are we trying to achieve and what plans do we have in place? Is there a plan B if A doesn’t work?
Then there is execution which is concerned with how to achieve those aims.
On the shop floor the diagnostic radiographer’s overall aim is to answer the clinical question to the highest level achievable given all the circumstances and factors.
The execution relates to the practical activities that the radiographer will undertake to achieve the overall aim.
This might include getting equipment, selecting a protocol, positioning, planning….
The vast majority of a diagnostic radiographer’s time is spent in the execution phase where practical application of theoretical knowledge and experience are executed.
“Radiographers often value execution over strategy… which can lead to a conveyor belt approach”
I believe the constant process of execution can contribute to a conveyor belt approach. One where we value execution over strategy because we spend most of our time “doing.”
Radiographers value action and the business of getting things done.
This approach is necessary to the diagnostic radiographer who often has immense time constraints and a never ending list of patients to get through.
Or the completion of e-roster to make sure everyone gets paid. And not to mention getting the appraisals done.
But I think we would benefit greatly from devoting more of our energies to strategic thinking.
This means devoting more time to thinking around problems. Is there a problem? What is the nature of the problem? How can we make things better?
“We run a mile when we see the Gibbs cycle“
That may be why we run a mile when we see the Gibbs cycle. Many of us think the process of reflection is “airy fairy” and of little use.
There is a list to get through and x amount of patients to see. Reflection wastes valuable time that could be spent doing instead of talking about my “feelings.”
However more time spent thinking strategically about what we have done or what we are about to do, can actually save lots of time on the shop floor or address staff needs.
For example, would it be beneficial train some of your experienced staff in coaching skills to support juniors acclimatisng to a new modality?
If we thought a bit more about our patient’s physical abilities we might have selected more appropriate sequences or protocols, or the right equipment when imaging them.
You might argue that this knowledge is acquired through experience, which is true.
However what happens when the diagnostic radiographer is faced with something that they have never encountered before?
That is when the strategic thinking is vital because we cannot entirely draw upon experience if the current experience does not closely resemble a previous experience.
The diagnostic radiographer has to find a different strategy and this is where we can often fall down.
The knee jerk response is to immediately access knowledge outside of ourselves (often in the form of a senior radiographer or manager).
“Problem solving and strategic thinking is empowering….it leads to discovery and new ways of doing things.”
By immediately looking outside ourselves we are not employing our own reasoning skills or doing our own independent research, which is far more empowering in the long term.
This might be due to feelings of panic, lack of confidence in our own knowledge, fear of getting it wrong and it is easier to ask first than to do our own investigation.
I am not suggesting that we don’t seek help when we need it, as unnecessary errors and harm can occur.
But problem solving and strategic thinking is empowering. It exercises our thinking muscles and leads to discovery and new ways of doing things.
The world of diagnostic imaging is constantly changing. While some of our radiographic roles may become automated there will be new challenges ahead.
And it has not gone unnoticed that there is much to be done to encourage and grow leadership potential amongst radiographers.
It is vital that we begin to think strategically about what the future may hold, from the shop floor to management level.
How can we prepare for the future and even shape it for the benefit of our patients and the continued valuable contribution of the profession?