I recently had a conversation with a friend about our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. What struck me wasn’t what we had in common. It was how differently we experienced the same event.

As an introvert, I found aspects of the lockdown surprisingly comfortable. For the first time in years, my schedule was clear. There were no social commitments, no constant running from one obligation to another. I was able to work, think, and recharge in an environment that felt natural to me.

My friend, an extrovert, had the opposite experience. The isolation felt restrictive and draining. The absence of in person interaction left them feeling disconnected and confined. What felt liberating to me felt limiting to them.

Neither perspective was right or wrong. We simply experienced the same situation through different lenses. 

As I reflected on that conversation, I realized how often we encounter similar situations in healthcare IT.  

In healthcare IT, we often find ourselves working with people who approach the same situation very differently. Take something as simple as a meeting. One person may leave an hour long brainstorming session energized and excited by the collaboration. Another may leave feeling exhausted, wishing they had received the information in advance and been given time to think through solutions independently. Neither approach is better. They are simply different ways of processing information and contributing to a team.

The same principle applies across our work. A project manager may be focused on timelines and deliverables. A business analyst may be thinking about requirements and process improvements. A clinician may be focused on patient impact. A support analyst may be considering training and operational readiness. Each person is participating in the same project, but their experience is shaped by different priorities and concerns.

Everyone is looking at the same situation, yet each person experiences it differently.

In healthcare technology, we often speak about stakeholder engagement, change management, and user adoption. At their core, these concepts are really about empathy. They require us to recognize that people bring different experiences, priorities, and concerns to the table.

The lesson is not that every perspective must be accommodated perfectly. Rather, it is that successful organizations take the time to understand those perspectives before asking people to embrace change.

The pandemic taught us many things, but one of the most valuable lessons may be that shared experiences are rarely experienced in the same way. As healthcare IT professionals, remembering that lesson can help us become better partners, better communicators, and ultimately better leaders.

The next time you are facilitating a meeting, gathering requirements, solving a problem, or collaborating with a colleague, consider this question: Are you evaluating the situation from your perspective, or are you taking the time to understand how others may be experiencing it?

The answer may determine the difference between simply completing a task and building trust, engagement, and
lasting collaboration.