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The Graceful Exit
(Still In Control)

You're running behind, or the encounter is over, but the patient keeps talking or launches into a long-story-long ramble. Knowing how to kindly pivot or exit a conversation isn't about shutting someone down, it's the confidence to fully engage without fear of getting stuck. This upSKILL shares a simple two step framework that lets you transition, wrap up, or interject with warmth, every time.
   7:52 Watch Time [Week 58 from the Weekly upSKILL series]
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 Real Help 

Solve these 'people problems'

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For upSKILLers:

  • Feeling stuck in a conversation without knowing how to gently move it along or step away
  • Worrying that ending a conversation means being rude, cold, or dismissive
  • Losing track of time or falling behind because a conversation went longer than planned
  • Remembering that validating someone first earns you the room to redirect or wrap up naturally
  • Feeling confident engaging fully with anyone, knowing you can always find a kind way out
  • Bringing the same skill to teammates, friends, or family, not just conversations at work

For Leaders:

  • Team members avoiding real connection with patients out of fear they won't be able to exit the conversation
  • Team members running behind schedule because they didn't know how to kindly wrap up a conversation
  • Team members feeling like they have to choose between being warm and staying on time
  • Coaching team members on a simple two step way to pivot or close out any conversation
  • Helping team members stay on schedule without sacrificing the connection patients remember
  • Building a team that feels confident, not avoidant, with talkative or high touch patients
 Data 

It's science

People are significantly more willing to cooperate with and say yes to those they like.(1)
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That's why establishing warmth and connection first makes it so much easier to pivot, redirect, or wrap up a conversation without friction.
Validating someone's perspective before redirecting the conversation lowers defensiveness far more than jumping straight to a change of subject.(2)
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When people feel heard first, they're far more willing to follow wherever you take the conversation next.
Natural breathing pauses are one of the most reliable points where a speaker signals they're ready to hand off the conversational floor.(3)
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That means watching for a breath, not just a gap in words, gives you a real window to jump in without it feeling like an interruption.
 Note 

From The Experts

"When we know how to tactfully pivot the conversation and transition to another topic or exit, we're not afraid to fully engage. We have the confidence to truly hear someone and take control of the conversation when we need to."
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- Christine & Lauren, The Patient Whisperers
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 SERIES 

This is adapted from Weekly: Mastering Soft Skills

by The Patient Whisperers:
Soft skills that make work and life better.
For everyone who works with patients - or interacts with humans.

8 minutes each week

quick bites, by The Patient Whisperers.

Soft skills are people skills

Feel empowered (or empower your team) to
connect with anyone  
feel confident in any situation  
stay centered in difficult encounters  

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Ralph Chu, MD
CEO & Chief Medical Officer
Chu Vision Institute

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 WHO 

Meet the experts

The Patient Whisperers
Christine Scarlett
& Lauren Weaver
Former practice leaders leading change by bringing relational intelligence, soft skills + emotional connection into healthcare as authors, speakers, and upSKILL instructors. 
Get to know them here or connect on social media:
Christine Scarlett
Former CMO
& Director of Patient Experience
From counseling patients, to Director of Patient Experience, to CMO, Christine's worn nearly every 'hat' in a healthcare practice. The driving force? Her love for people... creating exceptional patient experiences and empowering those who serve them.
Lauren Weaver
Former
Director of Brand Development
Bringing her PR, branding, social media influencer status, and love of storytelling with her, Lauren turned how we market and build a brand for ourselves in healthcare upside down by redefining how we connect with our patients, both in practice and online.
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(1) Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Harper Business (the Liking principle). (2) Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change. Guilford Press. (3) Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. A., & Jefferson, G. (1974). "A Simplest Systematics for the Organization of Turn-Taking for Conversation." Language, 50(4), 696-735.