Don't Be Fooled by What Others Say...

Don’t Be Fooled by What Others Say…

A few days ago, as a conscientious citizen concerned about my health, I decided to have some preventive tests to determine my current health status. Initially, I chose a doctor funded by the NFZ (National Health Fund), as I wanted to maximize the value of the 250 PLN the state collects for my healthcare (I won’t delve into discussions on the efficiency of fund management in state institutions). Of course, I had done some research on which tests might make sense at my age, printed a list of potential tests, and presented it to my doctor.

The doctor, or rather the female doctor, was remarkably surprised by my intentions, as it is rare for her to encounter someone who comes in while they are still healthy. From the beginning, she tried to convince me that most of the tests were unnecessary. Cholesterol should only be checked after age 35, prostate after age 40, and so on. She noted that I seemed healthy and suggested I come back if something were to ail me. It was amusing to hear that I looked healthy and didn’t need any tests—exactly what I came for! Despite using many arguments to dissuade me, I insisted on having the tests, even suggesting it could be a precautionary measure. Ultimately, I was only given referrals for basic tests: blood, urine, and sugar. Further requests were futile. During our discussion, she referred to NFZ guidelines, which piqued my curiosity. I asked, “If I paid for my tests, what would you suggest, even if it was excessive?” Her response: “If you paid, you might consider an electrolyte test due to your running, and possibly others…” suggesting additional tests were available if I were to pay.

I observed a distinct mechanism: the lady doctor was persuading me that certain tests were unnecessary because, in truth, she had specific NFZ guidelines to adhere to, especially when issuing free referrals.

Several crucial mechanisms are highlighted in this story:

• Separate Intention from Content: The doctor’s intention was to adhere to NFZ guidelines. Don’t get distracted by the content (what others say), find the true intention.
• Intention is Stronger than Content: To fulfill her intention, the doctor offered various arguments, which were true but did not fulfill my intention (to have broad preventive tests).
• This Often Happens Unconsciously: One cannot blame the doctor as this happens automatically to all of us. She just didn’t express her intention directly.

Relevance to Software Development

Why am I writing about this on a software development blog? This type of mechanism appears in nearly every conversation you have, whether with clients or the business, when you’re probing how something should work or trying to truly understand what is needed. It can also occur when discussing with your boss or a team member. As technical individuals, we often focus on specific solutions (how it will look on the screen, the flow between screens, system reactions in particular situations). However, these details are worth discarding if, before working out specifics, you don’t ensure alignment between your intentions and those of your interlocutor. Strive to define intentions explicitly. If you’re unsure or unaware:

• Ask variations of the question: why is this important, why this way (like previously: why shouldn’t I have this test)?
• Try to guess the intention, state it out loud, and ask for confirmation or correction (e.g., “I understand that the NFZ won’t finance this. If I paid, which tests could I have? I assume some tests aren’t done because they lack NFZ justification, and I seek confirmation.”).

This is an outline of an important mechanism: separating intention and content. For more on conversations with business/clients, find insights in Michał’s excellent book on talking with clients.

(Text translated and moved from original old blog automatically by AI. May contain inaccuracies.)