Been in any conversations lately with people who talk only about themselves? I have. It’s annoying, as in grit-teeth-roll-eyes-clench-fist-and-hold-back-from-jumping-across-the-table-(or through phone) for-full-throat-throttle annoying.

I believe I’m a good listener but, honestly, these folks stretch my tolerance. At every opportunity, they make sure you know everything they’ve done, how well they’ve done it, why other people love them and why you should, too.

If you don’t want to garrote them, then you simply want to tune them out.

Anyone seeing the similarity between those excruciating offenders and the state of healthcare communication? I do. If you’re in healthcare and you don’t, you may want to consider at least a weekend course in listening and interacting skills. Seriously. And, by the way, that’s the case whether you’re in marketing, public relations, strategic planning, a doctor, a nurse, a CIO, a COO or a CEO.

Lots of other industries are discovering that the old way of communicating at instead of with people just isn’t passing muster. Healthcare needs to get that one figured out, too. Today. Not ten years behind everyone else, as per usual.

People really are tired of listening to you talk about yourselves . . . just so you know.