Whether you are assessing an employee’s skills or developing them, role playing should have a significant place in both your hiring and training protocols. Unfortunately, this excellent exercise in effective communication remains underutilized and undervalued, resulting in ineffective hiring, unsuitable staff that have neither the skills nor the desire to succeed and if that wasn’t enough…frequent turnover which takes a hit on disturbance of normal functioning, team attitudes, and oh yes…profitability,

Role playing different common scenarios helps reveal many of the soft skills (like communication & interpersonal skills, time management – working under pressure, composure, compassion, self-motivation, decision making, creativity, adaptability and work ethic) that otherwise go undetected with your typical interview. It also brings to light some of their problem solving and customer service qualities. Sure as shooting, your applicant will come prepared. He/she are familiar with the types of questions and has spent time practicing all the right answers. If they’ve been at this for a while, chances are their acting skills are perfected. Their intent is to fool you into thinking they are the best candidate for the job. Maybe they are; maybe not. Don’t be fooled.

Here is a typical example of a rehearsed, verbal response:

· Interviewer: “There are times when our schedule sometimes run late. How would you handle an irritated patient who was waiting longer than she expected?”

Applicant: “Well, I would explain to her that there was an emergency that caused us to run a little late. I’d give her the option of waiting a little longer or reschedule her to another time.”

Perfectly canned response. She practiced it and delivered it with scripted confidence. But, what if the patient expressed continued discontent (as they many times do)? Satisfied? If you end the questioning there, you’ve really just only seen what the interviewer wants you to see.

Here’s what role playing will do with the same question, but asking the applicant not to recite her response, rather to act it out in real time.

· Interviewer: “There are times when our schedule sometimes run late. I’m going to be that irritated patient who was waiting longer than she expected and I’d like you to be my new assistant. Show me how you’d handle this patient’s complaint.”

Acting as the irate patient, don’t go easy on her. Be overly-sensitive. Demanding. Critical of not only her, but the practice. Say things like, “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to wait more than 30 minutes. How many times does this have to happen before this practice learns to schedule properly?” Ouch.

As the applicant takes on her new role, you observe her body language. Are the words she uses and the tone of her voice satisfying to you? Does she look you in the eye? Sound genuine? Does she remain composed even though the patient (you) give her a hard time or does she crack under pressure? Does she get defensive? Make up some flimsy excuse or worse yet, promise it will never happen again? Are her words congruent with her actions? Is she apologetic and empathetic? Is she able to calm the patient by thinking quickly on her feet to offer a satisfying solution? Finally, how would you feel as a patient having interacted with her, face-to-face?

The same rules can be applied during subsequent in-house routine training sessions or at a staff meeting where everyone can participate. Present various scenarios – in the treatment room, on the phone, responding to clinical questions, etc. Then, don’t just ask how they would handle each situation, but let

them show you. Of course, role playing is only one piece of the hiring and training puzzle; a piece you really don’t want to be missing. It can help to capture your star employee. Don’t underestimate its payoff.

Ms. Homisak, President of SOS Healthcare & Management Solutions, has a Certificate in Human Resource Studies from Cornell University School of Industry and Labor Relations. She is the 2010 recipient of Podiatry Management’s Lifetime Achievement Award and recently inducted into the PM Hall of Fame. Lynn is also an Editorial Advisor for Podiatry Management Magazine and recognized nationwide as