Subject: News from Dr. Kevin Fickenscher
From: "The Fickenscher Files" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2018 09:47:30 -0500 (EST)

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The Fickenscher Files [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx2GU1TqCr6qABlK86b3yep9b767B8IVoNOKOnELsTfgSQmoLQtxSDBLq-6EsMCxXif3ZY4F1xxdcPL67PVHgzNTAkQrWaz5LCl0Crs2Tm3oVgBLrfpkDUno3whlgkpVfA04cssPwOoto&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
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The Fickenscher Files, Vol. 6, Issue 15
Kevin M. Fickenscher [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx-EyEy7UAoSxE0C7py4xvMd2ZUilOw1p8kSKXAv__d8RKeyAkeEAdgYRW_sZKq9MnvuKfBnhiHNX-gyzZpImtDAZOKdWL3FlAcAvDqmsng5eVciS4jKL0k398FQayqgGfjwV-3NRQHuRDzp69vK926I-MXezKDu2TQ==&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==],
MD, CPE, FACPE, FAAFP
@MDKev
A compilation of information, thoughts, and perspectives on the issues of the day
related to healthcare, technology, and beyond - including the latest culinary explorations.
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Quote(s) Of The Week
"Honor to the Soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.
Honor also to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field, and serves, as
 he best can, the same cause -- honor to him, only less than to him, who braves,
 for the common good, the storms of heaven and the storms of battle."
President Abraham Lincoln, December 2, 1863 in a letter to George Opdyke (an entrepreneur,
anti-slavery advocate and 76th Mayor of New York City) and others
"As we mark the centennial of the Armistice, we remember the countless sacrifices
that our country's heroic veterans have made throughout our history to preserve 
our liberty and prosperity.  Our veterans embody the values and ideals of America
and the timeless virtue of serving a greater cause. "
President Donald Trump, November 9, 2018 - in a proclamation released by The White
House as the President travels to Europe to honor the fallen on Armistice Day
"Veterans Day often follows a hard-fought political campaign -- an exercise in the
free speech and self-government that you fought for.  It often lays bare disagreements
across our nation.  But the American instinct has never been to find isolation in
opposite corners.  It is to find strength in our common creed, to forge unity from
our great diversity, to sustain that strength and unity even when it is hard.  And
when the election is over, as we search for ways to come together -- to reconnect
with one another and with the principles that are more enduring than transitory 
politics -- some of our best examples are the men and women we salute on Veterans
Day."
President Barack Obama, on November 11, 2016 - in prescient remarks on the importance
of remembering who and why we are as a nation.
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The Importance of Listening...
Observations and thoughts about the world we live in...
I've been working on a new book which I hope to release sometime in early 2019 -
 although that timeline may slip a bit given the other pressing demands of life.
 It seems that the many projects, making sure that Toto - the wonder dog and constant
companion - goes for a walk every day when I'm at home as well as watching to make
sure that the tides continue to go up and down ten feet at least twice a day at 
our home in Kittery, Maine J, among the many other requirements of daily living.
 These diversions sometimes pull me away from the petitions of my editor to cut 
out the wordy segments, reduce the number of metaphors and synthesize my thoughts
more effectively so that readers will actually learn something about the lessons
 of leadership on persistence derived through focus, tenacity, failure, learning,
understanding and reflecting - but emanating from the power of listening.
The following thoughts are an adaptation from one of the chapters, "On Listening".
As we step away from the travails and torment of our current political dialogue 
and offer tribute to our veterans, it seemed like a good time to step back and consider
the need for listening to one another. In reading the above bipartisan quotes, I'm
particularly drawn to the notion that in honoring our veterans we are honoring the
principles upon which our nation has been sustained. It is through our diversity
 of cultural background, our diversity of ideas, our diversity of industry and our
diversity of perspective that we have been allowed  and encouraged to hold diverse
viewpoints across the whole of society. But, all of this diversity cannot - will
 not - be sustained if we don't listen. So, I offer the following thoughts on
Learning the Art of Listening.
The Persistent Leader must acquire one characteristic above all others and that 
is the art of listening. It is perhaps the most difficult but the most treasured
 of art forms for any leader. In fact, it is the one area where I continue to diligently
focus ongoing effort toward refining my skills in hopes of doing better over time.
I must say that the recent debates, discussions and dialogues have challenged me
 in this regard. Some of the discussions have been heated. Others have been abruptly
terminated because of the heat.  Some have even had the door closed on them before
the discussion began. And, still others have resulted in both sides simply shaking
their heads and wondering - what the hell is he or she thinking? The most productive;
however, have been those where both sides persevered and listened carefully to the
other to gain an understanding, to discover a core nugget of truth, to obtain an
 appreciation of the other's ideas. When we support such an approach in our dialogues,
debates and discussions and don't cut off our communications from one another - 
that's when we have learned the art of listening.
Now, please note that I am a student on the art of listening - not an expert.  I
 view listening as a continuing education skill.  I first learned the art of listening
from a college friend's father. Her name was Sally and her Dad was Butch. I met 
Sally through my best friend in college who eventually became her spouse. She grew
up on a farm not far from our university town so we would frequently "...go out 
to the farm" as a retreat from the rigors of university learning for a bit of reality
learning. When we arrived - often in a caravan of cars - we were always greeted 
by Butch (her Dad) and Ellen Ann (her Mom) with open arms. It's as if we had become
part of the extended family which in many respects we were.
When we arrived at the farm, we often sat around the kitchen table simply talking
about university life and the latest events that seemingly swirled around us. It
 was the early 1970's and there was always a swirling "event" of some sort - much
like today's world except that the swirl came with the evening news with Walter 
Cronkite or Huntley and Brinkley rather than the 24x7 news cycle and the assault
 of Twitter from every political and social dimension you can think of. The important
part of the conversations with Butch was that up until that time, he was the most
conservative person I had ever had the opportunity to meet, debate and discuss the
issues of the day. My Dad often debated me and he was quite conservative but Butch
made him look centrist. Butch was an ardent - but extremely thoughtful - advocate
for the conservative perspective in society.
Now imagine what a long-haired, university-based, student liberal who always wore
a peace symbol around his neck from the early 1970s might be like when he sat down
for coffee with Butch. Well, that was me! The formative years of my life at university
contained the rich experiences of the Vietnam War [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx3JW5RUgeB-od7FVaZJLbspPHOOoeeS874a-iTJcjgzk0t5foQRuCLOSKEgAzTOUR-Gdc1Nuult6Cug5VQ7ZFaNT0JWz_a_EpxSlYdkfKcO-BTAQv5axh5oW8DxF6wb4BZ6S6FIf2f4Z_jxcelahDIo=&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
in a far off land, Kent State shootings [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx3JW5RUgeB-owM0cP8dALqXpOmm10yGGwH7l7gGEp3foX3VSES15V7MaCPIyMFUQG9QGv7jPhfoOqqdVjGGcd5RVZUKyjlcwai1HIkx7EI-YaISWk47Z8tggbrbtelzx2bRRHgVRT6CbZ41pg-hj3ujuNrffvMKQVQ==&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
in Ohio, the Watergate scandals [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx3JW5RUgeB-o59YsjeB32PhFFV8_sDTakBOp2oIYMC9cDAydtToAcji9Ek6CfzHjBbrtQqsnusQwhO7pBOZwAzjydgANjA0Q1_O1HBtY44hCU9aYLleCJmjeXnOgLzlkU7YKccIN58932KIHH-rVqTk=&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
in DC, the Stonewall Riots [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx3JW5RUgeB-osZdGSI_mcYPHm9-CO6uyXtn4kyNU6P87vplyW0INgfFx_VjMGEyP74z_sUU569MrD24XVkAcvOcfzitMSQC8EASyIuJj0Ll-spIG85h8jvuxydv9QqDCl8qkyxBj2f0eC3dBR8rXjAI=&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
in New York City, and a host of other experiences that pushed me toward the more
 liberal perspective. If you don't know about these events, follow the hyperlinks.
You'll get a sense of the discord that exuded America in the late 60's and early
 70's. It was a period where a distraught society boiled over in anger - until we
finally sat down and listened, for a while, to one another. The time for listening
has returned...
But, back to my story. Despite my political leanings, I was quite taken by Butch.
He was not only the most conservative person I had ever interacted with, he was 
also one of the most learned. Here we were, out on the prairie in North Dakota sitting
around a kitchen table, debating the tenor of the times and Butch was quoting John
Locke, Edmund Burke, Alexander Hamilton and other conservative thought leaders. 
He was awesome! He never raised his voice. He always looked you in the eye. He often
would smile in an exchange where he disagreed and point out that he disagreed, very
politely.
What I learned from Butch, in addition to the ideology of conservativism, was the
beginning skills of listening. We would sip our coffee, I would pontificate about
some burning (often in a very real sense) issue of the day and Butch would listen.
He would then listen some more. Finally, he would offer his thoughts in a very reasoned
fashion and often with a fleck of humor. Through our dialogue I learned that I needed
to be prepared. I needed to think my position through. I needed to more fully understand
alternative viewpoints to make sure that my viewpoint could stand the test of time.
I learned to listen (NOTE: I'm still learning - just ask my wife J).
Butch was not only intelligent but he was able to lay out a perspective on an issue
we were debating by cementing his ideas together with perspectives that made sense.
His listening was disarming. His reasoning was clear and often data filled. The 
important lesson in the art of listening I learned was that it was important for
 those of us sitting around the table to be equally clear with similar precision
 as we articulated our rebuttal positions. With Butch you didn't simply flame out.
You did not pontificate - which is something we hear from both sides of the aisle
far too much these days.  You didn't yell or call people names. In order to respond
effectively as an artful listener, we learned that the same degree of clarity on
 thought, distillation of information and formation of perspective that Butch offered
must be constructed for our arguments if we were going to withstand the thoughtful
responses of Butch's positions and perspectives. By listening, he often gained the
upper hand in our discussions and for some, he even carried the day. I admired Butch.
He embodied what my good friend, Senator David Durenberger (R-MN) once offered to
me in a conversation at my home when he said, "We need to listen to the other side
to make a difference." I must say that I have diligently attempted to adopt Dave's
philosophy as my working mantra over the years as part of my foundation for learning
the art of listening.
To this day, I count Butch - and, Dave by the way - as a couple of the most influential
people in my life - along with Tommy Joe, which is whole other story. By virtue 
of demonstration, Butch revealed an important skill that is woefully undeveloped
 among too many leaders and missing from today's societal dialogue. Too many leaders
are not listening very well. Yet, to gain the respect and gratitude of those who
 sit around our proverbial kitchen tables, listening is one of the most important
skills that has been shunted aside among the diatribes we often hear in today's 
political debates. Listening is a skill that requires honing every day of your life
as a leader. It is a skill that you must always monitor to assure it is on full 
alert and omnipresent in your life so that it can be called upon at a moment's notice.
So, on this Veteran's Day 2018, I encourage all of us to ponder the most wonderful
gift we have been given by our forefathers  and the veterans who have served our
 nation - the ability to listen and figure out for ourselves what we believe and
 where we want our communities and nation to stand. Unlike so many societies both
present and past, we in the United States of America are so very gifted to have 
the right of freedom of expression. Let's not destroy it by not listening to one
 another. In fact, sometimes the best lessons in life come from sitting around the
kitchen table. I encourage all of us to take time on Veteran's Day to not only honor
our veterans but to reflect on what they have given us.
Finally, I would like to salute my Uncle Gary and one of my life long friends, Ralph
for their service to our country. Uncle Gary rose to the level of Master Sargent
 which is the very highest rank for an enlisted person who enters the military. 
He served in many locations throughout the world during the course of his career
 - including in Vietnam, a war I opposed. And, also to Ralph who enlisted midway
 through college after receiving a low lottery number in the draft during the Vietnam
War.  He did the practical thing and enlisted. Irony of ironies, Uncle Gary and 
Ralph ended up working directly together in Vietnam. It is, in fact, a very small
world. And, that is yet another story for another day...
Now, to close out - please note that I frequently disagree with Uncle Gary and Ralph
on any number of issues but, I always listen - just like I did with Butch. It is
 important to listen and to understand because it is only by understanding that 
we learn to use our knowledge for making a difference. Again, thank you to all of
the vets - of all perspectives, all   persuasions, and from all cultures - who have
served on the front lines of democracy so that we can have our debates, engage in
our discussions, and hold our dialogues. But, we need to remember that we will only
move forward by also engaging in the opportunity to listen as part of our assembly
as families, as communities, as a nation...
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The Weekly Whisk
Musings from a foodie...
I recommend that everyone go out and get a Cheeseburger, Veganburger or hotdog of
your choice this Veteran's Day from your personal favorite restaurant [* * * * *].
Do it with a friend who holds a different perspective than you on any number of 
issues.  Put the issues on the table. Then, I want you to listen intently to what
they say. "Practice makes perfect" as they say!
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The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
The ongoing saga...
The Great - We live in a nation where we can debate anything...
The Good - Some of us are predisposed to bringing back the art of listening and 
demanding it from our political leaders...
The Bad - The abyss which is evolving in our nation is troubling...
The Ugly - The intemperate, uncontrolled, intimidating and volatile exchanges we
 are seeing in the Twittersphere from all sides of the current debates are not helpful.
The statements in The Fickenscher Files [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aUkmKEVcQfpFERUJx2ZPKaWiBCYoQujhQy4fn8-ZgnnNRVxLmRRsx2GU1TqCr6qABlK86b3yep9b767B8IVoNOKOnELsTfgSQmoLQtxSDBLq-6EsMCxXif3ZY4F1xxdcPL67PVHgzNTAkQrWaz5LCl0Crs2Tm3oVgBLrfpkDUno3whlgkpVfA04cssPwOoto&c=WLGsvtwh_48vbgcm0JSsuqVmOD7EeehmMOFmK0qWkWLPBUoF9NrvHw==&ch=QzmS7V1C6nsWWIEDc9EHz5olvCYlwAMkVRjmDVsPEzQFmTbpOJYEVg==]
are the personal views of Kevin Fickenscher, MD and do not reflect the views or 
policies of any organization with which he is affiliated.
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