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Self-Centered and Unbusinesslike
Suppose I go to my favorite pizza shop and this conversation takes place: Me: I would like a pepperoni pizza with black olives, onions, and extra cheese. Johnny the Pizza Guy: Sure! I’d be happy to help you with this pizza. But first let me tell you all about my pizza experiences – the reason I like to make pizzas. When I was little, we went to my grandmother’s house for dinner every Wednesday. My grandmother always made meatloaf. She made meatloaf with ground beef and always made gravy and mashed potatoes to go with it. It tasted good. It was filling. Then one Wednesday after eating dinner at Grandma’s (and realizing that it didn’t quite taste the same) my brother got really sick and started to throw up. Then the rest of us started to get sick, too. My mother was worried, so she took us to the ER, and sure enough – Grandma’s meatloaf, which had been tried and true and never changed… Well. She had made it with pork this time, the pork hadn’t cooked through, and we all got food poisoning. So now I make pizza. Me: Seriously? I come in here to order a pizza and I have to listen to that story? Forget it. I don’t want your pizza anymore. Now, of course, not only will I not get my pizza, but I have to figure out what to do next, and make all new arrangements for dinner! I know. You think I’ve really lost it now, but bear with me to see how this applies to you, as an independent advocate. Earlier this week I heard from a long time, very successful advocate, one whose instincts and processes I trust implicitly. I’ll call her Rose Marie (not her real name!). Her report to me: At a recent doctor’s visit with a top orthopedist, the surgeon said he is seeing a lot of advocates these days and he isn’t loving the experience. His words were “they make it more about them than the patients”. OMG. I cringed. I groaned. And I realized this is…