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Gratitude bias & consumer consultation 

23/8/2015

4 Comments

 
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Written by: Joel Levin

After running consultations with consumers and carers over the past few years, I have noticed a trend that needs to be taken into consideration when consulting with more disadvantaged groups. There could be a formal name for this already but for now let's call it Gratitude Bias.
The fact is that people who have been marginalised in life and who have struggled to access services in the past are often so very grateful for any assistance they receive that when asked to provide feedback about the services, they are reluctant to say how they really feel.

From seniors accessing Home and Community Care services to people living on the streets accessing medical services, the response to questions about ‘how could the service be improved’ can often be met with a polite smile or a fleeting mention of some minor concern. While only having a minor concern is a valid response, at times I have wondered if there are issues that have not been given a voice.

While there are other demographic and cultural factors to consider, the concept of Gratitude Bias appears to be one that cuts right across population groups.

The key to working with Gratitude Bias is TIME. The more you sit with people, the deeper the rapport and the more people are willing to open up and share how they really feel. In a time-poor world and with email, SMS, tweets etc pinging in and out, it can be tricky to remember that the pace of some people's world might be different to ours.

Sitting with a group of carers of people with a disability for that moment longer, being willing to linger on a topic without being intrusive, allowed people to  bring to light and discuss some experiences of residential care that were powerful and concerning to say the least. Had I stayed focused on getting through the agenda, all these deep issues and concerns would have remained unspoken. People just needed time to share at a pace that they felt comfortable with.

The issue of Gratitude Bias is particularly prevalent in elderly consumers and at times also carers, with a whole generational mindset that you get what you are given and that you should be ‘happy with your lot’.

As someone with a busy consulting practice, taking that extra time delivered an unexpected gift in the reminder that, even though I took some extra time, it still all gets done and I walked away ‘meeting’ another person, rather than having a transaction.

So the next time you sit with someone to hear his or her views, consider the time and space you allow for the deeper issues to emerge. Not only will it assist in avoiding Gratitude Bias but it will also remind you that the emails can wait, after all there is a person right in front of you.
4 Comments
Mel
23/12/2016 04:37:38 am

Thank you for sharing these thoughts - it is exactly what I have been asking for others to do. You are right, we all are more and more time poor and now just take everything on as face value, as we simply do not have time.
Complaints go unheard or action not taken as others simply do not have the time to give it any thought.
If the time were to be taken, things would be different!
Homelessness may be lessened, anger, arguments and protest may be dulled - maybe even crime and aggravated assaults or other offences, aged care wouldn't be such a hassle or mess for families or certain people, mental health care could improve...all kinds of things could be changed or more action could be taken to improve client care and service. Who knows, we could very well make a better world and workforce?
Thank you!

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Melissa Dumitru link
10/6/2019 08:18:23 pm

What an insightful experience! In our fast paced world it's a wonder we are still capable of stopping to give that extra moment to actually have an experience like you mentioned in your article. It is definitely something I have thought a lot more about myself, both as a consumer and as someone running an organisation who serves consumers. Thanks for a great article I really enjoyed reading it.

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Wahdan Arum Inawati link
25/7/2019 11:40:04 am

why there are other demographic and cultural factors to consider?

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Joel Levin
25/7/2019 11:50:07 am

I have found that there are cultural norms that may either increase, the impact of gratitude bais or help to mitigate it, eg: in some cultures, if they do not feel safe, they will agree with what you are saying, when in reality they don't agree. Then as discussed in the article, there are social factors of disadvantage, marginalisation, topics that carry high stigma etc that will also reduce a persons willingness to be open, for fear of losing access to the services that they have.

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