Eric Stott is an extraordinary communicator and servant leader. Eric guided the first two days of my brother M’s recovery from septic shock in CCU. Mucositis prevented M from speaking, and his hand gestures and shakily scrawled words were difficult for me to interpret, but Eric patiently sought understanding from him and from me as he worked to comprehend the events that had brought M there. He was unusually perceptive of my brother’s personality, even though M was mute. He immediately established an open rapport with us and made us feel heard. Listening to understand is a rare skill, and it is one of the reasons Eric is extraordinarily effective.

Through his empathy, kindness and leadership, Eric was a stabilising force for us. These qualities, along with a determination to solve problems, were demonstrated as he worked nearly continuously to stabilise M. He communicated in a calm and confident yet gentle manner way that allowed M and me to understand what was happening. He shifted fluidly between communicating with M, me, specialists, colleagues and the nurse he was training. In our relatively short time together, I felt a deep connection to Eric and missed him on the third day when he was off. Eric is obviously a servant leader who holds his profession in the highest regard. I came away with a sense of Eric having integrity, which is one of the most valuable qualities a person can have. He had high expectations for the nurse he was training, communicating with respect for the proper way to do a procedure. He gracefully modelled how to manage a highly disruptive patient next door. This demonstrated calm leadership and excellent problem-solving under pressure, for the nurse he was training as well as for others. Eric gave me the strength to be calm and patient with M in the face of major uncertainty. I was excited to see Eric on M’s fourth day in CCU – like an old friend.