Exceptional Dental Practice Management

What Kind of Leader Are You?

    You may have the title of office manager, practice administrator, boss, whatever, the title doesn't really matter.  The only thing that matters is the way you lead, the way you encourage and the way you think about the rest of the staff. 
    A lot of people find themselves looking for identity, validation or self-esteem in a title.  This is a mistake because without the right attitudes and characteristics in the person behind the title, it's just a bunch of letters strung together.  It doesn't matter who you say you are, who you show you are is what counts.
    I was talking to someone today who is looking for a job as a dental assistant and she kept saying that she had been a lead assistant.  She referred to the other assistants she had worked with as being "under" her, and herself as being "over" them.  Whether she knows it or not, they must have felt that.  I felt it just listening to her.  I've never thought of myself as over any member of our team, rather I think of us all working beside each other.
    When you think of yourself and your team, I think it's best to think of yourselves as partners in care.  It's a respect thing.  You have to respect the efforts and abilities of everyone on the team in order to be the best you can be.  The best leaders encourage others to accept responsibility and give them opportunities to grow and lead as well.  Building a team that can function whether you are there or not does not make you less needed.  It makes you a successful leader.  Helping others grow in ability, confidence and self-esteem earns you influence with them.  That allows you to keep positive momentum growing in your practice and that ensures that the practice will thrive and your patients will receive the benefit of that.
    This is something that I constantly have to remember to work on.  It's easy to fall into unproductive thought patterns.  It happens.  We all feel insecure or threatened sometimes.  The key is having the ability to recognize it and the desire to avoid or correct that thinking. 
    So, if someone asked you what kind of leader you are, what would you say?

Still Thinking About Service

   

I can't get the subject of service out of my mind.  Chris Creamer from the Mastery Program remarked that he  had read my article about 131 Main, the restaurant whose service I've been so impressed with and said that he'd just read a book titled Setting The Table by Danny Myer, a NYC restaurant owner.  If restaurant managers realize how important service is, shouldn't we?  Let's face it, the one thing we have in common is the fact that we all offer something that is useless unless someone else wants it.  Lot's of other people offer basically the same service.  The two factors that make some decide to come to you and stay loyal to you are quality and service.  Thankfully, both are completely within our control.
    It's not as easy as it sounds, though.  You can't wave a magic wand over your staff and make them great technically and give them a desire to provide outstanding service.  You, and they, have to work at it consistently.  People tend to like to get to a certain point and say, "Enough, this is as good as I get."  People get tired, I know that.  It's ok to rest and look back over how far you've come and even enjoy a plateau now and then.  That rest should be short though, you should always be looking ahead to see where you want to go next and checking that you haven't lost any of the ground you've gained.
    Yesterday I went to buy some tomatoes at a local farmer's market.  The place is always busy and the stand I wanted to buy tomatoes from was being manned by a nice gentleman and his 8 year old granddaughter.  When I walked up she jumped up and said, "We're getting busy!" and asked me what she could get for me.  I asked her to pick out 2 lbs. of nice tomatoes and she very seriously picked out the best tomatoes and weighed them.  She took the task seriously and thanked me very sincerely.  You could see that she wanted to do a great job and was proud of helping me.  When do we lose that enthusiasm and desire to serve?  When does service change from something we're excited to be trusted with, to something that we avoid or resent?  Trust is the thing that made what she was doing so important to that little girl.  Her grandfather had decided she was trustworthy enough to handle the responsibility and she knew that and valued it. 
    Do we realize that our dentists are trusting us with an important responsibility?  As a manager, I am sometimes awed by the amount of trust Dr. Morgan places in me.  He trusts me with his livelihood and that of the staff.  He and I trust the staff to deliver not only excellent care, but also fantastic service to our patients.  The key is keeping that enthusiasm alive.  It's instilling pride in performance.  It means we have to constantly and consistently notice and acknowledge our staff's efforts and achievements.  Don't take anything for granted on either end.  Uphold standards, do not accept less than required and be very verbal about acknowledging great performance.  It's also fun and appreciated to surprise the staff with special treats now and then, too.  Soon enough, that desire to serve well will return and the childhood thrill of living up to the trust that is placed will return.  Don't we all experience that inner "Yes!" when we know we've done well?  Imagine what having your staff experience the "Yes!" on a daily basis will do for the culture of your practice. 
    Maybe the title of this post should really be, Always Thinking About Service, because that's how it is for me.  How about you?

How They Do It All Right

   

If you remember, about 2 weeks ago I wrote about a great new restaurant nearby called 131 Main.  I was completely impressed with their customer service.  I was so impressed, in fact, that I called the General Manager, John Perkinson to ask him how they did it.  John was very generous with his time and information.  Ninety minutes passed before I knew it and I was impressed with John's enthusiasm for leading his team.  No wonder they're so great, it starts at the top.
    He started talking about the interview process, which is where I think a lot of us in dentistry make our first mistakes.  The problem is, if you make mistakes here, it's very unlikely to have a successful outcome.  Prospective employees go through 3 interviews.  By the time they get to John, they've been narrowed down to some very good candidates. When an applicant makes it through to him who shouldn't have, he goes back to the previous interviewers and asks why they passed them through.  Often, the interviewers liked the candidate as a person and didn't want to hurt their feelings.  How many times have you hired someone because they were nice and ignored the little voice in your head that was saying, "Yeah, but..."? 
    Once an employee is hired they go through 5 scripted days, always with an experienced staff member.  Each day is planned so that the trainee is exposed to the standards of the restaurant and understands what is expected.  In our offices, it's sometimes hard to do that because we often are running thin on employees as it is, but is it fair to expect someone to just pick things up as they go?  John or another manager talks to the trainee every day and gives them immediate feedback.  Don't wait for the 90 day probation period to end before giving feedback, give it daily to help ensure success.
    John suggested giving an applicant situational problems that they will encounter and that other have struggled with, and seeing how they'd handle them.  He feels that the culture that you have built in your practice will help lead you to the questions to ask a new applicant.  Don't be embarrassed or think something sounds silly.  If something is important to the culture of the practice it is imperative to ask questions that help you determine whether the applicant will fit into that culture. 
    "Be tough on standards, not on people."  I told John I was going to quote him on that because it's such an important point.  People don't come to work hoping to do poorly, so don't beat them up when they make mistakes.  Instead, focus on correcting mistakes or behaviors and reinforce that as needed.  As John says, "If they can't take constructive criticism, they don't need to be here."  I know I've often felt hesitant to give feedback for fear of an employee walking out.  I worry about turmoil in the practice and patient perception.  Patients often don't realize there's more that goes on behind the scenes and that the person who is so nice, may be struggling to perform even simple tasks correctly.  Often, a person who does not have the ability to handle feedback would rather just leave.  John talks about the fact that the new employee will often push back when criticized, but says that being consistent will often get good results. 
    He says that everyone on the team challenges each other and that if someone just doesn't perform, they will often leave because the staff will pressure them to improve.  That is so important in our practices.  I always remind our staff that the practice culture requires their participation if it is to remain intact.  If they see a new employee struggling or doing something incorrectly, they should help her and show her how to do it right.  I also expect them to spend time teaching the employee about what they do and how they can help and enhance each other's care of our patients. 
    Finally, reward good performance.  Be on the lookout for it to increase dedication and loyalty to the practice.  It doesn't take much.  Just knowing that someone noticed extra effort will help ensure that it's repeated.  I'm planning to make up some WOW cards to hand out to staff whenever I catch them doing something good or when someone comments on something outstanding that they've done.  When they have five cards they can turn them in for a reward.  I've already got some nice soaps and Marble Slab gift certificates ready and waiting. 
    Talking to John made me realize that it takes effort and preparation on the part of management to help our employees excel.  That's what we are here for.  Serve by leading well so that you can increase service to patients and make your practice a practice of excellence.

Florida National Dental Congress Follow Up

    I'm back from the Florida National Dental Congress and I'm happy to say I think I did just fine.  I had a wonderful time and was lucky to have very good, involved audiences.  Everyone there was so nice and encouraging that it made me feel at ease. 
    I have never had an easy time speaking in front of a group and it's been something I always wanted to face and conquer.  Having good kind people who wanted to see me succeed sure helped.  Thanks to my husband and children, my boss, co-workers and friends and to other speakers and organizers including Tina Calloway and Loyce Jones.  I was set up for success and all I had to do was be prepared and ready.
    We should all help each other face our fears and conquer them.  Helping another person achieve a goal is a caring and generous thing to do.  There are two books that I'd suggest if you find yourself anxious at the thought of getting up and speaking in front of a group.    First, there is great info in Speaking To Win by Brian Tracy.  The other book is Positive Imaging by Norman Vincent Peale. 
    Basically, having support from others and supporting myself by preparing and practicing seemed to be the key for me.  If there's something that challenges you, don't give up.  It took me a lot of tries to overcome this challenge, and you can overcome whatever is difficult for you, too. 

Florida National Dental Congress

    I'm on my way to the Florida National Dental Congress in Orlando.  I'm actually going to be a presenter this time.  Let me tell you something.  I'm the last person who would have ever thought they'd get up in front of an audience and speak for 2 hours.  I used to shake at the thought of talking in front of my class at school.  So, why would I do this to myself, not to mention my audience?
    I want to conquer my fears and not let fear control what I do.  I have found that I have the power to do that by changing and controlling the way I think about any given situation.  You can do it, too.  If there's anything that you'd like to do, think about me. 
    If you're going to be at the conference, stop by and say Hi.  Either way, think good thoughts for me and I'll report back when I'm done. 

Doing It All Right

    Who would have thought I'd find the best example of great service for a dental office in a restaurant?  My husband and I went to 131 Main, a new restaurant in Biltmore Park in Asheville last night night.  I was blown away by the great service and wonderful food.  I sat there amazed at the fantastic service given to us by multiple employees in the restaurant.  Our main server explained that everyone works as a team and that the person closest to any server will always take care of whatever need presents itself at any given moment.  Not only that, I noticed that if a server was holding a plate that a diner had finished with while they were explaining something to the diner, any passing server would notice and take the empty dish as they walked by.
    I was thrilled to hear another server explaining that he had come up from the Charlotte restaurant to help train the new servers in the recently opened 131 Main.  He explained that they had a culture in their restaurants and he wanted to help the new servers understand and develop that culture in this new restaurant.  Wow!  I found myself wanting to beg them to give me just one of their employees for our office.  We have a great staff, but could use one more to help fill out the group.  I just find it hard to find people who are willing to accept constructive criticizm or who can last through the frustration that sometimes comes with learning and adapting to a new job. 
    I asked to speak to the manager because I want to know how they do it.  He explained that they have a very definite and intensive training regimine that each new employee must go through.  It works.  Every single person working in that restaurant was watching, ready to fill any need before it was even recognized as such by the customer. 
    The service set you up to want to love the food.  We weren't disappointed.  Everything was fresh, delicious and perfectly prepared and presented.  Everything was a delight, right down to the cup of tea I finished off my meal with. 
    Attention was paid to every single detail.  Even the soap in the rest room smelled wonderful and the place was immaculate.  I felt like the intention of everyone in the restaurant was to make it an exceptional experience that would keep us coming back again and again.  That is how regular customers are born.
    This is what we need to do in our practices.  We need to make every visit an experience.  We need to leave our patients feeling that we strive to meet their every need.  We need to figure out how to develop our teams the way 131 Main does. 
    I have the managers card and I'm hoping to interview him in the near future and find out how he does it.  If he gives me any insight, I'll post his tips here so keep watching.  In the meantime, call 828-651-0131 and make a reservation.  It's my new favorite restaurant.  Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be telling you all this.  It'll probably make it harder to get a table.  Imagine having that problem in your practice.  Now, that's a problem everyone would like to have.

Can You Leave a Lighter Footprint?

   

"Mom, that's not very sustainable."  My son said that about something I was doing the other day.  I've heard that word a lot lately.  Is it just a new catchword or should we be paying more attention to what we're doing? 

    "That's not very green."  My boss has been saying that about the way things are packaged both entering and leaving our office lately.  Green and sustainable go together and I think it's worth examining in our practices.

    I wondered exactly what being sustainable meant, so I googled it.  I'm so much smarter since I started googling things.  According to Wikipedia, sustainability refers to a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of the earth's natural resources.  It can be improved by altering modes of transportation, energy consumption and diet.  It means conducting our lives with respect for the Earth's natural resources and cycles.  That's not so off the wall, is it?  It might even make things more interesting and even attractive.  Take it a step further, it might even make us more attractive. 
    The concept of sustainable living is not new to this generation.  As far back as 1854, Henry David Thoreau addressed the issue in his book Walden.  It doesn't mean you have to stop bathing and toss your car keys into the river.  Sustainable living requires you to think about what you do and how you do it.
    There are many ways to to live greener in our dental practices.  Reuse whatever you can.  We are quick to toss away plastic bags that products are sent in, but try to find ways to get the most out of that bag before sending it to the landfill.  Packaging is absurd in some cases.  I am astonished to open a fairly large box from a supplier, dig through yards of bubble wrap, only to find an object the size of a pen underneath it all.  Write to or call your supplier and ask them to rethink their packing.  Write to manufacturers and tell them you think they can use less plastic and packaging for their products.  Tell them that you will take wasteful packaging into consideration when ordering materials. Patterson, Henry Schien, Smilemakers, Practice Works, etc., take notice, we'll be asking you to reduce and rethink your packaging. Manufacturer's we'll be paying attention to what you offer, as well.One problem is, we like convenience.  I refuse to buy individually wrapped pre-loaded topical swabs because it's ridiculous to use that much packaging when you can just stick the swab in the topical in the same amount of time or less, than it would take you to unwrap the other.  I'm re-thinking our use of individually packaged retraction cord.  All those little packets end up in the landfill.  Multiply it times all the offices that use them and it's a heap of plastic.  But it's so convenient and that's what keeps us ordering it.
    Our lab work used to go out inside a plastic bag that was then placed inside a plastic coated paper bag.  My boss asked the delivery person if it was returned inside the same paper bag and she said that it wasn't.  That bag was thrown away and another was used to send it back.  So now we staple the lab slip to the plastic bag and send it like that.  Since we send at least two cases a day, it feels like it will have an impact in some small way. 
    If we can all find a way to make a lighter footprint, those small impacts will add up to more sustainability.  When you think about the waste we produce in dental offices, don't we have a responsibility to lighten it where we can?  Take notice of the amount of trash you take out to the dumpster every day.  It adds up to a lot over the course of a year.
     Challenge your staff to find ways to be more sustainable.  See if they can't find greener ways to get to work, carry their lunch, or use the office resources.  Maybe someone will offer to set up recycling for all the magazines you would usually toss in the trash.  Two or more might decide to carpool, or better yet, ride their bikes to work.  Another might set up a lunch co-op where everyone takes a turn preparing a healthy, unprocessed lunch for all to share.  It might surprise you to see what they come up with.  Make it fun by voting on the green employee of the month and give that person a gift certificate to Whole Foods or some other green reward. 
    Change doesn't have to be painful.  Living with awareness doesn't mean you have to change who you are.  It isn't weird or nerdy.  It's smart, it's interesting and it's the right thing to do.  Read my first sentence.  The next generation is watching.  Don't you want to make them proud?

What's Wrong With You?

"I define comfort as self-acceptance.  When we finally learn that self-care begins and ends with ourselves, we no longer demand sustenance and happiness from others."       ~Jennifer Loudin~

   

So, what's wrong with you, anyway?  Come on, you know you have a list and you're wondering if anyone else notices it, too.  We all have our lists.  It's what you do about it that matters.
    If you manage other people, you get to study human nature in a different way.  People want us to mirror back what we see in them.  My theory is that they want to compare it to what they think they are and see if it's better or worse than they thought it was.
    There's also a "fix me" element to it all.  If you are the manager, and you observe a weakness, well then, it's your job to figure out how to make it better, isn't it?  Wrong.  We can only fix ourselves.  No matter who you are, whether you're the dentist, the hygienist, the assistant, or the person who cleans the office once the rest have gone home, you are your own responsibility.
    That's not to say that we can't help each other along.  As a manager I try to recognize staff member's strengths and weaknesses.  I try to use their strengths in ways that will help the practice and give them satisfaction and confidence.  But, what about the weaknesses?  I notice that people tend to focus on their weaknesses when they don't plan to do anything to change it.  They will keep bringing it up, and I suspect that they do that hoping that I will acknowledge the weakness and tell them it doesn't matter. 
    Well, if it gets in the way of good performance, then it does matter, but whose responsibility is it to work on or around it?  I can only own that weakness in the fact that I must point out how it affects their performance, and make suggestions for dealing with it.  But, I'm not capable of putting a fix into action for them.  They must accept this weakness as a part of who they are, and find a way to work with it. 
    My weakness is impatience.  I'm so impatient for the next day to get here that I sometimes have trouble getting to sleep.  I finally had to realize that if I could just relax and sleep, the next day would seem to get here faster.  I want employees to learn quickly, I want cement to dry faster, I want crown preps to take 15 minutes.  I could drive myself nuts if I tried a little harder.  Waiting for someone to spit out a detailed answer to a question that only required a yes or no could inspire homicidal tendencies.  When I fought my impatience or berated myself for being that way, it made it worse.  It took every ounce of self-restraint not to lurch across my desk and grab someone by the shirt and hiss, "Spit it out already!  Yes OR no!"
That wouldn't have been very nice, would it?  Especially if the offender had been my boss.  I finally accepted that there would always be a little buzz inside of me when having to wait for events or people to move at a fraction of the speed I wished they would.  I try to focus on their expressions and on the words as they arrive.  I resist the impulse to have a little side conversation inside my own head that goes something like this: "Oh, please, just say it.  Who cares about yadda, yadda, yadda.  I have stuff to do.  Please, please, please, just say it."  Good thing I got that under control, because as you might imagine, when I was having that internal dialogue I wasn't hearing much of what was actually being said and that would lead to another problem.  I'd have to ask them to repeat it.  Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
    I think that employees like to talk about what is wrong with them with their manager for two reasons.  One, they are trying to see if you accept them, warts and all.  Two, they want to hand the problem over to you to fix.  Your responsibility is to let them know what is required of them and how their weakness affects that, and to give them suggestions and offer support.  But, they have to put in the effort to fix, or find a way to work around their weakness.  They have to acknowledge, own and accept it before they can affect it.  So, don't be afraid of looking at whatever is wrong with you.  It's the first step in making yourself better, stronger and happier.

Waiting For Perfect

   

Do you have an ideal in your mind of what you want your team and your practice to be?  That's fine, it's great to have goals to work toward and a vision to aspire to.  But, are you waiting for things to be perfect before you can be happy and content?  I hope not.
    Most of the time, people and situations will fall short of our idea of what would be perfect.  We disappoint and we get disappointed.  I remember going to Florida on vacation with my parents when I was 14.  I had a vision of sandy, two lane roads lined with palm trees and a view of the beach out of every window.  I think I really expected the I-95 scenery to transform into exactly that as we crossed the line from Georgia into Florida.  Hey, what's a kid from New Jersey supposed to think?  Well, it wasn't like that at all.  It was a continuation of the same highway we'd driven for the past two days.  Disappointed?  You bet.  But, somewhere along the way I accepted Florida for what it was, which was actually pretty good, and really enjoyed the vacation. 
    Why do we sometimes have a hard time doing that with the people in our lives. Now, if you are in a really dysfunctional situation, of course you should actively be working to fix it.  I'm talking about practices that are staffed with people who really have good intentions and a desire to do well. I work with a wonderful group of people, but I have to admit, there are days when I focus more on what I wish they'd be and do, rather than appreciate what they are and what they give.  A sure recipe for frustration and a bad disposition.  Luckily, after a disgruntled few hours, I always see the goodness that was always there.  I work with imperfect people who are perfectly kind, generous and sincere.  Just like me.
    I think the thing that grounds me and me back to reality is considering the many ways that I likely disappoint others.  How would I want them to respond to me?  Uh huh, lends a little clarity to the big picture, doesn't it?
    The point is this:  it's great to keep moving forward and getting better and encouraging others to grow as well.  At some point, however, we have to learn to be content with what is. If we can not rest in our reality, pleased with what we have and satisfied with who we're with, we will not only be endlessly waiting for perfect, we will forever be waiting for contentment and happiness.  And time is slipping by.

The Most Important Job, Oh Really?

   

I didn't forget about this topic, I just haven't been feeling well, so please excuse my absence.  So, did all of you assistants and hygienists think, "Hmmph, how can she think the front desk assistant has the most important job?  At least she gets to sit in one place and answer phones all day.  It's almost a glamour position."  Well, we won't go there because we can all acknowledge that there's a lot more to it than that.  But, you're right, what about the clinical team?
    Think about it.  The assistants and hygienists have to put on a happy face all day no matter how they are actually feeling.  I will tell you this, the hygienists in our practice are a case study in grace.  They each have personal challenges that they have been dealing with for an extended period.  Both come to work everyday and behave in a professional manner.  Not only that, they are both warm and caring to their patients and considerate and helpful to other staff.  They leave their troubles at the door and focus on what they are doing.  Absolutely inspirational.  To me, that makes them irreplaceable.  Oh sure, if one of them left I could find someone else to take the position.  But, I'd be hard pressed to find someone to be who they are to our practice and our patients.  So, doesn't that mean that they have the most important job?  Nope.
    Now, since I'm the only assistant in our practice right now, I won't use myself as the example of the da.  Any hard working da can make the case for being extremely valuable and maybe even most important.  They work side by side with the dentist all day.  They learn his way of working and his preferences, and a good one can read his mind in the operatory.  They figure out ways to make the impossible schedule, possible.  She works hard and just keeps going until every patient is seen.  She can explain treatment, calm fears and present treatment plans.  She works with the other staff to see that everyone is getting what they need.  She's the smiling face and has the encouraging word to help the dentist keep going through the crazy days when it seems that every patient in the practice has a broken, abcessed central incisor that must be taken care of immediately because their daughter is getting married in the morning.  She is sanity and he needs her there to keep him from going crazy.  But, she's not the most important one either.  Hmmm. 

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Philips Sonicare Unveil New Healthy Smiles Program

Here is some info that was emailed to me from Phillips Sonicare.  They are also introducing a kid's Sonicare that will retail for $69.99.  I don't usually promote too many products, but I've used Sonicare for years and love it.  Also, I'm happy to see a program aimed at helping parents improve kid's oral health.                                                                                                       

 

American

Academy

of Pediatric Dentistry and Philips Sonicare Unveil New Healthy Smiles Program at the AAPD 62^nd Annual Session

 

Featuring

U.S.

Olympic Figure Skater Kristi Yamaguchi, Healthy Smiles: A Family Guide Aims to Help Children Achieve a Lifetime of Good Oral Health

 

About Healthy Smiles

The program was created to help educate and empower parents to take a more active role in their children’s oral health from an early age. It includes an educational DVD and guidebook, which is available to dental professionals as an engaging tool to help educate parents and provide them with important oral care tips.

 

The guidebook and a 5-minute highlight video are also available for download on the Philips Sonicare website at www.sonicare.com/dp. 

 

The AAPD and Philips Sonicare hope dental professionals will share this valuable information with their patients as part of their ongoing commitment to helping parents and children alike achieve lifelong healthy oral care habits.

 

Healthy Smiles Guide

• Outlines AAPD recommended dental care information for children of all ages, healthy eating habits and includes important questions for parents to ask their dental care provider
• Provides parents with toothbrush guidelines so they can choose the right brush for their growing child

Healthy Smiles Video

• 30 minute DVD features

  U.S.

  Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, who has two young daughters and knows first-hand the importance of teaching children good brushing habits
• Spotlights real-life parents and their children learning effective oral care routines
• Provides valuable advice from leaders in the dental industry including Dr. Beverly A. Largent, President of AAPD and Linda Blackiston, RDH, manager of Global Professional Education at Philips Sonicare

 

Additional Information

• Philips Sonicare is distributing free copies of the DVD and guidebook at its booth #424 during the AAPD 62^nd Annual Session
• The video will air on various national television channels throughout the year

 

To find out how to order copies of the Healthy Smiles video and guidebook after the AAPD meeting, please visit www.sonicare.com/dp.

 

For more information:

Blake Sweat, blake.sweat@mslworldwide.com, 212-468-4097

Treat Me Like Dirt

   

And I'll tell everyone who will listen.  And then they'll tell everyone who will listen.  And it quickly goes viral.  Here's what made me write this:
    A few weeks ago a co-worker and I ate lunch at a place that has a buffet.  We like their food in general and like the idea that it's a buffet, so supposedly no waiting will be involved.  We hate the fact that they never seem to have much ready on the buffet. As we were being seated, I mentioned to her that it would be good if they had more ready.  I also asked the server to prepare a to-go order for my boss.  A few minutes later she came to our table and berated me for the comment I had made to my friend and said that they only take 20 minutes to prepare more food.  I told her that defeats the purpose of a buffet.  We only had 40 minutes, that's why we came to a place with a buffet.  She made another snippy comment and flounced away without taking our drink order.  We had to call it to her as she stormed by again.  Near the end of our lunch she came by and tossed my boss's lunch on the table and said that we probably wouldn't be able to get it again as it's not on the menu.  If she had said that when I asked for it, I'd have ordered something else.  All in all, horrendous service.  I asked if the manager/owner was in and she said she'd be in at 3 and I could call her then.  She obviously wasn't at all concerned with our dissatisfaction.
    When I called back, the owner said the server had told her what happened and defended her as her best employee.  I hadn't even told her my concern yet.  I told her that we used to like going there for lunch, but if that was going to continue to be what we could expect, we'd go elsewhere.  She did not care.
    A few days ago a patient came in and told us that he had eaten there and his food was somewhat burned.  It had happened before and he'd mentioned it to the server.  When the server came over and asked how their food was on this day, he said that it was burned.  She took his name and number and said the owner would call.  Well, the owner did call and left a message on his machine informing him that since he'd complained twice, she was banning him from the restaurant.  He was no longer welcome to come and pay for burned food.
    Now, think about it.  The patient bothered to mention this incident to his hygienist during a recall visit.  This is a small town.  She immediately told me about it because of our previous experience.  This patient is an extremely nice man.  The combination of such rude treatment and such a nice man makes it twice as bad.  There are six of us in the office who will now never eat at this restaurant again.  We will probably mention it to anyone who brings up the place.  God only knows how many people our patient has mentioned it to if he's telling his hygienist. 
    What it comes down to is this, people want to feel good about themselves.  The way others treat us influences our feelings about ourselves or about them.  Treat a patron badly and they might eventually forgive you, but they'll rarely forget or trust you again.  Treat them badly and don't extend an apology and they are going to talk because they want reassurance that they did nothing wrong and confirmation that yes, you were treated horribly. 
    Bad news travels faster than good news when it occurs in dental practices.  Think about it, if you promise to treat your patients well, make it your "thing", and consistently deliver great service.  Patients expect nothing less and become accustomed to it.  It's not news anymore and they don't leave and tell their friends, "Oh, you can't believe what a great dental visit I just had!".  But, when someone asks for the name of a good dentist, they'll rave about you.  So good gets less press, but it gets referrals, so keep it up.  Give a patient poor, unkind, or uncaring treatment however, and you are in for it.  They will tell the first person they see after the visit.  Someone calls them on the phone, they will get an earful, even if the patient remains a patient and comes back, they've still panned you to at least 5 people.  Those 5 will never give you a chance.  You can't afford to chalk it up to a bad day, bad news, cramps or a sick family member.  You have to deliver good, caring treatment.  If you can't put whatever is bugging you aside, then you really should stay home.  Nothing destroys a business or practice faster that bad word of mouth that quickly goes viral. 
    It's too bad for the restaurant.  It's got a lot of good things going for it, but the bad outweighs that.  I doubt that they will turn it around and that's a shame.  No one opens a business intending to fail.  That's not enough though.  You have to have a vision for how to succeed and this place missed that step.  Make sure that you have your vision firmly in place and consistently followed.
Listen to your patients and follow up on their concerns, don't just dismiss them.  If a problem occurs, deal with it appropriately.  It may just be a misunderstanding so follow through to a win-win conclusion.  You can guide the word of mouth if you care enough to listen to complaints and deal with them.  I remember in grade school, hearing a teacher compare gossip to scattering the feathers from a pillow on a windy day.  It's impossible to run around gathering them all back.  Once it's out there, it's out of your grasp.  It's the same with bad word of mouth,  you can't undo the damage, so do everything you can to make sure the feathers that get out there are working for you, not against you. 

The Most Important Job

The most important job in the dental office is the front desk, of course.  She is the face of the practice.  Everyone gets their first impression from the way she answers the phone and greets them when they arrive. 
She is the general giving everyone their marching orders.  The order of the day is determined by her scheduling.  It will also set the tone for the staff.  They will be running around like lunatics, working productively at a comfortable pace, or sitting around staring at a schedule full of holes.  It's all up to how she does her job.
Your hygienists depend on her to keep their schedule full.  If she allows a lot of cancellations to go unscheduled the hygienist will be in the uncomfortable position of sitting there with nothing to do. 
The dentist relies on her to make every day satisfying with a mix of procedures that will guarantee steady production.  Nothing worse than running like crazy through a day filled with crown cements and denture adjustments and looking at an anemic deposit in the evening.
The patients count on her to get them in when they have a problem.  They want her to remember them by name and even remember a little bit about their last vacation, their kids, their hobbies and what sports they play and what kind of dog they have.  They want her to make their insurance pay and to understand when they come for their crown prep unprepared to pay.
So, it stands to reason that she has the most important job in the practice...but, wait a minute.  Look down the hall, there's those hard-working hygienists and assistants.  The dentist just poked his head out of his office, he's kinda important, too.  Stay tuned, we'll talk about them tomorrow.  Who do you think is most important?

Are You Riding In the Backseat?

Or do you take the wheel once in a while?  In many dental practices you'll find the doctor and one other employee seem to come up with all the ideas.  The rest of the staff are willing to go along, but rarely come up with an idea of their own.  It makes me think of a family going on a long car ride to reach a vacation destination.  Everyone is excited to go and more than willing to take the ride, but the parents have done all the planning and research for the vacation.  They've made the reservations and decided how to spend each day.  Everyone will enjoy the vacation but the parents do all the driving. 

Well, you may think, of course that's the way it will be, they're just kids.  You're right, but in a dental practice we're all adults and we can all take a turn at the wheel.  Even a well progressing, productive practice will be even better if everyone takes part in thinking of new ways to serve our patients, researches new products and techniques and looks for things we are already doing that can be done in a better or new way.

Sometimes the leaders in a practice have to examine the culture to make sure that it allows everyone to feel comfortable coming up with ideas and making suggestions.  If someone dares to express an idea and is met with dismissal of that idea, condescendence, or hostility it will be a long time, if ever, before they chance it again.  So, that means we have to reward them for coming to us with innovations, even if we don't implement them.  A reward can be as simple as praise and gratitude.  Or, you may set up a challenge that encourages staff to submit their ideas in return for a chance to win something fun. 

I'm an idea person and I realize that many of my ideas will not be implemented due to time or financial restrictions.  But, I also know that the best of my ideas will be used and often at a satisfying benefit to the practice and patients.  Let your staff know that just because their ideas aren't all used, it doesn't mean that they're not good, just not usable right now.  Remind them that the more ideas you get, the more chance that you'll get some that will really make an impact. 

Getting everyone out of the backseat now and then will make things much more exciting and will benefit the practice and the staff.  It's energizing to see something that you thought of, put into use.  Letting someone else take the wheel now and then doesn't diminish your driving, it gives you a chance to refresh yourself and let's you get farther than you would if you wore yourself out while everyone else was looking out the window.

What Makes Great Teams Great?

   

Everyone wants to have a great team, it sounds just...well, great, doesn't it?  So how do you get a great team?  I'm sure you realize that great teams don't just happen, they're built, grown, developed and worked on, day in and day out.  It's takes a lot of work, heart, dedication and commitment. 
    You have to start with a vision for your practice.  You have to know what you want your practice to be and how you want to treat your patients.  You have to be able to tell your staff what you want day to day life in the practice to be and how you want it to feel.  Then you have to find the people to help you get that.  That's where the great team comes in.
    Maybe you have a staff that you feel you can develop into a great team.  If you do, meet with them and tell them about your vision and your plan to build a great practice culture with them.  If they react enthusiastically, you're on your way.  You might be just starting out, that's ok.  You may have to kiss a few frogs along the way, but you will eventually hire the right people. 
    So, once you have your vision and the right people, you're ready to get started.  You have to commit to working with high integrity.  You have to develop trust with each other.  You have to want to help each other be your best.   Eventually, you all find you can be no other way.  Having high integrity is something you should talk about and check yourself on consistently.  Integrity makes you do things right and to do the right things.  It makes it easy to choose because integrity will pull you toward the right choice.  Integrity makes people work well together because they all want the right things for each other and the patients. 
    When one of you accomplish something, you all feel great about it.  Your patients come in and comment on how great everyone is.  They feel like they are in the right place and tell others about it.  You go home at night feeling satisfied with your day and work.  You drive to work looking forward to the day.
    Great teams adapt to whatever is thrown at them.  They are able to work together to find solutions to problems.  A bad economy makes them find ways to make things work in a different way.  They have a heart for the practice and for the patients.  Putting that together means that the patients will get what they need and the practice will continue to do well.
     Building a great team doesn't just happen, but once you make it happen you'll realize that you'll do anything to keep it great. 

Criticize This

"Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs."      ~Christopher Hampton~

"People ask for criticism, but they only want praise."
                                             ~W. Somerset Maugham~

    As a manager or owner, when you see a staff member doing something wrong that you've corrected them on a few times already, what is the first thing you think?   Maybe it's, "I showed her how to do that 10 times, what's the problem?"  Maybe it's, "Oh no, how many times do I have to show her the same thing, over and over and over...?"  It gets frustrating, doesn't it?
    I'd like to suggest that when you find yourself thinking something like that, you use it as a reminder to stop and review.  What's going on here?  Is the task very complicated?  Are you confident in your ability to explain it in a way that someone who has no experience can understand?  Have you looked at it from the employees experience?  Have you asked her why she's struggling?  That question alone could open a floodgate of insecurity and pent up frustration.
    I believe that most people want to do well.  I'm also aware that there are people out there that feel entitled to come to work, do a lousy job, and have that job protected just because we made the mistake of hiring them in the first place.  But, for this, let's pretend we've already weeded them out and are dealing with someone who wants to do it right. So, let's say you just watched your employee do something wrong for the umpteenth time.  You've shown her how to do it correctly just as many times.  You've typed it out step by step and made a nice book of guidelines for her that is sitting right there next to her.  Ok, be honest now, what are you feeling?  Frustration, disbelief, impatience, aggravation, helplessness, hopelessness?  Yeah, well, to be honest, that's your problem.  Your job is to help her "get it."  When her job gets hard for her, your job gets hard for you.  The only way to make it get better for both of you is to find a way to help her "get it."  Sorry, and it's hard for me to do this, too, but you have to put how you feel about it aside and think about them.  I imagine that the person is feeling awkward, embarrassed, frustrated, aggravated, helpless and even a little disbelieving herself.  So, you already have a few things in common. 
    What if someone was going to critique your handling of this situation?  What would you want to show them?  A patient, understanding manager who worked kindly with the employee to discover a way to help them understand the correct execution of the task?  Of course you do.  So, everytime you face this situation in the future, imagine you are being critiqued on your critique.  Treat the person as you would if you knew your handling of the situation would be on the front page of the newspaper tomorrow.  If you wanted to impress him, how would you behave? 
    Now, get down to the nitty gritty.  Really see the person and work with them to get them where they need to be.  This is what you want to have happen.  You want to help them learn to do the task correctly.  In the process, you have the opportunity to create a mutually respectful relationship and to develop influence with them.  They will have an additional reason to learn.  They want to make you proud of them.  They want to show you that they have the ability that you've shown them you believe they have.  In the process, their confidence is increased, you've accomplished what you set out to do and everyone feels good about the outcome.  So, remember, no one really needs to be criticized.  They need to be lead and taught. 

Get Away To Gain Perspective

"During  periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight."  ~Fritjop Capra

"Stress is an ignorant state.  It believes everything is an emergency.  Nothing is that important."   ~Natalie Goldberg~

"Acquire inner peace and a multitude will find their salvation near you."

~Catherine Du Hueck Doherty

"There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub."  ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

 You may have figured it out.  I've been on vacation.  I always find that when I'm away from work, I'm almost as productive, and maybe in a more meaningful way, as I am when I'm actually at work.  Here's why; when something, or someone is not right in front of your face, in the midst of a million thoughts, questions, decisions and problems, you can actually appreciate it all with some clarity.

    I don't know about you, but in my role of manager, I often feel a lot of pressure (probably self-imposed) to make a lot of improvement.  So, I'm always looking for weaknesses to improve, ways to make our service, ourselves and our practice better.  When I'm away, I can reflect with some realistic thinking about where and who we are.  I always realize this:  We're pretty darn great! 

 

Yeah, Yeah, you're probably wondering just what's so great about our little dental team and practice.  When I think about the people I work with I know, without a doubt, that they all care.  They all have a heart for the practice and the patients.  If we hear sad news about any of our patients, we all suffer the news.  We don't just pay lip service, we feel it.  If one of us is dealing with sadness, the others hurt for her.  I had a phone call from my son the other day about some news he was struggling with and when I looked up I saw the two concerned (truly caring) faces of our hygienists in my doorway.  They are on vacation too, but have emailed me to see how things are going. 

    I hate to admit it, but there are times I don't give them the credit, in my mind, that they deserve.  Sure, I encourage, persuade, influence and cajole, but sometimes I forget to take stock and give thanks on a regular basis.  When I'm on vacation, I can really review it all with a relaxed mind and I always find myself amazed by how lucky we are.  So, I think it would be a good idea to take regular vacations from the busyness of business and be realistic about reality.  If you can do it, I highly recommend it, and I suggest that you can do it.  Maybe a good hot soak will give you some perspective.  Maybe a walk in the forest.  Whatever relaxes you, do that as a way to gain perspective on the reality of your good fortune.  An appreciative heart and mind pave the way to a peaceful soul and a pleasant demeanor.  Can't go wrong there.

Recoginition Demands Innovation

   

Ok, so if we need goals to inspire great performance, and we need recognition to acknowledge and reinforce achievement of those goals, we may, hopefully, find ourselves giving a lot of positive feedback pretty soon.  After a while, the same old thing, gets to be, well, old.  We need to be innovative in the ways in which we recognize outstanding performance, that is, if we want a lot of the performance in our practice to be outstanding.  And who doesn't want that?
    That means we have to think differently about reward.  A reward should be a concrete symbol of pleasure and appreciation in return for good service or behavior.  So, what should we reward?  Anything that enhances the quality of life in the practice and anything that promotes good word of mouth about the practice.  What should a reward be?  Individual and suited to each person, or it can be something that benefits the group.  For instance, all clinical staff wash their hands a few dozen times a day.  Make some really good hand lotion available to them.  The best I've found is Aveeno Intense Relief Repair Cream, by the way.  A patient told me about it and it really works, and I should know because I've dealt with cracking, sore hands for years and I've found immense relief with this.  It's a little hard to find, but Walmart seems to carry it.  Or, if one staff member has gone out of her way to help everyone else, maybe a gift certificate for a manicure may be just the right thing.  But, you have to know she'd enjoy that and that's why you have to really know your staff.  Giving her a manicure that she'll just pass on to someone else won't make her feel appreciated.  She may even be annoyed that you didn't know her better than that. 
    If a staff member always talks about the new movie she's been to see, she just made it easy for you to reward her.  A set of movie tickets will make her day.  Your front desk assistant loves to knit?  Give her a gift certificate to a yarn store, she'll love it.  Keep that in mind.  You want to think, "She'll love that!" after you choose a reward.  You are asking your staff to serve others, so why not serve them in a special way?  Once a year or so I have a party or dinner for the staff and their families.  I call it Italian Night and go all out with making lots of different dishes for them.  I make sure to make a few meatless dishes for our vegetarian staff member.  Think that makes her feel special and welcome?  You can bet she appreciates it, and the fact that I don't call attention to it, I just serve enough for everyone and don't single it out as "her food."  She always thanks me.  These dinners are a lot of work, but so worth it for the chance to see each other as friends and not just co-workers, the opportunity to see our co-workers as mothers and wives, fathers and husbands and the goodwill that lasts way beyond that one night.  It's a labor of love that boomerangs back to me and the practice.
    So, in reality, if you want exceptional performance and effort, you have to recognize it in both big and small ways.  After a while it becomes a part of what you do and how you work.  You'll even find you enjoy thinking up fun and interesting new ways to reward your staff.  The best part is, they are always delighted.  Now, who doesn't want to work with a group of delighted people.  Oh, and don't forget to compliment and reward the dentist, as well.  Next week, pick a day and thank him/her for a really great day at work.  I guarantee, he/she will look shocked and then very pleased.

Set Goals To Inspire Your Team

   

One frustration of training new people seems to be getting them to learn things the way we want them to do them.  Often a new set of eyes sees a different way to do things.  That's ok, but later.  First master what is being taught, then we'll talking about making changes.  To help employees master the work we must set clear standards for them to follow.  We must give them goals to measure their progress against.  We must encourage them.  We must explain the values and principles that are important to us in the practice.
    It's the same with the rest of the staff.  Just because someone has been at it for years, doesn't mean they don't need to hear that they're doing a great job.  Praise and recognition are the antidote for burn-out.  It's surprising how easy it is to forget to praise a great employee because we've begun to take their effort for granted.  "Oh, Kathy, sure she's really good, I never even have to think about her, she's on auto-pilot."  Nice for you maybe, but I bet Kathy is starting to feel taken for granted or invisible.  Giving Kathy some new goals will inspire her and keep her interested. 
    How do you know which goals to set?  Think about what you need from your staff.  Teamwork, attention to detail, service to patients, efficiency, partnership in treatment, patient education, and so on.  Now, expand on each area so that they have no doubt about your expectations for these goals.  What does supporting teamwork in your practice mean?  How will you know they are paying attention to detail?  What does great service to your patients look like?  Be specific and ask them for input.  Write it down and keep it where it's easy to see.  Go over it at staff meetings and morning huddles.  Recognize those who meet those goals and uphold those standards.
    Goals will help everyone concentrate on what's important.  It will help them focus on what they're doing.  Recognition for meeting goals will inspire attention to quality and excellence will be the result.  Goals add more meaning to our work and give us a sense of purpose.
    Meeting goals and expectations and getting honest feedback about how we are doing will keep staff interested.  A lot of the work in a dental practice may seem pretty routine.  Every day we come in and do the same set-up tasks.  We sit for morning huddle and often staff members may go through their patients in a monotone.  Then we all disperse to get through the day.  What would happen if the manager came to morning huddle with some muffins to thank everyone for having everything set-up so consistently every day?  Imagine going through the list of patients and commenting on how well the hygienist educated Mrs. Edwards the last time she was in, or on how kind the assistant was to an older, lonely man who just lost his wife.  Maybe the front desk assistant worked really hard to get a patient in who had a tough schedule to deal with.  You've commented on all that in front of the group and now everyone is sitting a little taller with a smile on their face.  You cap it off by saying, "You're all doing a great job of maintaining the values in this practice and meeting your goals.  I'm proud of you and grateful to have you in our practice."  Wow, wouldn't that be a great way to start the day?
    What if someone isn't performing so well?  It's just as important to encourage that staff member.  Just make sure your feedback is designed to encourage her to do better.  Talk to her and find out why she's struggling.  Work with her to find a way to improve her performance.  In the end she'll trust you and see feedback from you as a positive thing, even when there's a problem.
    Encouragement costs nothing except a little bit of yourself.  You have to take the time to see your staff as people who need encouragement.  You have to get past any personal likes and dislikes and find out what encourages them.  You have to be interested in them.  People need to feel that they are making a difference.  Get your staff to understand that without any one of them, things wouldn't be as good.  Once they see that there is a deeper meaning to what they are doing and to their place in the staff, they will be more committed.  Then their focus will shift to working for the common good of all, rather than what's in it for me.
    To get started, ask yourself these questions:

1. What are the values and principles that matter in this practice?
2. How do I explain those values and principles to the staff?
3. Do they share those values and principles?
   
4. Do I instill meaning in what we do every day and in what I ask the staff to do?
5. Do I let them know what I expect by setting goals and do they understand the goals and expectations?
6. How do I recognize success and achievement?
7. How do I give feedback?
8. How do I get feedback on how I'm doing?
9. Is the feedback you give designed to help others improve, or is it just telling them what they're doing wrong?
10. How can you improve the feedback you are giving others?

Training New Staff (or old ones for that matter)

    One of the things I enjoy is training a new staff member and seeing her "get it."  One of the things I struggle with is training any staff member and not being able to get through.  It's frustrating for them and me.  That's why when I read Steve Roesler's post Don't Let Your Knowledge Confuse People on his All Things Workplace blog something rang true for me. 
    Many times anything I'm trying to teach someone else at work is something I could practically do in my sleep.  "It's so easy, why don't they get it?" is a question that's often floating around in my head.  "Well, genius, you know it so well because you've been doing it for years" is often the answer.  And, according to Steve, that may be exactly where we're getting stuck.  I may be having as hard a time teaching it as they are, learning it.  And it may just be because I know it so well.
    My solution has been to stop talking and start listening for the questions to my answers.  You see, I may have been so sure I had all the answers that I really didn't listen to the questions well enough to tell me what was missing.  Every question actually holds some hidden information about how the learning process is going.  For instance, if I'm telling the staff member about how to take a payment and she asks me how she'll know if the patient is supposed to pay the full amount, that tells me we also need to talk about the guarantor notes and payment agreement icons and what they are used for (Dentrix). 
    Watch your language, too.  No, not the kind that got your mouth washed out with soap, I'm talking about dental terminology.  If you have an employee that hasn't had dental experience, don't expect them to know what caries, gingiva or  lateral incisors are right off the bat.  They may smile and nod, but in their head there thinking, "What the heck is she talking about?"  By all means use the correct terminology, but don't forget to translate.  I encourage new staff to write down words they didn't understand and ask, especially during meetings.  It gives everyone an opportunity to participate in teaching and that builds stronger relationships.
    Give the new staff member permission and encouragement to say "Stop."  I know I'm a fast talker.  I know I'm talking too fast when I see a certain look come over someone's face that practically screams, "What in the world did she just say?!"  I'll stop and tell them that if I'm going too fast, they have a responsibility to themselves to tell me that.  Otherwise, everything I've just said is wasted. 
    When I don't think a new person is getting it, I ask them if there is a way that they learn best.  Some people do best with written guidelines.  Some have to watch me do something a few times so they can take notes.  Others need to do it themselves while I watch.  I like to combine all 3 so I don't miss any opportunity to get it in there. 
    Finally, give timely feedback.  Don't wait, if you see the staff member doing something the wrong way, tell them as soon as possible, before it becomes a habit they have to break.  Ask them how they think it's going.  That will give you insight into how much they understand.  If you think they're struggling in an area that they feel they've mastered, it may be time to review that area. 
    Stick in there with the staff member and keep working on it.  Sometimes the hardest things to learn, are the things that really stick once they've got it.  Remember, you started somewhere too, and you depended on the patience and good will of someone else.  One of the most rewarding things about training a staff member is eventually overhearing her tell the next new staff member, "This is how insert your name taught me to do it."

I See You

   

Think about it.  How does your day in the office start out?  Maybe you're sitting at your computer, or maybe you're setting up rooms, checking the answering machine or drinking coffee.  How attentive are you to the people entering the office after you?  How much do you recognize the people that are already there?  Even in our own practice, I often noticed that sometimes people would come in, put their coat away, say hello to those they passed, but never come to greet those of us who were at the other end of the hall.  The hall's not that long so it's not a big excursion, it just never entered anyone's mind to do so.  Often I'm sitting by myself at the front of the office and it was odd to hear people come in and say nothing.  So I said something and it was obvious that no one realized they were doing that.  Now they at least shout a hello my way.
    If you're the dentist, how much of a greeting do you give your staff as you or they arrive?  Do you even look up from your computer and smile or do you just wave your fingers as you keep on with what you're doing?  I know you are probably doing something very important, but think about it.  Your staff is very important to your success.  They might get used to your unenthusiastic greeting, but it won't inspire them. 
    If you're a team member, how do you greet your co-workers?  Someone is going to set the tone for the practice.  It is usually the person with the most persuasive, assertive personality.  Many times it's a bully.  They can make everyone believe that nothing is fair or that every day is a chore.  Are you going to stand there and let it happen, or are you going to assert yourself and recognize everyone with a smile that let's them know they count with you?
    Think about how you react when someone you really like that you haven't seen in a while, walks into a room.  Your whole body reacts.  You sit up straighter, lean forward, you don't just smile, you beam and they have no doubt that you're happy to see them.  That's how I react when when of my children comes home from college.  I can't hide my delight in their presence. 
    How would your boss, staff or co-workers feel if you showed your delight in their presence when they walked into the office every day?  I'm not suggesting you overdo it.  Not at all.  What I want you to do is to think about how much these people really do mean to you.  What they bring to your day and your work.  How you would like them to feel as they go about their day.  How you would like to feel in their presence.  How you would like to go about your day.  Do you think you have any influence in that?  You can do your part.  You can let them know you actually see them, for starters.  Really see them for who they are and what they do.  That will make it easier to enjoy them because they will react positively to your recognition.  From there it becomes ridiculously easy to just build better and better relationships and a better practice culture.
    I see you.  You're sitting there reading this and wondering if you resemble the guy sitting at the computer barely grunting a hello. Or maybe you're the one drinking coffee and dreading the 10:00 patient who always complains and won't let you lean her back.  But, do you really see her?  See how it goes?  If I see you, you might see me, too.  Before you know it you'll be seeing everyone in a different way.  Maybe they'll be less dreading and more enjoyment.  Can you see how much better that might be?

Who Cares?

  

  Hopefully, you do.  Whether you're an owner or a staff member, if you don't care about what you're doing and how you're doing it, you'll just be wasting your time and languishing in mediocrity.  You can be smart, you can have a beautiful office, great looking staff and fantastic skills, but if you don't care, your patients will think you're just ok. 
    Here's the thing, and it's a good thing, it's not hard to show you care.  It takes a little bit of thought, insight and oh yeah, caring.  Think about it, your patient comes to your office, sits in your chair with their mouth open for an hour and a half while you introduce sharp, spinning, whining instruments that sometimes hurt and at the least make them bleed or drool.  They trust you with that.  So, isn't it a good idea to take three minutes at the end of the day to call them to see how they're feeling?  Believe me, that small investment of your time will pay big dividends in loyalty and word of mouth advertising.  You are always making impressions on your patients.  You are guaranteed to make a good one when you call to see how they're feeling.  Even if they are having discomfort, they'll still think you're great for caring about that.
    Show you care in any way that you can think of.  Send flowers to a patient who's had surgery, a card to a patient who misses an appointment because of the flu, a plant to a patient who's lost a spouse.  Make them feel your caring and you'll have a loyal patient.  The bonus to all this caring is that you'll likely find that you really do care and that will make what you do very satisfying. 
    I see lots of dentists trying to be the best, or trying to win patients by adding spa amenities and running glossy ads.  I remember going to a new dentist and being handed a rose on the way out.  The problem was that from the word go, I had a very negative feeling from the staff and dentist.  No one seemed to enjoy what they were doing and there was absolutely no connection.  The rose almost seemed like an insult to my ability to discern whether or not I'd received caring treatment.  I'd have been much more impressed to have been treated warmly.  As it was the beauty of the rose could not wipe out the thorny indifference of the staff and dentist. 
    I'll leave you with a compliment we received from a patient today.  Yes, I know it's Saturday, but this patient had called yesterday to ask about some pain he'd experienced after biting on something hard with an implant crown.  I called to see if he had experienced any more problems.  He was fine, but his comment made my day.  He said, "Dr. Morgan and all of you are outstanding because you understand that you are dealing with human beings.  You can have all the skill in the world but it doesn't matter if you can't figure that out.  You consistently show me that you care."  There's the secret formula for successs.  CARE.  Even if you don't really feel it, fake it at first.  Before you know it you'll find yourself hooked on caring.  Who cares?  You must, after all you're reading this aren't you?

Turbyfill Seminars at NuCraft Dental Arts

    Ok, so by now you must surely realize that I really enjoyed my time at Dr. Turbyfill's seminar at NuCraft Dental Arts.  Dr. Turbyfill is 76 years old now and full of energy.  He's part of an old guard of teaching dentists and he's a treasure.  If you want to take a removable prosthetic course, this is the one to take and NuCraft is the place to take it.  Click on the following link to check out the schedule for the next seminar. Download Schedule 2009

    As you can see from the group picture, this was a nice, happy group of people who had a wonderful time learning from a one of a kind instructor who has spent the last 50 years immersed in a career that he loves.

Professional, Career Dental Assistants

   

How do you help make your dental assistant a professional, career assistant?  How do you make sure she spends that career with you?  I think that any dentist who is lucky enough to have a great assistant will be interested in the answer to those questions.
     Like I said, I was at the Turbyfill denture course at NuCraft Dental Arts in Athens, GA the past few days.  What a great experience!  At one point, I was talking to a very nice young dentist and he said that his assistant was kind of jealous that she wasn't going with him to the course.  Ah Ha, I thought, he has an interested dental assistant.  That's the first step to having a professional career dental assistant (PCDA, from now on)...identify the interest.  He then went on to say that he thought she was going to leave assisting to go to hygiene school.  I asked him if he knew why and he said he thought she wanted more responsibility, respect and more earning power.  I asked him if he could try to find a way to give her that as an assistant.  Now, I'm not saying to throw money at her, I'm saying to find ways to give her more responsibility in the office so that she can be more productive and earn a higher salary.
    Most assistants really like assisting and only leave for hygiene because they percieve it to be more respected and more lucrative.  We can change that and keep more assistants where we need them, in dental assisting.  It's a two-way street though.  Dental assistants have to be serious about making assisting a respected position.  I would like to see mandatory certification to begin with.  I'd like to see that certification require a two year accredited program.  I'd like to see more self-policing and mentoring by experienced assistants.  We have to take responsibility for bringing more respect, responsibility and value to what we do.
    Dentists will need to be willing to look at assisting as a profession.  Most dentists who have a PCDA in their practice will tell you how valuable they are to them.  They are willing to pay them according to the value they bring to the practice.  Practices with PCDA's don't find as much immaturity and in-fighting among their staff, because the PCDA is doing what she enjoys and is committed to, and is appreciated by her boss and team members. 
    Whenever I hear or read about dysfunctional practices I wonder what happened.  Why would any member of the dental team be permitted to cause dysfunction?  Why wouldn't a dentist protect his or her investment and livlihood by insisting on professional staff members?  I think it's because there are few to be found sometimes.  When I hear about dental assistants who stir up trouble and try to avoid work, I wish they would just find something else to do.  They hold the rest of us back from being seen as PCDA's.  That keeps more serious minded people from considering dental assisting as a profession.   I think that years are spent, or wasted, dealing with nonsense and putting up with poor performance because, "that's the best I can find."  Developing PCDA's can have an enormous impact on making things better.
    In the end, the dentist I was talking to agreed that he might be able to make his assistant see the value in staying in the profession.  He is sending her to my course at the Florida National Convention in June to hear me talk about how assistants can function as Patient Care Coordinators.  He's opening his mind to other ways that she can bring more production to the practice.  He's probably going to bring her to the Turbyfill course the next time he goes.  He probably going to be working with her for a long time to come if he does all that.

A Gift

    My boss and I are attending a Turbyfill prosthetic course and if you ever have the chance to attend, do it.  Dr. T. is 76 years old and absolutely delightful.  He brings a patient in who is having problems with a denture and remakes the denture during the three day course.  It's really something to see.
    The patient today was a very sweet 68 year old woman named Mary.  Her full upper and lower dentures fit so poorly that she said she takes them out to eat.  Now, where's the logic in that?  When she started talking about how it affects her, it was an eye-opener. 
    She is very mild mannered, but when she began talking about her journey with these dentures she became agitated, upset and somehow seemed almost ashamed because she had gone to a "discount" denture clinic since she couldn't afford her dentist's fee.  Her general dentist was there and had been asked if he could supply a patient for the course.  He was obviously very grateful to have her getting some help.  As she told us about her denture I realized that denture patients may often feel like a lesser class of denture patient.
    As Dr. Turbyfill stated, we need to be very compassionate and caring with our denture patients and make them feel good about what we are doing for them.  So often these days, we are classifying dental IQ's and feeling that patients who accept implants must have high IQ's because they are choosing optimal treatment.  Being able to afford something better doesn't make a patient smarter than someone who has to choose within the limits of their budget. 
    After listening to Mary, I gained new insight into the feelings and experiences of a denture patient.  Thanks to her, I think I have more empathy for what our denture patients may experience.  Dr. T. has assured us that Mary will not only join us for lunch tommorrow, she'll keep her dentures in her mouth to eat it.  I can't wait.  What a gift for her and what a satisfaction it must be for Dr. Turbyfill to be able to give that gift.

Stop Talking Recession

   

If you want your patients to accept treatment, stop scaring them.  Do not use the word recession anymore in your practice.  Don't let your staff do it either.  I've said it before, reacting to the recession negatively, will only make it more likely that your practice will be affected negatively. 
    When recommending treatment, don't say, "Mrs. Jones, you need a crown.  I know it's tough with the recession so we'll give you six months to pay with no interest."  You don't know how Mrs. Jones is faring so why bring it up.  Pretty presumptuous, actually.  Instead, tell her what treatment she needs and let the ball land in her court.  Now, if she says, "Oh, with this economy money's tight."  then you can offer the six months to pay, but you still shouldn't mention the word recession.  Just say, "You're a wonderful patient and I want you to have the treatment you need.  I'm happy to have Mary set you up with a payment plan that fits your budget."  All positive from you, no negative.  Sounds different, doesn't it?
    I encourage payment plans rather than third party financing right now because patients are more wary than ever of anything resembling credit.  They don't see a payment plan as credit and are more likely to accept it.  In addition, it's seen as goodwill by patients.  It's relationship building and keeps a steady cash flow coming into the office in a tough economy.  Will some fail their plan?  Possibly, but I think patients are being very realistic about what they can afford right now.  They don't seem to be agreeing to amounts they can't meet, at least not in our practice. 
    What about the patient who is in dire straits?  They've lost their job and may be looking at selling their home?  Believe me, you are way down on their list of priorities.  So, you have choices.  Do you badger them for money they don't have and send them to collection?  Since you can't get blood from a turnip I prefer to react with compassion and patience.  We're not going to get paid right now anyway, so why be a jerk about it?  At the very least, it may lead to goodwill.  At best, when things get better, you will probably get paid.  Either way, you'll have been a decent human being. 
    Try not to fire staff if you can help it.  When a hygienist is let go, it is going to impact the amount of treatment that can be treatment planned, there's no doubt about it.  Doing your own hygiene might sound like a good idea, but unless you are sitting with hours open on your schedule, you may just be getting caught in a vicious cycle and limiting your ability to rebound.  Try putting the hygienist on commission or reducing a day rather than firing her altogether.  Then, when things are better, increase her hours again. Do the same with other staff if you must.  In the meantime, have your staff brainstorm ways to increase productivity.  When someone has downtime, they should work on reactivation.  If you are short staffed you can only survive, not thrive. 
    I'm not saying to try to fool yourself that the economy isn't hurting, it is.  I'm saying, be part of the recovery.  Don't lay at the bottom of the financial pool and wait for the life to ebb out of your practice.  Pull it up and breathe life back into it.  By doing that, you not only help yourself, you help the economy overall, as well. 

Wishes and Peace

To Wish:  To long for, yearn for, want or desire
Peace: Freedom of the mind from annoyance, disturbance, anxiety or obsession

    Which sounds worse - to be left wishing you did, or wishing you didn't?  Both sound stressful and disappointing to me, yet so often I find myself in that state.  When I think about how I got to be in that condition, I come up with one basic answer...I didn't think something through and I didn't consider the outcome of an action or lack of action.  Maybe that's two basic answers, but who's counting. 
    Let's look at wishing you did something.  Often we won't even raise our hand in a group to ask a question for fear of looking foolish.  Why?  Who is to decide we are foolish anyway?  If your mind wonders about something, or thinks it has the answer, then at least you know something is moving and shaking up there.  It is not foolish to express an idea.  I was at a continuing education course recently and the speaker asked a question.  His question prompted a thought in my brain and I raised my hand and gave him my answer.  For the next five minutes he grilled me, but he didn't examine my answer for validity, he just kept expanding his question into areas that had nothing to do with the original question or answer.  He got into a situation in which he was bombarding me with questions I couldn't answer.  When I said that, he kept hammering until the room was silent and the atmosphere awkward.  Once he finally gave it up, not a hand went up nor a voice was raised to answer many of his following questions.  So, who was the fool?  He put a damper on his own presentation. It was a full day presentation and this happened in the first 30 minutes.  Ouch...for him.  Did I have any other thoughts during the day?  Of course I did, you know me by now.  Did I express them? You bet I did, his problem isn't my problem.  I'm rarely left wishing I'd said more.  I do look back and wish I'd said less every now and then.  It makes me realize that I need to consider the impact of what I say.  When I hurt someone I care about it hurts me, too.  Long after they may say they're over it, I still suffer.  I suffer because I know that it made an imprint on their mind about me.  Just a little wariness that wasn't there before, but a protective little memory of my ability to hurt them.  So I wish I was less sure I was right when I'm wrong.  Even when I'm right, I wish I had a better insight into how to express it in a way that allows someone to discover it for themself rather than feeling beat over the head with it.  I wish I had the grace to accept that they might not agree and just live with it.
    
    How about wishing you didn't do or say something?  It makes me squirm just thinking about it.  Oh, if I could only take back all the misguided statements and actions that I've put out there during my life.  Which ones would I take back?  The ones that caused pain or embarrassment.  The ones that made anyone feel less good about themselves than they did before I opened my mouth.  The ones that caused unnecessary stress, or made someone go home and take it out on anyone else around them.  The things that made me wonder when I'd ever learn from my mistakes or made me feel ashamed.   Most of all, the ones that made people I admire think less of me.
    I often wish I'd helped more or been more patient.  I wish I could sweep aside what's wrong about someone faster and get to what's right about them more quickly. I think that is the key to happiness. 
    I have two great role models that I spend most of my time with, basically if I'm not with one, I'm probably with the other.  They are my boss and my husband.  Both of them accept people as they are and meet them as they are right now.  If they can help them improve they do, but they don't judge.  That's not to say they accept poor performance, but they don't assassinate someone's worth based on their opinions of what's right or wrong with them.  They both have happy hearts and people love them.  I think it's because they make everyone feel accepted and ok,  just as they are.  They don't obsess, they live and let live.  That's why they are peaceful and not left wishing or regretting. 
    So, how can I, and you if you're in the same boat, change from wishing to be peaceful about where we are?  Be positive and determined to look for the good.  Don't wait for it to happen, make it happen over and over again.  It will become part of who we are. 
    We only get one shot at this life (this time at least depending on what you believe).  The end probably gets here faster than we think it does.  When it does, I want my last thoughts to be peaceful memories, not yearning for what I wish I'd been.

You: Ethics Czar

   

Why not?  If not you, who?  Bruce Weinstein, Phd., emailed me about an article he had written for Business Week titled We Need An Ethics Czar.  You can, and I hope you will, read it here.  I'll paraphrase and build off of it, but go check out the entire article yourself.
    Why should you be an ethics czar?  First, if you have accepted a leadership role you are in a position to set standards.  Make them high quality and live them.  Everyone should see themselves as leaders in what they are doing.  If you are in a management position, you should inspire that in those you lead.  There is no honor in riding reign over a group of people who need you to dictate their every move.  A good leader gives others confidence and as you read the article you will see that's true.  So here are Dr. Weinstein's code of conduct for ethics czars.

1. Lead by example - always be honest, even if it's a hard truth.  React to stressful situations with compassion rather than hostility.  Own your mistakes, don't blame others.  I think we often act like things are ok when they are not and then feel angry at staff for not seeing what we need them to do or change.  Pent up frustration leads to hostility and before we know it blame.  Better to sit down with a staff member and be honest, listen and find solutions and build a better relationship.  On the flip side, if you are the person who is hearing a hard truth, be big enough to understand that someone is trying to help you succeed and listen and try to find a better way.
2. Praise generously - we forget sometimes that people need to hear they are doing a good job.  I once worked for someone who could not give praise, or wouldn't.  I give a lot in my job and I like to hear that I'm doing good.  A consultant told me that it was needy of me to want that.  If that's true than human beings are a needy lot.  People will work harder and better when they get verbal feedback.  Sometimes the opportunity is missed or the need is not noticed.  I recently had a staff member email me about a mistake I didn't know they'd made yet.  She said it kept her awake all night.  My response was never to lose a night's sleep over something like that.  We will fix it.  It did give me the opportunity to tell her that I admired her dedication and hard work though.  We don't always know the heart's of our employees and I think that often, care more than we think they do.
3. Criticize to build up, not break down - this is a biggie.  No one comes to work hoping to do a bad job.  Some might come just to get through the day and collect a paycheck, but that's where your ability to inspire can make the difference.  Shaming generates resentment, teaching inspires gratitude and respect.  So, you choose, do you want to walk away from someone who is fantasizing a horrible, slow death for you, or would you rather they are filled with a nice warm feeling about what a great person you are? 
   
4. Be Kind, Unwind - often we find ourselves trying to pull more and more effort out of our employees.  We need to remember to spend time building celebrations and lighter moments into the days and weeks.  Pay attention to birthdays and special days and celebrate them.  Take the staff to lunch  or make lunch and bring it in, just to say thanks.  Now, here's the tough one for many of us.  Take time to relax, youself.  I know that I will become tense if I don't find time for outside interests.  There comes a point when you have to turn out the light and believe that you will have another shot at it all tomorrow.  Now, go home a live the other parts of your life. 
   
5. Punish fairly - make sure that you take any emotion out of it when discussing a mistake or problem with an employee.  One thing that my boss is good at considering is intention.  Many times errors are not a matter of intention.  Sometimes people just don't have as good an ability to think on their feet or prioritize as we'd like them to have.  They aren't bad, insolent or insubordinate, they're just different than you.  Teach them and work with them and try to show them how to do what you want them to do.  Be objective.  Now, if there is a matter of poor behavior, deal with it in a way that reflects the punishment that fits the behavior and be consistent - 'this is what happens when anyone does this' and make it the same for everyone.
6. If it's to be, it's up to thee - step up to problems and deal with them.  Don't avoid awkward or uncomfortable situations.  Set standards and stand up for them.  Often, others are counting on you to do that and are relieved that you will. 

    If you want an ethical workplace, build one.  If you want an ethical world, work for it.  It starts with you.  And me. And her, and him and them.  Spread the word, that's a start in itself.

If Aristotle Ran General Motors - Beauty

Here is the second section of a staff meeting based on If Aristotle Ran General Motors by Tom Morris.

IF ARISTOTLE RAN GENERAL MOTORS – BEAUTY

THE AESTHETIC DIMENSION AT WORK

Beauty on the job

·         How people feel about their workplace affects their morale and in turn, their productivity.  If we think of offices as large, dull strictly utilitarian structures, we fail to provide for the human spirit.  Brightening the human experience and enhancing the environment is appropriate.   The workplace should express a certain joy and embody enthusiasm.

·         Does our office encourage openness and contact with other people?  Is it a warm, friendly atmosphere, but a place where there is performance, where work gets done in a warm and friendly way?

·         It has been found that the best work gets done in a place where attention is paid to people’s needs for light, beauty and comfort.  When people love their working environment, it inspires their enthusiasm and even a measure of joy.  What can we do to enhance our environment?

·         Little things make a big difference.  What little things can you do that will enhance the office environment?

Aesthetic Surprise

·         Tom Morris taught philosophy at Notre Dame.  He talks about playing the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” over the auditorium speakers before the first exam of the year.  A student told him that it changed the atmosphere into something almost festive.  The students would take the test with smiles on their faces and feet tapping in time to the music.

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”  ~Confucius~

·         After finding that the song did not result in good grades one semester Tom realized he’d have to try something different after some of his students found themselves confronted with the worst scores they had ever encountered.  When the next test day came Tom started out playing “Caught in the Crossfire” by Stevie Ray Vaughn.  Then he waited with the test papers in hand.  Five seconds passed, and then ten and the students began to wonder what was happening.  Then the doors at the back of the auditorium burst open and the Notre Dame marching band came in playing the Victory March.  The class was ecstatic and he believes as a result of the aesthetic surprise scored higher than on the first test.  His reason for doing it- Why should the band just play the victory march for the football team, why not in the classroom where it really matters?  The point is, it made them feel special and appreciated.  It made their workplace a place of enjoyment.

·         How can we bring a sense of festivity to our workplace from time to time?

The Art of Work

·         The previous examples are of passive aesthetic experience.  Aesthetic experience can be active as well as passive, in other words, performance art.  There is beauty in solving a problem elegantly, in providing acknowledged excellence of quality in service or product.  Is your work a dance?  Is it a play?  Do you see your co-workers as fellow cast members?  Every day you’re sculpting, sketching, and quilting a pattern of interactions, of relationships, of solutions to problems.  A concern for beauty should continually play an important role, along with a concern for truth, in how we think about our jobs and in the many ways we interact with each other in our work.

·         Think of all the roles each of us play in the practice.  Where can you see beauty in what each person does?   When does your job feel great? 

The Most Basic Question

·         What is the meaning of life?

·         The meaning of life is creative love.  Loving creativity.  This is the proper meeting point of philosophy, religion and business.  Not love as an inner feeling, as a private sentimental emotion, but love as a dynamic power moving out into the world and doing something original.  It means the creative building of new structures, new relationships, new solutions, and new possibilities for our world that are rooted in love, a concern for the dignity and integrity and values of others in this life.  This is the foundation on which any meaningful life must be built.

·         What are you building?  Where is your art?  What are you creating day to day?  Is your life guided by creative love?  In doing your work, are you somehow involved in acts of loving creativity?

·         How do your co-workers envision their work?  How can you help them experience their work as having fundamental meaning in their lives?

 

The Beauty of Business

 

·         What is business? 

·         All employees should be thought of as in partnership with management, and all the people within a business should be thought of as partners with both suppliers and customers, partners ultimately for the common goal of living well.  Ideally those within a business should prosper and live better because of the business, but so should others affected by its activities.  What does that mean to you?

·         We should always be asking ourselves whether what we contemplate doing will enhance or diminish this crucial function of the business within our domain of influence.  Are we building partnerships for living well?  Give examples of things that can enhance or diminish the function of our dental practice.

·         So what then, is business?  Business is the art of growth.  Growth is the essence of life.  Business is the art of life.

·         How have you grown in our dental practice?  How do you help others grow?

 

The New Neighborhood At Work

 

·         The people we see at work each day, the people around us whose thoughts and activities will be largely responsible for whether we all experience business success together, are all people who come from families and are all people who need friendship in their lives.

·         Discipline, comfort, a sense of belonging, a feeling of connectedness…every human being needs these things.

·         Most people do not live near extended family anymore and neighborhoods don’t hold the same sense of community that they used to.

·         Contemporary businesses now have the opportunity to create a new kind of workplace fulfillment and workplace loyalty by meeting many of the deep human needs for love and appreciation, needs for respect and forgiveness and nurture and support.  Teamwork, for example must be rooted in genuine respect and understanding.  Leadership must be grounded in love and appreciation.  These are the genuinely human issues. And as long as human beings do the work, make the deals, use the products, buy the services, and chart the future, these should be the most important issues.  Are they the most important issues in our practice?  How?

·         People will not feel fulfilled in what they do, and will not be experiencing that measure of personal happiness they are capable of attaining on the job unless they are feeling that the aesthetic dimension of their experience is being respected and nurtured by the people around them and by the conditions of their work.

·         We should never forget that a concern for the aesthetic is everybody’s business.   The beauty and artistry of the workplace is everybody’s business.  Everyone should be a partner for living well.  Reinventing corporate spirit and reestablishing a new foundation for sustainable excellence in modern practice is everybody’s job.

A Happy Heart

    So, if you could choose,wouldn't you just love to spend your day around someone with a happy heart?  Don't you think the day would be a whole lot better if you did?  Well then, why aren't there more happy hearted people around?

     I think people become addicted to their sad story.  They identify with problems until they create that as a reality day in and day out. No one wants to create sadness.  Circumstances and the things you get used to and accept as inevitable cause that type of drama.   I've been there before myself, I'm sorry to say.  It's a mindlessness that can sap the life out of you and the people around you, and it becomes a habitual way of thinking and responding.  I've spent more time than I want to remember working for employers who, were critical, impossible to satisfy, stingy with appreciation and praise, and basically  confidence busters.  Why did I stay?  Maybe I'm one of those people who sees a situation like this as a mountain to climb and just won't give up despite the fact that there's someone at the top rolling boulders down into my path.  Maybe it seemed like praise from that person would be so much more meaningful because it would be so hard-earned. I know I often felt like if I could only do something great, everything would be ok.  At any rate, I developed a cynical and suspicious mind-set that made me identify everything any other boss did with what that boss would have done.  It was totally unfair to a good boss and it completely prevented me from finding happiness in my workday.  Obviously, something had to change. 

    I sure didn't have a happy heart, so that's where I decided to start.  It's all about mastering your thoughts and reactions.  It's easy to let your thoughts follow a lazy path of their own design.  That's because unconscious thought is effortless.  It's not going to take the time to question itself, it's going to go on the path of least resistance, the path it's worn a track in because of so much similar thinking in the past.  If you like how you've felt along, go right ahead, but be warned, you might be missing out on something even better.  If you have had some hard times, develop the determination to blaze new trails to happier thoughts and experiences.  You have to do the work, and then, just like the negative rut, a new positive, happy rut will get worked into your brain for your thoughts to travel along.

    The other element to negativity and cynicism is the drama that goes along with it.  When people are caught up in drama, they think it makes them interesting.  Now they have something that they think is big and shocking to talk about.  Think about soap operas.  They really aren't that interesting, they're petty and basically out of touch with real life.  But, people keep tuning in day after day for more of the same.  They never get tired of it.  Real life doesn't work that way.  The soap opera of what is happening to you that's so terrible is only interesting to you.  No one wants to tune in every time they talk to you.  You will become a bore if you persist in your " As the Drill Turns" monologue.  Develop a better way to think and you'll become more appealing to be around.

    I have a boss with a very happy heart.  He makes coming to work every day a happy event.  I usually find myself driving to and from work with an idiotic grin on my face everyday because of something funny that happened in the office, often instigated by my boss.  His happiness is contagious.  The whole office has a happy vibe.  The patients love it and comment on it.  I doubt an hour goes by without honest laughter bellowing down the hall.  I say honest because if you think about it, we often tell staff to act happy even if they aren't.  That type of laughter has an edge to it.  Honest laughter flows into every nook and cranny.  It grabs everyone who hears it and makes them smile, too.  People who work like this develop a pleasant rapport with each other and that puts them in a positive frame of mind.  These are the kind of people that other people want to be around, and that includes patients.  Our patients remark on it and I think they have developed a fondness for us.  They often comment to us on my boss and the other staff members and say they just love our attitude.

    I'll be posting the second installment of my If Aristotle Ran General Motors staff meeting this weekend.  It's on Beauty.  Honest laughter brings beauty into the dental experience.  Make sure you develop the culture that supports honest laughter in your office.