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?