Exceptional Dental Practice Management

Where Are All The Normal People Hiding?

If you've ever interviewed for an opening in your practice, I'm sure this thought has entered your mind.  I am currently interviewing for a roving office assistant and I am disheartened by the attitudes of the applicants I've been interviewing. 

To begin with, I can remember interviewing for positions when I wanted a job.  I tried to present my skills, abilities and willingness to be an integral part of a team.  I never asked what the position benefits were until we were clearly negotiating my employment.  Once I was hired, I understood that if I wanted my salary to increase, my skills and value to the practice would have to increase first.  I didn't expect to be paid more for being nice, or funny, or for just existing.  I knew that I'd have to take on more responsibility, find ways to improve what we were doing, and be an overall asset in terms of my physical, personal and psychological presence in the practice.

Let's break it down.  When I say my physical presence, I mean I have to work.  If a patient cancels and I'm an assistant, I have to find other things to do, even if it's just wiping down shelves or straightening the supply closet.  I have to offer my help to others in the office.  It doesn't mean sitting in the break-room with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.  The dentist is already losing money because of the cancellation, I'm not going to rub in the fact that he's paying me to read Ann Landers.  This holds true for any position in the office. 

When I talk about personal presence, I'm referring to the mood you create around you.  I try to be upbeat and optimistic, try to help my co-workers and look for ways to help them stay on time and relieve stress for them.  I don't wait to be asked, I don't act like a request is an imposition and I don't feel like they owe me something if I help them.  It's all work, it all needs to be done, and I'm getting paid to work; seems like a no-brainer.  Everyone knows they can come to me for help and I like that. 

Finally, having a healthy psychological presence in the practice is so important.  We've all worked with people who bring their baggage to work with them.  They seem to define themselves by their quirks and expect others to find it endearing.  It's not, it's usually annoying.  They seem to think that it's their God-given, legally protected right to be weird, and if we are unlucky enough not to catch it in the interview, we're stuck with them. If we really can't take it and we let them go, we're going to end up paying unemployment while they sit home watching The Price Is Right.  They may even manage to seem fantastic during the interview process, only to unleash their poor work ethic, entitlement attitude and generally unacceptable personality flaws soon after beginning to work. All of which would have been huge red warning flags slapping you in the head if they hadn't so carefully hidden them while they were sitting in your office convincing you that if you just gave them the chance they'd be a dynamic part of your hard-working team.

What I am finding, despite the poor economy, are people who want to spend the interview time telling me what I'll need to do to make them feel cherished and happy.  They are applying for an entry level position, but want to tell me what responsibilities they will assume, rather than show a willingness to progress by learning what we want to teach them in the time-line we have developed.  I'm sitting there listening to what they apparently consider the thoughts of a genius, and thinking, "Where are all the normal people hiding?"  Sometimes I even wonder if my boss has set up a hidden camera somewhere in my office, but I think Candid Camera has gone off the air.  I have developed an interview system that usually saves us from making hiring mistakes, but it's arduous and time consuming. 

I've heard that this is a great time to be hiring because there are a lot of talented people available due to cut-backs and lay-offs.  What I'm really seeing are people who are willing to take a job outside their area of interest until something they really want becomes available.  During the interview, if you ask them why they want to work in a dental office after attending nursing school, they'll tell you that they realized they don't like working in a hospital, but really love the dental environment.  Two months later, they may tearfully hand you their resignation when a nursing job is offered.  I understand that people need to do what is best for them, but it's made me harder to convince when the next person comes along.

I want to interview someone who will show an interest in becoming a hard-working member of a fantastic team.  I want someone who will not damage the culture of our practice with bizarre behavior and unreasonable attitudes.  In other words, someone with a great work ethic, a desire to serve our patients, and a pleasant and caring personality.  Anyone like that out there?  If so, click on comment, I'd like to interview you.

Leading Through Disappointment

I think the biggest challenge in managing a dental practice is hiring, training and keeping good staff.  It's as precarious a task as building a house of cards.  Pull one card out and the whole thing comes tumbling down.  Losing a staff member that I thought would be with us for a long time is a big disappointment for me.I thought we were there with a really strong staff that was on it's way toward being long term.  This morning, our roving assistant e-mailed me to tell me that she'd accepted a job as a scrub tech because she'd get better medical benefits.  I'd like to say my first thought was that I was happy for her to have that opportunity, but I'd be lying.  I was annoyed because I'd put time into her, believed her at her interview when she told me she didn't want to work in a hospital and could see herself with us for years, and know my effort was in vain because I'd have to start all over with someone new.  I'm disappointed because she was the best person we've had in that position and she didn't even give us a chance to counter with an offer of higher salary. 

I called and talked to my boss about it and his pragmatism helped me to see that although this is a huge inconvenience and disappointment, it's just the way it goes.  People will, and probably should do what is best for them.I know our staff will be disappointed and even a little annoyed, just like I was.  This always affects everyone.  We all have to chip in more, help guide a new employee and get used to whatever their new personality will bring to us as a team.  As a leader, I'll have to keep them focused on positive aspects of this situation.  Who knows who we'll find to take this position and what special benefits and side effects they'll bring with them.  I was reading this article about interviewing on Dave Rendalls Freak Factor blog and liked what he had to say about the side effects that people have  on a workplace.  He also says that we all have weaknesses in addition to our strengths and I'll admit, my initial despairing gut reaction to an employee quitting is probably my Achille's heel.  I immediately get flooded with negative thoughts in response to reading, "I'm sorry to say I'll be leaving."  Luckily, I have Dr. Morgan to counter that with his eternal optimism.  That's not to say he wasn't disappointed, as well, he just seems to have a resevoir of "pull your socks up and keep moving-ness" to draw from.  Knowing he'll back me up and support me in the challenges to come will help keep my socks up, too.

This employee was thoughtful enough to give us two weeks notice.  Now, I have often heard dentists say they won't accept the offer and want the employee out immediately.  I once had an employer try to force me to refuse the notice, but I talked him into letting her stay.  If an employee bears no ill will to the practice, they can be a major asset in helping train someone new, or at least keep things moving for two more weeks.  It will be odd to go in next week and tell the team that she is leaving while she's still there, but I hope that I will have the wisdom wo find a way to make it comfortable for everyone. 

It's always stressful to work with an incomplete staff, so I'll be working hard to find someone to take her place.  In the meanwhile, I'll be trying to find ways to keep our staff optimistic, knowing that while they may have to work a little harder for a while, it won't be forever.  We all have to realize that some employees will come and stay a long time and become a part of who we are as a practice.  Others will drop in, add a little flavor and move on.  It's not about who we are, it's about what they need and we'll wish them well.  We'll all keep our socks pulled up and if we have to, we're not above bending over and pulling up someone else's when they just can't do it themself at the moment.  And it's good to know we're stronger than a house of cards.  Pull one out and we may lean a little, but we keep standing.  Disappointment happens, and that's all it really is.

Are You Holding Back?

Disclaimer: This is a totally gratuitous, possibly a little boastful post.  I have it made, as do my co-workers.  We have an amazingly kind, fun, optimistic, totally wonderful boss. 
In these worrisome days of a dismal economic outlook, it seems that most people are focused on how bad things are.  Sometimes we have to take time to look around at the people we are with every day and realize we have a lot to feel good about.  For the past two days I kept getting the overwhelming feeling that I just needed to tell my boss how great it is to work with him.  I didn't want to come off as a kiss up, but when I thought about it I realized that we often have no qualms about criticizing or complaining, but we can feel squeamish giving a heartfelt compliment.  Maybe we just need more practice with it.  Why do we feel so awkward telling someone else how much we value them?  Why do we brush off the urge to say something nice?  We worry more that someone will think we're odd when we give a compliment than we worry about what they'll think when we say something negative.
I'm sure I looked completely goofy when I told Dr. Morgan that we have it made, but I'm glad I did it.  He looked so pleased and he immediately responded that he has it made, as well.  That sure feels better than complaining or blaming.  So, maybe it would be a good idea to make a habit out of giving truly felt compliments.  I say truly felt, because I don't want you to go around giving smarmy, insincere comments.  People see through insincerity and it makes them feel weird about you, so make sure you mean it.

Think about it, are you holding back?  Why?  Do you worry about how the other person will receive your compliment?  Do it anyway.  Even if they act uncomfortable, inside they love it.  Keep it up, you might get everyone else started.  Our staff really likes and supports each other and we don't mind letting each other know that.  We probably don't do it often enough though, so I'll need to expand it out to them.  We should never take having it good for granted.  If we don't have it so great, we should try to find ways to change that.  It has to start somewhere.  Why not with you?

Oh, Trust Me

Really listening and suspending one's own judgment is necessary in order to understand other people on their own terms... This is a process that requires trust and builds trust.                    ~Mary Field Belenky~

    How many times have you been in a relationship in which you felt like you'd developed a firm feeling of trust in the other person, only to find yourself feeling betrayed by them?  So many relationships in life seem to be based on a high degree of trust.  Your relationship with your spouse, your parents, your children, your friends, your co-workers, your boss...the list goes on and on.  You feel so sure you know the other person and that they understand what's important to you. 

    The problem is, a lot of what builds trust for you may seem perfectly reasonable and obvious, but the other person may not have a clue of how strongly you feel about it.  A lot of times when we are doing something, we just aren't clearly thinking about how someone else may be affected by it or feel about it.  We are full of expectations and beliefs that are as different from person to person as one snowflake from another.  What seems crucial to you, might seem inconsequential to the next person.  Can we really say which person is more right or rational?

    Trouble begins when we react immediately to what we perceive to be a callous disregard of our feelings, when it may really truly be a lack of awareness of the magnitude of importance a matter has for you.  More time is wasted, and problems instigated, by a rush to judgment, rather than a desire to understand.  When we immediately react with anger or hurt feelings we wipe out an opportunity to gain greater understanding, or to resolve a difference of style.  Rather we can rapidly escalate what may be a poor decision into an evil act of betrayal or careless inconsideration.

    What's the solution?  Wait a minute.  Really, 60 seconds can give you the chance to slow your heart rate and allow a few generous thoughts to germinate.  Wait 60 seconds more and those thoughts may take root and allow you to approach the situation from a more positive place.  You usually get what you're looking for in a conflict.  If you want to have a fight, you'll probably find one.  If you want peace, you will approach the other person amiably and usually find a peaceful solution.  You can let someone know where you're coming from, allow them to understand why would have liked to see a situation handled differently, without making them wrong or bad.  When you do that, it's likely that when that situation arises again, the other person will go out of their way to make it turn out right. 

    When you listen, rather than accuse you also save yourself from making yourself look silly.  How many times have you been absolutely certain someone deliberately disregarded your feelings, only to find out they really meant no harm at all.  If you had just asked, really wanting to hear what they were thinking, you could have saved both of you so much stress and hurt feelings.  Someone has to trust first, and by trusting, they increase trust for everyone involved.  When trust is consistently developed in a dental team, the culture of the practice becomes peaceful, supportive and caring.  Each aspect grows from the initial trust and the benefit is felt by the team and the patients.  How much trust do you have in your practice?  Can you begin to increase the level of trust between the members of your team?  What would you do to make that happen?

                                   

Successful Interviewing

  

  We've finally got our interview technique perfected, or at least we're getting really good at it.  We used to interview in a kind of rush.  Usually we'd be in a hurry because we were responding to a sudden need due to a poor decision made during a previous messy interview.  I used to feel like as long as the person had a good personality and seemed to have a good character, we could train the rest.  It's a popular thought right now.  It's wrong in some ways.
    Many times job candidates put their best foot forward in an interview and we are so happy to see how nice they look and how pleasant they are and we believe it on the spot.  We have to test them for depth.  Can the initial impression hold up when tested?
    As you know by now, I am blown away by the service at 131 Main, and the manager was nice enough to spend some time talking to me about how they develop such great staff.  The key is the interview process and the lock is the training process. 
    I took Jon's advice and used when I was interviewing for a new front desk assistant.  Recently I had two candidates for the position.  The first one was recommended to me by a dentist's wife.  She had been her husband's primary da for 15 years.  Something had happened that had caused her to leave and the wife still thought she was wonderful.  The other candidate was a woman who hand-delivered her resume.  She had no dental experience, but as I glanced at her resume I saw a strong letter of reference, so I decided I'd interview her.
    When the person arrives at the office I hand them a pad of paper and ask them to write 3 paragraphs; one telling me about themself, one telling me why they want to work in a dental office and one telling me what they'll bring to our practice if I hire them. 
    The person with experience laughed at me when I gave it to her.  Not a good start.  I started to imagine working with her and realized she was going to have to do something great to wipe away the initial cynicism.  The other person sat right down and started writing.  Once that task is finished I interview the person to try to understand their work ethic, attitude toward patients and other staff, and personality type.  The person with experience had no chance after a few sentences.  I predict she will have a very difficult time adjusting to any office she is hired in.  The other person, however, was starting to seem like a diamond in the rough.  She'd need some polishing, but she was going to shine.
    I brought her back for a second interview.  This interview is with my boss and myself.  It is a more in-depth interview and we ask a lot of questions.  The purpose is to see how the person handles themselves under pressure, to see if they are consistent, and to draw out information about past work experiences and expectations in this position.  Cathy, our new employee, handled all the questions with sincerity that you could sense was real and showed a calmness and warmth that we were looking for. 
    The third step in the process is a working interview.  This gives us a chance to see how the staff and some of the patients respond to her, and how quickly she learns basic tasks.  At the end of the day, we hired her, based not on emotion, but on information that we gathered throughout these three interviews. 
    We had to put our own work, time and effort into the hiring process to get what we wanted.  I will never hire on the spot because someone feels like they'd be great again.  Subjective impressions are just feelings.  To succeed in hiring, you needs the facts.

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. 

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?

Culture Of Trust

    

If you've ever dealt with a competitive or pushy staff member, this post is for you.  People like this frustrate everyone else and can quickly damage the culture of a practice.  The first thing to do is to try to understand them.  What is driving their behavior?  Are they trying to prove themselves, are they insecure, are they control freaks who only feel comfortable when they are guiding the action, do they need to be the center of attention, be the best, do they have very little consideration for the desires and sensibilities of others, and most of all, can they change? 
    An aggressive staff member will drive healthily assertive staff members nuts and will intimidate less assertive staff members. They are generally showboats who are constantly showing the boss and patients how wonderful they are.  What the boss and patients aren't seeing is the fact that they are pushing everyone else to the side to show just how great they are.  They become a distraction and a source of constant irritation for everyone. 
    A major effect of people like this is that they discourage and anger good staff and eventually cause them to become disengaged if they see that no one is going to stop the aggressive person.  The longer you wait to react, the harder it will be.  These people are masters of deception and spin and can make it very difficult to stop them.  They will defend every offensive action as an attempt to help.  They will tell you they just want to help the "team" when what they are doing is damaging team morale.  The best way to deal with a pushy team member is to push back immediately and firmly.  Let them know that it's not ok.  Then help them find ways to redirect their efforts so that they can integrate better with the flow of the team.
I read an essay that quoted the following excerpt from an article.  I think it could be a good thing to incorporate into daily practice life.

We live in a competitive culture. Most of the time it takes the form of harmless fun—we enjoy sporting events, board games, and other contests that pit one against another. But when a competitive spirit invades our daily lives and our relationships with others, it can lead to feelings of jealousy, resentment, and self-doubt.

Those who have found true peace have learned to step off the merry-go-round of competition. It’s not easy—quick fixes seldom work. But there are a few things we can do, a few truths we can remember, that can make a difference in our life and in our heart.

Not long ago, a learned professor needed to have some plumbing work done in his home. He was amazed at how much the plumber knew about pipes—and how little he, with all his academic training, knew about the subject. No one knows everything about every topic; it’s not possible—or even necessary, if we’re willing to work with instead of against each other. We each have areas of strength and expertise. Search for yours, and then build on them.

Be committed to lifelong learning. Instead of competing with others, learn from them, appreciate them. You can always expand your knowledge, develop a skill, and share a talent. This can open your heart to others and create a sense of humility, as you learn that everyone you meet can teach you something you didn’t know.

When we’re tempted to compare ourselves to others, it helps to remember that we never know the whole story of anyone’s life. All we can do is love, be patient, and be kind. We’re all in this together, and we need each other.

In sports, there can be only one winner, and in order for one to win, everyone else has to lose. But life doesn’t have to be that way. Truly, we can all win when we open our hearts in abundance to others.

Finding the way to bring this non-competitive spirit into your practice will take patience and work.  I think it is worth it to work in a practice culture of unity and peace.  When all see that the greatest impact is ofter made in a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and trust, that's when you have the right culture in your practice.

Office Managers Need Love, Too

   

Office managers often have it tougher than you think they do.  I can only speak for myself, but I 'd like to spend most of my time thinking about ways to improve service to our patients.  The rest of the time I'd like to be paying attention to how everything is functioning.  That includes paying attention to staff matters.  When a staff member or members cause me to spend most of my time focusing on them, that's when problems seem to arise.  The reason for that is; as adults I would like to be able to count on them to reinforce my efforts toward patient care and practice success, not to divert my attention to petty issues or insubordination. 
    Doctors, if you have a good office manager, you might not realize just how much she is dealing with.  She needs your support.  I consider myself very lucky because my boss supports me completely.  Let's start there, because it's a two-way street.  Managers, you have to prove yourself worthy of that kind of trust.  You have to think and act in ways that make you step outside of the box and really see what is going on with everyone.  Then you must respond in a way that offers a win-win solution.  Doctor, when you see that happening you must also realize that there are so many intricate little dramas at work beyond what you actually see, that your manager is dealing with, dissecting and evaluating.  It is mentally exhausting at times.  If you have a good manager, I guarantee that many times when you think she is being too quiet, or even moody, she is actually in her own head trying out solutions to whatever problem she is currently solving.  Give her time, understanding and support her and she will repay you with even more dedication and loyalty.
    Finally, managers often spend most of their time supporting and encouraging everyone else.  They promote the practice and the dentist and take on a lot of the awkward, difficult and unpleasant tasks.  They are often the bad cop and the one to deliver difficult messages.  Remember that every now and then, they need you to sit them down and list a few of the attributes that make them outstanding and make you thankful that they work for you.  For a really good manager, a few minutes of praise and thanks is all the fuel they need to get them through months of trials, tribulations, triumphs and successes.  It will inspire and encourage and you will find that a small investment of time and self on your part will be paid back many times over in effort and renewed energy.

...And Then What?

    In my last post I quoted Dr. Henry Cloud from his book, Integrity.
"Character = the ability to meet the demands of reality."
Let's talk about what we need to meet the demands of reality.  I've thought about our most recent group of new employees a lot in the last week.  The major lack was that they could not or would not pull anything out of themselves to give to the practice.  My real feeling is that the reason for that is that there was no depth of character.  Everything was superficial.  One of my main frustrations in hiring, especially in the last few years, has to do with the fact that the person who presents for the interview often seems to be an entirely different person than the one who shows up for the job.  It truly amazes me, even though I have come to accept it.  I finally realize it's a lack of depth on a few levels. 
    First of all, do they think I'm stupid?  Don't they realize that I get the fact that they obviously know and understand what traits and responses are desirable in an employee.  That's why they interview so well.  Now, don't they realize that when they show me that they understand what I desire, I'm going to expect that when they are an employee?  So, that tells me that they lack a certain depth in thinking things through.  One thing I tell new dental assistants to think is "...and then what?"  Whenever you're assisting, don't just sit there and watch and wait for the dentist to tell you what he needs, always think for yourself and anticipate what he'll need.  When people interview well and get hired they should also think, "...and then what?"  If they would only do that maybe they'd think, "The first step was getting the job, the next step is learning the job."  ...And then what?  "The next step is working hard."  "Seeing what needs to be done and doing it."  "Retaining what I've been taught and putting it to use."  "Becoming proficient and efficient in my job."  "Becoming a valued member of this team."  Developing an ownership mentality."  "Becoming indispensable."  ...and then what?  "Receiving recognition and praise."  "Job security."  "Being trusted with more and varied responsibilities."   "Developing influence."  "Being rewarded." 
    The problem is that often, new employees don't want to do their ...and then what?, but they expect the employer and manager to give them the ...and then what? that would have followed great performance.  That's when things get messy and the drama starts.  When the employee fulfills their ...and then what, and the employer answers with their corresponding ...and then this, there won't be any drama.  There will be a happy team working together productively.
    Do we as managers and employers have a right to expect to see results before we reward?  You bet we do.  Do we have a responsibility to try to understand our employees psyches and challenges?  Only to the point that the understanding helps us encourage the employee, and allows us to understand how to help the employee develop the skills and thought processes that will help them succeed in the job.  The danger in getting too deep into all that is that it can distract us from the real reason the employee is there.  If we change our expectations (..and then whats?) because of an employees insecurities or weaknesses, we may take away challenges, and therefore, growth opportunities for the employee.  Growth is the ...and then what?, that follows challenge.  We create weak employees and weak teams when we stop developing our employees and expecting them to meet new challenges.   ...And then what? 

The Lack

   

As you've surely surmised by now, we've been having a bit of trouble identifying good team members to fill some positions in our office.  Given the state of the economy, you'd think people would be camping out on the steps.  You'd think they'd be happy to have a job once they were hired.  Stop thinking, you'll just hurt your brain, today's workforce doesn't think the way we think they do. 
    A reader, who happens to be a dentist commented on my Bad Company post yesterday.  I had said that if a staff member has a bad attitude, it won't work out.  She says she has a staff member who has a good attitude, but this person is needy and constantly breaking and losing things.  She finds herself avoiding this staff member for the last 7 months.  That makes her staff member bad company.  Any consistent, persistent, negative feeling about a staff member makes them bad company for you.  I'm not saying you shouldn't try to talk to them, you should.  The mistake we make is that we talk to them, and when nothing changes we blame ourselves.  We take the responsibility for the problem and wonder how we should have stated the issue in a way that they could understand.  We keep re-approaching the same problem in different ways and getting the same response from the employee.  That's the definition of insanity, and while we're all going insane, the rest of the staff and our patients are waiting, watching and feeling the strain.
    One thing that drives me almost to despair is the fact that the person I interviewed and hired, rarely shows up for the job.  Oh, they are actually the same person, but the good employee disguise is off.  The thing that is really disturbing about this is the deceptive factor involved.  The applicant obviously knows what employers are looking for because that is what they present themselves to be at the interview.  One thing I've learned: don't, as the interviewer, state what kind of employee you are looking for, ask them for examples of past performance that they feel will make them the kind of employee you want.  I tend to talk about teamwork, and of course they say they want to be part of a strong team.  I talk about character and of course, they become junior philosophers because in the course of talking to them about character, I've given them insight into what I want.  It's a shame it has to be so psychological, but that's what I'm finding.  There's even a dentist I've heard of that pays a clinical psychologist to do personality tests on himself and his team and then he does one on new prospects and decides if they will be a good fit.  It's that important, because, as I can attest to, a bad fit is misery.
    We keep hearing, hire for character, not skills; you can train skills, but you can't train character.  How about the total package?  Can't we hire that?  Is it too much to expect that someone will be trained and adept and also possess a good set of character traits?  Are we too worried about what our patients will think, so we keep bad company around too long,  just so they won't think it's us?  I face that head on and write about our trials and tribulations in our newsletter.  I let our patients know that we are willing to go through it all to identify the best people to take care of our patients.  Most are very understanding and say that as long as our core team is there, they feel fine about it.
    So, where's the lack?  The lack is character.  The lack is having the right attitude, skills and character in the same person.  The lack is integrity which allows a person to have good skills and maintain a good attitude about having great skills so that they are not constantly wanting more or dropping subtle hints about better opportunities.  It's finding people who want to be part of a culture, not just a name on a paycheck. 
    In his book, Integrity, Dr. Henry Cloud has this to say about character ~"Character=the ability to meet the demands of reality.  The demands that reality brings are many and varied."  In my next post I'm going to begin to explore the variety of demands that reality places on our character.  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I didn't handle everything perfectly with this situation either.  The difference is I wanted to and I tried to.  I was open to discussion and had the offer thrown back at me.  That is a major sign of a lack of integrity.  Integrity in a team means making it all work together despite differences.  It only works if everyone wants it to work.  One break in the chain, makes a broken team.  Stay tuned and keep sending in those comments. 

Bad Company

    Have you ever had house guests that seemed like they had come straight from hell?  I think we all have, and I think we can all relate to the feeling of absolute relief that accompanies their departure.  Not only do you experience the well-being of getting your house back, it makes you appreciate how great you've got it. 

    You've probably experienced the same feeling when you've hired the wrong person to work in your practice.  Just like we tolerate the bad house guest, we often tolerate the poor employee long past the time that we should have asked them to leave. 

    How can you tell you have some bad company in your practice?  If you find yourself avoiding the person or if you just feel uncomfortable in your own practice, you've got bad company.  Invite them to leave.  It won't get better.  It's one thing to observe behaviors or misconceptions that need to be changed.  Often you can talk about that and make it work.  Bad attitudes only change when it hurts too much to continue in the same way.  If you have an employee with a bad attitude, I'm sorry to tell you, you're probably one of the lessons they have to learn from.  Look at it this way, by letting them go, you are the first step in helping them learn how to get along in the workplace.

    Does that sound harsh?  I'm sure it might.  I'm a person who likes to work things out, but you have to protect the culture of your practice.  It takes a lot of work and commitment to achieve a great practice culture.  As leaders, we owe it to our teams and our patients to do what we can to keep our culture healthy. 

    Just like it feels absolutely freeing to wave goodbye to bad company as they drive away from your home, you will realize the same feeling as you watch the door close behind bad company in your practice. If you find yourself walking down the halls with your shoulders hunched hoping you won't have to interact with someone on your staff, you know what to do.  Wave goodbye to your bad company.

Aha! They Might Love Work

    Do you have a staff member that seems blah?  Well, if she's just not going to be an enthusiastic team member, you'll have to let her go.  That's what the consultants and experts say, right?  Well, think again, she might be in the wrong position.  If you like her in general, but just don't get her attitude, talk to her.  We recently hired three new employees due to unexpected staff disintegration because of retirement and health issues.  I know the old adage hire slow, fire fast.  Well, I guess I reversed that this time around.  I didn't have time to hire slow because there's only so much of me to go around.  I can't do all the jobs in the office.  Here's how it went:
    I put an ad on Craigslist.  This is the only way I'll place an ad in the future.  I received about 30 replys.  Of those thirty I interviewed about ten people in person.  Of those ten I hired three. Of those three, I like them all, they all have great hearts and kind, caring personalities.  You've heard it before, those are the things you can't train.  None of them have dental experience, so they're blank slates. 

    Starting out I felt that one would be perfect for the assistant position, one would be great at the front desk and the third would do well as a cross-trained assistant, helping wherever she's needed. Well, you know what they say, "We plan, God laughs."  The person who I thought would be great at the front desk was deflating before my eyes.  My first thought was, "Oh boy, did I misjudge her, she's going to be a disappointment."  The only thing was, when she was away from the front desk, I saw the person I hired.  The cross-trained assistant was excellent whenever she helped at the front desk.  I wanted these three positions and I didn't want to fire the unhappy front desk assistant and start over.  I finally asked her if she'd like to try working in the back as the cross-trained assistant.  She jumped at the chance.

    Within one day I knew I'd found my solution.  By the end of the day she'd organized the lab.  All models that weren't needed soon were catalogued and put away.  I went over our lab storage system with her and she got everything placed where it needed to be.  She began trying to pour models and make matrices after watching me do it, and did very well.  She checked with the front desk assistant periodically to see if she needed help, and helped out when she did.  Best of all, she and the other assistant worked pleasantly and companionably together all day.  They made sure the patients were seated on time and made them comfortable.  I've decided to train both to share the cross-trained duties and chairside assisting equally. 

    We had been about to let this employee go.  She wasn't what we wanted in a front desk assistant.  I'm glad I thought outside the box and pictured her doing something else.  In the end, we all win.  Don't be too fast to let go of an employee that has good attributes, but who doesn't seem to fit her position.  See if you can plug her in another capacity.  Maybe someone else would like a change and could switch positions with her.  In our case, it worked.  We get to keep someone we like and avoid launching a search for a new employee.  She gets to keep a job.  In the end, she didn't like the work she started with, but it looks like she loves the work she's got now.

Have A Heart

I finally figured out how to define the elusive quality I'm looking for when hiring new staff members.  I want them to have a heart for the practice.  When I say practice, that encompasses the dentist, the patients, and the team.  For the first time, I've noticed that overwhelmingly, candidates are asking about pay, benefits and "what's in it for me", on the phone when I'm trying to set up an interview.  They are coming to the interview and telling me that they expect certain things and want a time line for pay increases.  One person actually told me that she so enjoyed working at her last practice that we'd have "a high bar to meet" if we wanted to make her happy to work with us.  Huh?  Did someone flip things around when I wasn't looking?  Isn't she supposed to try to meet our expectations?
   
    Now, I guess you could say that they have what we're looking for, skills, experience, the willingness to get out of bed in the morning and grace us with their presence.  Realistically, it's a two-way street, we have the position available and the paycheck that goes with it.  We could go back and forth for days over who has the upper hand, but if we did, I don't want you here.  Plain and simple.  I don't want someone in our practice who doesn't have a heart for the practice.  I don't want someone who is sitting there going through the motions until it is time to go.  I don't want someone who distracts herself from what she may consider boredom in her job,  by reading magazines that she shoves into a drawer when someone is coming.  I don't want someone who chats on the phone,  surfs the internet or texts her significant other and thinks she got away with something.  I don't want someone who is more concerned with her next pay increase than with what she can do to make the next patient who walks in the door feel special.

    What do I mean when I say I want someone who has a heart for the practice?  I want someone whose service comes from inside.  Someone who can do no less than her best because of how it makes her feel.  A person who sees a patient and thinks, "What can I do to make her time in our office even better?"  Someone whose face lights up with delight when I tell her how much I appreciate the effort she puts into the personal side of her service to our patients.  Someone who feels as lucky to be a part of our team and practice as we feel to have her.  I want people who don't think it's nerdy to care, or even if they do, don't care if they're nerdy.  I want people who inspire our patients to refer the people they care about because they want the best for them and believe that in our practice, that's what they get.  I want people who understand what our boss risks every day just by owning a dental practice and asking people to come there and work on our patients.  There's a huge amount of trust, reliance and hope involved in that.  I want people who do the best they can because they don't know any other way to be. I want people who say "Our practice", who pick up lint on the floor rather than step on it.   I want to see sincerity shine from their faces and compassion apparent in their words and deeds.  I want to work with those people.  People who have a heart for the practice.

 

Toughing It Out

    So, sometimes the going gets tough like it did for our practice last week.  There are times, when it just seems like everything you work so hard to build up can just evaporate.  The temptation is there to just toss in the towel.  It would be so much easier for the moment to just admit to being beaten.  But, then where would you be?
    People who care enough to develop great teams, do it because that's what they believe in and that's how they want to work.  We may be tempted to give up but, we won't. I was really surprised and dismayed when our hygienist gave her resignation last Thursday.  It felt like a disaster in the midst of everything else that was happening.  A week later she has changed her mind and asked to stay.  Part of me wondered how this could ever work but, then I remembered this quote:

Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless"

                                                                                        ~Thomas Edison~

    That hygienist didn't do what I'd planned, but she's not useless.  We probably have to look at what didn't work for her, and also, what didn't work for us.  Sometimes the employee that's welcomed back can become you're most loyal team member. 

    In the meantime our new receptionist is proving to be a quick study, a hard worker and a great team member.  Next week we'll welcome a new assistant to our team.  We'll all work together to get her trained feeling good about her job.  We are all toughing it out in our own way.  Some have added to the stress, but in the end, they just gave others a chance to shine and show their loyalty to the practice. 

    Nothing worth having ever comes easy.  Even once you're there, you have to keep calibrating and tweaking to keep a good thing going.  You know things are going well when hard times come as a surprise.  Just keep looking up and you'll be back on top before you know it.

When The Going Gets Tough

    One thing I've been really proud of in our practice is the strength of our staff.  We've worked together very well, we supported and liked each other, and we worked hard to get it that way.  We went through a practice transition without a blip and things were going great; until the last month or so.  First our receptionist retired.  Then our dental assistant decided she doesn't like assisting after all.  Now our hygienist has decided she wants a change.  We're down to myself and the other hygienist as the only remaining original staff.  To say I'm disappointed and disheartened would be an understatement.  I put so much into staff development that this comes as a blow to me.
   But, now I realize as I write, that I'm full of it.  Here I am, feeling ready to throw in the towel and ignoring my own advice.  That is: You can't control what other people do, you can only control your own reaction and that will determine the outcome.  That didn't come back to me a moment too soon.  Throughout the day I found myself thinking I didn't have the energy to start over with a new group.  I felt that I'd let my boss down.  I wondered if he thought less of me.  I wondered if I was even fit to lead a team.
    So, let's put my own advice to the test. 1. Our receptionist retired and after a few false starts I've hired a new young lady to take her place and she started today. 2. The dental assistant decided she didn't like assisting.  I know that I tried my hardest to help her succeed, but no one can make someone enjoy a career if they don't. I've hired a very nice new person to teach dental assisting and I think she'll do very well. 3.The rdh wants a change.  Everyone has to do what's best for them.  All I can do is wish her well and search for a new hygienist. 4. I don't have the energy to start over.  I do, if I take it one step at a time.  I owe it to this group to lead them with enthusiasm and dedication.  Of course I can do that. 5. I thought that I'd let my boss down.  My boss sees what I do for the practice, our patients and our staff.  He understands that these events are out of our control. 6. I wondered if he thought less of me.  I asked him and he assured me that he doesn't.  I choose to believe him so I can move forward productively. 7. I wondered if I was fit to lead a team.  I've done it successfully for the last 5 years.  It's these difficult times that make us see what we're made of.  I'm hoping I'm made of some good stuff.
    I know this: nothing is guaranteed.  I also know this:  the higher you build something, the further it will fall when and if it does, and the crash will be more devastating and awesome than something average.  I hope this:  that the memory of something special that is lost will be dear enough to cause the desire for re-building.  That the trust and confidence my boss has placed in me will be the impetus for giving it my all in developing a new team.  That now that the going has gotten tough, I'll be tough enough to keep going.
    I've always said that a big part of why I write this blog is to help others learn from my mistakes, trials, success and triumphs.  It's not easy to write about my failures, but if someone who's going through the same thing reads this and feels less alone, I can deal with the discomfort.  A friend told me I'll look back on all this a year from now and recognize it as an opportunity.  I plan to prove her right.  Hey, if we always win we forget about the excitement of standing up after a sucker punch.  If Rocky can keep coming back for more, so can I.  I guess I'll go another round after all.

What Gets Rewarded, Gets Repeated

    I notice that there are a lot of conflicting feelings about staff bonuses and salaries.  Some people feel that bonuses motivate staff.  Some think that it just backfires and creates an entitlement mentality. 
    I have always been the kind of person who works hard and does the best job I can because it's the right thing to do.  It satisfies me.  I've also believed that a staff that has to have a bonus in front of them to accomplish good work, is a staff that being encouraged to focus on what's in it for them. It also deteriorates into everyone watching what the other person is doing.  Since a lot of people think they work harder than the next person, that can cause problems.  I do believe that everyone appreciates money and will continue to work harder when they are fairly compensated.  I also believe that if you choose a healthcare profession, you should find value in working for the benefit of the patient.  That should come before worrying if the goal is met or if Mary is pulling her weight to get us there.
    I also think that bonuses that don't recognize the differences between efforts can reinforce a weak team member in mediocrity and discourage a strong team member with the anonymity of not recognizing their extra effort. It just won't feel fair to the employee who gives more. It can become a well meaning snowball that ends up in an avalanche of demotivation, entitlement and resentment.
    I find that what gets rewarded, gets repeated.  If a hard working staff member looks at the less inclined co-worker next to her and feels that her efforts didn't matter, you may be lowering the bar with what you hoped would raise it.  If you can't differentiate between the amount of reward the two should receive, soon enough you may find you can't differentiate between the way they work anymore either.  I believe in rewarding individual and group effort, but show me the work before you ask me to show you the money.  If someone is not contributing, they should not share in the reward.  Maybe they shouldn't even be there.
    People who work hard count on those who benefit to recognize that and be fair to them.  So many times we hear employers bemoaning the fact that it's hard to find good employees.  Maybe a good work ethic can't be trained, but it can be beaten into submission by disregard and disillusionment.  Reward what you want repeated; good or bad, either way you'll get it.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!!!

"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it."          ~Douglas Adams~

     Time is money and no one feels like they have enough of either these days.  I recently corresponded with a hygienist who is worried because she can't seem to get her patients finished in under an hour.  She was wondering if it was ok to leave stain and plaque on the teeth if she got sub-gingival calculus off.  Where are we in our thinking if we have a dedicated hygienist thinking that she has to weigh the least offensive way to leave a prophy uncompleted in the effort to finish in under 60 minutes? 
     We've gotten to the point in some dental practices where we look at our staff members and patients as production numbers.  One hygienist times ten prophies a day, equals the hygienists worth to the practice?  Is it worth it to hire another assistant?  Will she make up for her salary in production?  Never mind that the sole assistant is working herself into early burn out and going home and collapsing on the couch with no energy left to live a normal life.  As a dentist, do you feel an urgency to beat your productions numbers from the year before every year and do you run yourself into the ground, or raise your fees to a point that patients are leaving, to do it?  What kind of life is that? Who's enjoying it? Remember, in the end, we all end.  It's what happens in the middle that counts.  It's your life, and you have the ability to make it enjoyable.

     That hygienist got me thinking about what her day must be like.  I thought about how her concern about fitting her work into a time period that doesn't fit her, may affect her interactions with her patients.  Speed doesn't always equal efficiency because it doesn't allow for the personal aspect.  I'd rather have a hygienist take a little longer because she is inspecting every surface and groove on every tooth rather than writing her grocery list in her head as she works.  In other words, I'd rather have a hygienist who works with intention and takes a little longer, than one who skims over every tooth with a hit or miss approach and then shrugs when the dentist pulls a hunk of chicken out of an interproximal and pointedly wipes it onto the patient napkin.  I want the hygienist with a mission, not the hygienist whose only mission is to get done and out on time.  I'll give the first hygienist more time because in the end she's going to educate our patients and be a partner in co-discovery with the dentist, bringing the patient into the process.  

     Hurrying makes an impact on the atmosphere of the office.  I'm not saying that you should act as if you and your patients have all day either.  Efficiency, according to Webster, means being productive of desired effects.  When you look at yourself and your staff, decide what the effect is that you desire from yourself and them.  Look at each individual and decide if they can do what you need them to do.  Then see what they need to be able to perform well and weigh that against the value you and your patients will receive from them having that.  If you have to expect a hygienist to see nine patients instead of ten, the production lost from that one appointment may be more than made up for in the quality of her work, the satisfaction of the patient from the experience, the treatment she may help the patient understand and want, and the word of mouth advertising that nine pleased patients a day will produce.  Production numbers can't always be written down on paper.  A smart person knows that there's more to it than ink on paper.  It's the feelings that are generated, the good will that's created and the satisfaction in doing a worthy thing well, without angst that let's you close the door quietly behind you at the end of the day.  It's having energy and spirit to enjoy the life that waits on the other side of that door that is the biggest benefit.

Stop Talking So You Can Learn

    One of my biggest frustrations is trying to give feedback and being met with defensiveness and excuses.  Of course, there's often a little blaming going on, too.  My frustration is that I have to wait through all that before I can even hope to get my message across.  It's human nature to enjoy hearing good things about ourselves.  We all love that.  It's also very human to want to jump in with explanations or deflections when the feedback is critical.
    The problem is that it wastes time and doesn't produce anything.  Rather than explaining or blaming, you can learn to be better by working toward a solution.Talking about problems doesn't have to become another problem in itself.  First, remember that the person who is giving the feedback is probably overcoming some anxiety to approach you to begin with.  No one likes to tell another person that they are not performing satisfactorily because we know all about human nature.  Then realize that if no one told you about what you could do better, it would take a lot longer for you to progress.  We often cannot see problems that lie within ourselves. 
    When someone approaches you with an issue that needs to be addressed, be all ears.  Ask for suggestions for improvement.  Put some ideas of your own out there.  Be a part of the solution.  Don't argue, you'll just be spinning your wheels.  It's the same with patients.  I've said it before, you can't win an argument with a patient.  You'll have more success if you listen empathetically, ask the patient what would make the situation better and let them know you want to work it out.
    So give your vocal cords a break and stop talking and start listening.  It's a compliment to be given critical feedback.  It means that the person talking to you has faith in your ability to improve.  It's when you're doing something wrong and they stop mentioning it, that you have to start worrying.

The Exceptional Dental Practice- Why Good Enough Isn't Good Enough

    Just because you have a good team, doesn't mean your work with them is done.  Even if your staff has been with you for years or have been in the profession for a long time, it doesn't mean they can't improve or enhance what they do.  One of the most dismaying things I've ever heard a staff member say was, "I'm as good as I'm going to get."  My heart sank because I knew that her time with us was coming to an end.  A great team is full of people who ask, "What more can I do?"  rather than say, "That's good enough."
    I'm reading a very good book by M. William Lockard, Jr., DDS titled The Exceptional Dental Practice-Why Good Enough Isn't Good Enough.  Well, of course the title appealed to me immediately, I like exceptional things and people.  Dr. Lockard is a Pankey trained dentist and he has very thoughtful and well-defined systems in his book.  Having systems is not an attempt to be overly controlling with staff or to create automatons.  Rather, having systems gives staff a road map to success.  Dr. Lockard very clearly and succinctly sets up job descriptions and expectations.  I found that while reading this book new ideas are popping up regarding ways we can serve our patients better and make our working experience more gratifying. 
    He has a chapter on personality styles which lends so much insight into how patients and staff members think and suggests appropriate responses to their personality style.  You could have a great staff meeting on that chapter alone.  If you think about it, a mindful approach to interacting with patients and staff could save time, minimize stress and rescue relationships.
    Sometimes we present a new approach to staff and then assume it is being done.  Or maybe they adopt a new protocol, but as time goes by, they may slip up now and then until the new way of doing things disappears altogether.  That's when a manager may be tempted to just think "Oh well, I guess this is good enough."  If you find yourself thinking that, it's a clear indicator that you need to brush aside complacency and address the issue.  For instance, I want all our clinical personnel to escort their patient to the front desk at the end of their appointment, even the hygienist whose room is 10 feet from the front desk.  Why?  Because it's like walking a visitor to the front door of your home when they are leaving.  It's polite and it completes the patient's experience with you.  You wouldn't sit on the couch and wave a visitor off would you?  Also, the staff member can make sure that any necessary arrangements for a next appointment are clear to the receptionist.  It helps avoid the feeling of "I'm done with you, now go bother her."
    Managing a great team makes your job a little trickier.  The areas for improvement are harder to find.  You need to really watch for areas to tweak.  Small sentences can make a big difference.  Dr. Lockard suggests that the assistant tell the patient at the beginning of treatment, "We want to make sure that you have a comfortable experience today.  Please tell us if you are experiencing any discomfort, of if you need a rest."  That may feel awkward to the assistant at first, but she will soon see the effect it has on the patient and it will make sense.  She should feel free to vary the statement to keep it from sounding mechanical. 
    One thing that occurs to me while reading the book and considering the suggestions.  It is important to have enough staff and to have staff cross-trained so that they can help each other.  The assistant should not be listening to the patient with half an ear, just waiting until she can jump up to empty the autoclave.  The time reserved for the patient should be considered time reserved for the doctor and assistant to be uninterrupted, as well. 
    Every practice is different and when you read any book that is meant to help you improve, you should read it with an intention to discover ideas that will work for you.  You can take the basic idea and use it as is, or mold it to fit your preferences.  The important thing is that the book has it's basis in service to patients and The Exceptional Dental Practice is solidly based in patient care and in optimizing the patient's experience. I've given you just a few gems, but I've only scratched the surface.  I have it listed on my sidebar if you'd like to learn more about it, or contact Dr. Lockard at bill.lockard@sbcglobal.net

If you'd like to order the book you can go to Dr. Lockard's website at billlockarddds.com

Champion of Mediocrity

    What does it mean to be mediocre?   According to Dictionary.com it is the state of being, "of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate."  Is that what you want to be?  Of course not.  But, if that's what you accept from your team, it's what you will be.  When you accept good enough, you champion mediocrity. 

    Why are people willing to settle for mediocrity from themselves?  Well, I can only assume that either they are lazy, don't understand the personal satisfaction to be gotten from doing a thing as well as you can, don't care about what they are doing, don't care about who they are doing it for, don't feel appreciated, don't understand what a difference great would make as opposed to good enough, or they don't know what's expected of them.  The list could go on and on, but that's quite a run-on sentence I've got already.  My daughter would be appalled. (She has a Master's degree in creative writing, don't tell her about that sentence).

    Now, why are people willing to accept mediocrity from the people they lead?  I can tell you from personal experience that it is mainly fear and weariness.  We are afraid that if we push staff too hard, they will leave.  We are so weary of finding and training new staff that we let the fear take over.  I tend to fight the fear and deal with the consequences.  I can't tolerate watching a staff member bring down the level of performance of the whole staff.  That is what most people don't realize.  It is rare that the staff can drag a reluctant or lazy performer up to their level.  They will be dragged down because they can't keep up their own level of performance and cover for someone else at the same time.  That is when the problem escalates because you now have good performers exhausting themselves and resenting you for championing mediocrity.

    So, what can an owner or manager do?  Obviously there is a lot to figure out.  You can have one, many, or all of the above that you need to address.  I think one of the first things to do is explain your expectations.  This puts everyone on the same playing field and they start with the same opportunity to excel.  Then let them know what the result of failing or succeeding will be.  Then do it.  Push the fear aside and be real about it.  Give instruction where needed, but hold their feet to the fire.  Let them feel the heat when they are not living up to your expectations.  Compliment and reward whenever it is deserved.  By the way a reward can be something as simple as calling a staff member into your office and praising them and letting them know how much you appreciate and admire their work.  Appreciation and admiration go a long way toward job satisfaction.  Pay fairly and give little treats or bonuses when deserved.  A gift certificate for a manicure is not very expensive but makes a staff member feel special.  Everyone has their own style as far as bonuses and rewards go, just make sure yours is consistent. 

    Championing mediocrity?  You don't have to, unless being barely adequate is good enough for you.  But, remember if it is, that makes you mediocre, too.  It's not easy to push for the best from people, but it's worth it to get a great team.

Stalled Again

  

Have you ever had a team member that is just amazing in the first 6 months, and then they stop?  It's like they've run out of gas.  You're astonished, confused and finally dismayed because you thought that this was the one you'd always be able to count on, and now look what's happening!  Maybe it's just me, but I've seen it happen quite often.
    Since no one exists in a vacuum, let's examine this a little and see if we, as managers or supervisors have any role in this.  (Of course we do or I wouldn't be writing about it, would I?)  So, you are brilliant enough to recognize and hire a superstar.  She starts out great and you keep telling her how wonderful she is.  (and she believes you, so it's going to bite you in the butt later)  Every now and then you see a little laziness here, a little inconsistency there, but hey, no one's perfect and you don't want to upset this mega star.   About 3 months in you start to see her for a normal human being who has a great work ethic, but a few rough edges.  When you attempt to correct, she smiles and says she'll get right on it and you relax and think, "See, that was easy, it will all be perfect again."  Well, there is no perfect and if you think people can be perfect, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
    In reality, you have a good employee who may be able to be motivated to strive for excellence, but you have  a responsibility to be clear about your expectations, to be consistent in your feedback and in control of your own responses to her performance.  Even if you're jumping for joy inside, you have to be reasonable in your responses to her. 
    If you gush to her about how wonderful she is, she will feel that there is no room for growth or improvement.  Once the honeymoon period is over and day to day life ensues, that's when the imperfections that you'll want to address will become obvious.  If you've created an employee who thinks she's amazing just as she is, you'll have a struggle. 
    Does that mean you can't give a new employee high praise?  No, you should definitely let them know that they're doing a great job, but at the same time continue to put goals in front of them.  Goals are a great equilibrator.   They tell an employee that you believe in their potential, but at the same time, there's room for growth.  Give reasonable praise and encouragement consistently and you won't find yourself stalled again.

Excuses Don't Solve The Issue

    We're in a recession, right? That's why our schedule is open, right? Or maybe that's what your telling yourself or your staff is using as an excuse for a light schedule. Look around, people are still driving SUV's, they're still filling the restaurants in the evening rather than eating home. Jason and Jennifer are still being bought the latest video game and attending dance, karate and getting private one on one skills coaching for soccer. Yes, we're in a recession, but that only makes people re-evaluate their priorities.

    Make sure that they see dental care as the priority that it is. People tend to see a problem and look for an excuse, rather than a solution. If the schedule is light and you ask your staff what they think can be done, wait a few minutes. They'll come up with some impressive excuses, but rarely a solution. The reason is that people tend to react to a discussion of a problem defensively, rather than seeing that this is an opportunity to dive in and come up with solutions. Even if we can define the reason that a problem exists, without a solution we still have a problem.

    Many times you'll see holes in the hygiene schedule 6 months after a week of vacation. The hygienists weren't seeing patients that week so the corresponding 6 month recall didn't happen. We recognized that and our solution was to spread appointments out more the week before and to double up on new patients in the two weeks prior to vacation. Then when scheduling their 6 month recall, we scheduled them 6 months and a week.

     Now, we are having a recession, I'll admit that. I won't use it as an excuse though. It is more important now, more than ever to educate patients about the importance of their oral health. Let them know that prevention now can prevent expensive treatment later. Placing a crown on a compromised molar may prevent the need for a root canal or extraction a year from now. Don't invent treatment, meet the patient where they are, and recognize their ability to pay a fair fee and work with them. Dental care doesn't have to be expensive if care is accepted and provided before small concerns become big issues.

Teach Thinking

    Have you ever noticed what a thinking rut people can get into?  Some people seem to have a natural ability to see solutions and ways that will make everything work better.  They usually end up managing something or someone.  That's good, it uses that natural talent in a productive way.  What about the people who don't think outside the box very easily?  Is it something that can be learned, or are there two groups, the leaders and the led? 
    Do leaders encourage those they lead to be dependent on them so that they feel more secure?  Do they give up and just see it as their cross to bear?  Maybe those that are led like having the burden of seeking solution placed squarely on someone else's shoulders.  Sometimes people worry so much about making the wrong choice in an unusual situation that it paralyzes them in indecision.  Maybe they've tried to do something out of the ordinary in a pinch and got reprimanded when it didn't work out.
    So how can you get staff members to stretch outside their comfort zone?  I've even seen people squirm when a suggestion takes them into unfamiliar territory, even though any possible negative consequences are pretty benign.  We want what we know and we resist what is different.  Maybe the answer is to lead them through some possible dilemmas and see what suggestions they come up with.  Encourage them to think wildly outside the box.  Come up with some exaggerated worst case scenarios and let them figure out how they'd deal with those consequences. 
    If staff members can believe that it's safe to try to come up with solutions on their own, you may see the confidence they develop show up in other ways during the workday.  You may have to bite your tongue sometimes if you do this.  The thing about leaders is that we like to come up with answers.  We like to feel needed.  We have to be careful not to send mixed messages.  We can't make the staff feel like we want them to come up with solutions, but only if it's exactly what we would do.  If, as a leader, we can see growth in this area as a win-win for all of us, we might have just learned a new way of thinking ourselves.

First Reaction

    When there is a crisis in your practice, what is your first reaction?  Do you panic or think clearly?  How about your staff, do they run in circles in response to a critical situation or do they become a well-functioning group of responders?  If you've been lucky enough not to have faced a crisis yet, don't rest too easily.  Sooner or later you probably will.  If you've already dealt with an extremely stressful situation, you know how unexpected these things are and how people react if they've had no preparation for facing something out of the ordinary and frightening.
    Let's talk about an unruly person in the practice.  I've had this experience with a patient and also with a staff member's boyfriend.  In both instances the angered person did not feel that they were getting what they wanted and did not want to accept the fact that they wouldn't.  In both cases the other person became somewhat threatening.  I found it was best to remain in control of the situation, to keep other staff members within sight and aware of what was happening, and finally, to be willing to call the police if the situation did not resolve within a reasonable time.  Once the situation gets disruptive, repetitive or unreasonable, it's time to end it by escorting the offending person to the door or by calling the police.  To do less is to expose the patients and staff to undue stress and unreasonable risk.  Hopefully, most practice won't deal with this type of situation, but it does seem like many people put less restrictions on their behavior so the odds are higher that you will.
    Another dreaded experience is a patient or staff member with a health crisis.  I think most people's first reaction is to take themselves out of the situation, especially if they feel unprepared to deal with it.  People tend to react fearfully and are likely to panic which can turn normally pragmatic people into helpless, not to mention unhelpful individuals.  I have seen normally reasonable, intelligent people scatter and become almost incoherent in this situation.  Kind of a deer in the headlights scenario.  The way to avoid this is with preparation.  If this hasn't happened in your office yet, you're lucky, chances are it will to some degree.  Prepare your staff by spending time discussing the types of emergencies that may occur.  Figure out which staff members would be best able to help with CPR and which just wouldn't be able to stay calm enough.  Some of the less composed staff members should be assigned to call EMS, clear the reception area and wait for the responders.  Everyone can take part in helping, just make sure they know what their part is and feel comfortable with it.  Don't always count on the dentist to be the one to administer CPR, he could be the one who needs it.  Have at least two other staff members who are comfortable with and capable of administering life support until EMS arrives.
    Being prepared in advance takes away the unknown to some degree.  Remind the staff that their first reaction may be to panic, but encourage them to recognize it as a response that can be challenged and overcome.  It's easier if they have had a chance to practice and know what is expected of them.  Hopefully you'll never face this kind of stressful situation, but don't count on it.  It's better to practice and never need it, than to face a crisis a wish you did.

Pot Stirrers Not Welcome

    There is nothing more detrimental to a happy work environment than a pot stirrer.  You know, the kind of employee that makes little digs intended to start some drama.  Once the trouble starts, she is the first one running around trying to see how everyone feels about it.  In the event that she is confronted, she will cry to the boss about how mean everyone is to her when she only wants to help.
    I've seen more workplaces ruined by this kind of behavior.  Even the happiest, healthiest office can not survive intact if this is tolerated.  The best employees will either leave or become frustrated and resentful.  The tension will destroy the culture of the practice and the reverberations will be felt by anyone walking in the door.  Faces that were once open and pleasant will become stressed and drawn.  Laughter will turn into exasperated sighs.  Harmony will melt into discord.
    Employees should  be urged to confront this behavior and let the pot stirrer know that their antics are not appreciated and will not be entertained.  They should understand their responsibility for maintaining the healthy relationships and should not be drawn into this drama inciting behavior.
    Managers and dentists have a responsibility to the team and patients to recognize a pot stirrer for who they are and the damage they are capable of.  The only response to this behavior is a serious confrontation with the promise of dismissal if the behavior continues.  Pot stirrers tend to be manipulators and can turn the situation every which way to try to continue their behavior as well as their employment.  For the sake of the team and the health of the practice it is imperative to recognize the behavior, confront it and follow through with dismissal if it continues.  Anything less is detrimental to the team, the patients and ultimately the health of the practice. 

Shine On

    We all know how great it is to find a star among our staff members.  First let's define what makes a staff member qualify as a star.  She is the one who sets up rooms at night so they're ready in the morning.  She thinks ahead whether she is assisting chairside, handling inventory, scheduling patients or anticipating the needs of a nervous patient.  She is always aware of what is best for the patients, best for the practice, and best for the team.  She really cares and is always trying to find better ways to do things and always open to learning more and improving her skills.  She gets along with others, helps her teammates and celebrates their victories.  She's self-motivated and doesn't need constant prodding or monitoring.  She's a pleasure to have around.  She's not conceited or petty and she is loved by the patients and staff.
    How do you keep her shining on?  You let her know how great you think she is and every now and then, you thank her for what she does for your practice.  She doesn't need that to make her keep doing what she does.  That's in her, she can't be any other way.  She needs it to shine.  You can have an employee with all the above attributes, but if you never acknowledge or appreciate it, she'll become discouraged and dismayed.  She'll lose her shine and before you know it, you'll have a martyr with a lot of great attributes.  She'll feel like her efforts don't matter in your practice and she'll become unhappy.  It doesn't have to be that way.  It takes so little to make an employee like this shine.  A kind word of thanks, noticing the special things she does, and just telling her she makes the day better will do it. 
    It often takes so little to encourage our team members, yet we often neglect or avoid giving thanks and encouragement.  We lose nothing when we give to others.  We build a bank account of good will and set up a savings fund of tolerance and understanding that we can draw from on those days when we are not our best selves.   We have choices in everything we do and making the choice to appreciate those who come to work every day and give it their best is always a good idea.

Building A Great Hygienist

    You know what you have to do, make your list.  Ok, got it?  Now this might be the tricky one.  You might have a hygienist who has many years of experience.  Or, you may feel that she is not going to welcome your ideas about what you need her to be.  In many practices, hygienists are looked at as somewhat separate from the rest of the team.  If that's the way it is, get ready for change.  If you set your hygienist, or she sets herself, apart from the team, on a different level, you will never really have a complete team.  You will have a team and a hygienist.  It may be good, but it won't ever be great.

    We have two hygienists with 17 and 19 years experience.  They were already pretty good team players.  When we decided to make our team exceptional, they came right along with us.  We've all heard the stereotypical prima dona description that seems to be velcroed to hygienists because of the actions and attitudes of a few.  If you entered our office at the end of a workday, you would not be able to single out the hygienists from the rest of the staff.  One might be cleaning up the lab, while the other might be in the kitchen washing dishes.  They get done sooner than the assistant because they only have one room to clean, but when they're done there, they go and help the assistant finish her rooms.  When they have downtime in their schedule, they help with other things in the office.

    How'd we build them?  We talked about what we wanted our practice to be like.  We took ownership and we want the culture of the practice to feel good for our patients and ourselves.  We all work happier because we work together.  Our hygienists know that no one is feeling resentful towards them because they work together with the rest of the team.  Expect this from your hygienist and you will build a great one, too.

Buiding A Great Dental Assistant

     Ok, get out your pen and paper.  Make your list of all the things that you would want to have in a dental assistant.  This position often has the most untapped potential of all.  Here is what my list would look like and why:

1.  Loves assisting - I don't want to put a lot of work into someone who is going to leave and go to hygiene school.  I want someone who wants to keep learning and improving and who really enjoys coming to work every day.  That spreads out into everything she does.

2.  Enjoys serving others - I don't want someone who sees service as servitude.  I don't want someone who resents what is asked of them.  I want someone who looks for ways to give the extra that makes us special. 

3.  Compassion and Empathy - I want someone who will look past a patient's bad mood and find a reason to like them.  I want her to be able to care about how people feel and who wants to make it a little better.

4.  Intelligence - I like to hear an assistant who is able to answer patient's questions and who can speak with proper grammar.  We all reflect on the practice and on our boss's judgement so I want everyone to be shining examples of good taste and character.

5.  Integrity - Speaking of character, integrity ties the whole picture together.  It's the Australian Sheep Dog of all the character traits.  If you have integrity, you probably have many of the others.  Integrity means that you do the right thing.

6. Good Chairside Skills - Or the desire and capacity to improve.  A good chairside assistant makes the worklife of a dentist much easier and impresses the patients.

7.  Honest Communication - I've seen some employees in other offices who feel that they have great communication skills, but they come off as phony.  There is one office that has a young woman that calls me babydoll every time I talk to her, it drives me crazy.  I don't want anyone to drive our patients crazy.  I want our staff to be warm and welcoming as well as professional. 

8.  Sense of Humor - Dealing with patients can be stressful.  I don't want an assistant who will walk around feeling put upon or grouchy.  I want someone who can laugh and be easy with everyone and help keep tension under control.

9.  Team Player - I want someone who realizes that her best success comes when she joins her effort with the rest of the team.  She worries more about getting the job done well, than about who gets the credit.  She shares what she knows with others because she realizes that knowledge shared is knowledge squared.

10. Someone Who Lives Up To Their Potential -In the book, The 7 Habits of Exceptional People, Steven Covey talks about P/PC.  That is Production vs. Production Capability.  I want someone whose production matches her capability to produce.  I want someone who is encouraged and excited about the fact that when they meet their goals, their potential expands to make room for new growth and new goals. 

     I'm sure there are others, but those are big to me.  How do you build an assistant like that?  You tell her what you want and then you expect to get it.  If you don't get it, you let her know and reinforce your expectations.  You show appreciation when she lives up to it and you cheer her on.  You let her know that she makes things better.  Make sure her salary is a reflection of her abilities and of what she brings to the office.  Building and keeping a great assistant will make your practice a place you enjoy going to every day.

Building A Great Front Desk

    This will be the first line of every part of this series:  Sit down and make a list of what's important to you about this position.  What character traits should the person who fills this position possess? 
    This is the person who will be the first and last impression every patient gets of your practice at every visit.  What will make that impression not only good, but good enough to make them tell other people about it.  Since the first contact is usually made by phone, it would be desirable to have a warm, sincere manner on the phone.  She must be able to make decisions based on what the patient is telling her and must be able to ask questions that give her a clear idea of whatthe patient needs. 
    While she's on the phone, other patients may be arriving at the office while others are coming to the desk to check out.  So she must be able to keep her cool and not get flustered.  She must have the patience to deal with insurance claims and the tenacity to follow up when there are delays.  She has to have the nerve to ask patients to pay their fee, tempered by graciousness. 
    How do you build this person?  Start out with someone with the promise of having or developing these traits.  Ask questions at the interview that will let you see if they exist in the candidate.  Develop a basic job description that can grow as the staff member grows.  State expectations and set goals.  Recognize and celebrate achievements.  Guide the employee in her development and be consistent.  As a manager, the success of teams members is your success, too.

How Will You Build A Great Team?

    Think back to when you set up your dental practice, or think forward if you're just starting out.  You didn't take anything for granted, you researched the equipment you needed to buy and bought the best you could afford, right?  These decisions were important.  These are the tools you use to make your practice successful.  You have to use them everyday, so you want to be sure that they are suited to you.
    Shouldn't you put the same effort into building a great staff?  These are the people you will work with every day.   Shouldn't they be well-suited to you as well?  When you were thinking about buying your equipment you probably asked yourself what you expected from each item and how important it would be to you in your practice.  You should do the same with the employees you hire.  Don't just think, "I need a new assistant."  That would be fine if all assistants were generic and identical.  When one left, you could just pull another one in and sit her across from you and pick up where you left off. Define the person that will suit you and then look for her in the people you interview. What do you expect from your office manager?  Do you even know what to expect?  Do you even really know what an office manager is supposed to do?  Same thing for the front desk assistant.  Do you see your hygienist as a part of the team, or is she someone who comes in, cleans teeth and goes home?  When you hire the wrong people you hurt not only yourself.  A bad hiring decision boomerangs all over the place.  It can affect your other employees and your patients, too.  The stress from a really bad hire can ripple out to your family and your team's family if it's something that everyone takes home with them.
    You can build a great team.  You have to be willing to decide that you want to put the work into asking yourself what you want, you have to do your homework, and then you have to begin to build.  I'll help you.  I'm going to start a series here that will take us through each position so that you can have a better idea of what you should look for to build your great team.  The good news is, some of those people may already be on your team, you may just need to develop them in a new way.  Haven't you waited long enough?

Guiding a Great Team

    Sounds like it should be easy, doesn't it?  If you have a great team, they're basically on auto-pilot, right?  If you assume that, sooner or later, you're going to have to pull them back to the path you want them to continue on.  If you don't, one day, you won't have a great team anymore.

    Since teams are made up of individuals coming together for a shared purpose, all of those personalities need to be funneled into the vision that has been conceived by the dentist and shared with the team.  The job of the manager is to take everyone's ideas, strengths and abilities and use it all in a constructive way.  Strength crashing against other strength is ultimately discordant and destructive.  Strength flowing alongside strength creates a powerful current that flows in the same direction. 

    How do you respond when a great team gets off track?  Hopefully, not by reacting without thinking.  When you ask a lot of your team and generally receive it, you must be gracious when you are disappointed in them.  The best thing you can do is wait for your "feelings" to pass and determine what went wrong and what needs to happen to make things right again.  Of course, you must let them know that the team is going off course, but that you fully trust they will be able to pull back together again.  Letting them keep their dignity in the face of your disapproval will benefit everyone and get you the results you desire faster. 

    It's not always easy to wait for calm and reason to return when you're in the midst of problems, but there's nothing worse than reflecting on how you acted and wishing you could grab it back.  You may feel powerful or vindicated in that few minutes that you gave your good team a piece of your mind, but repenting is definately a leisurely and lonely experience.  On the other hand, walking away, confident that you've expressed the problem with class and control, and clarified the correction, is a great feeling.  Everyone can move forward and no one is left smarting from a careless release of frustration.  It's worth it to take the time you need to cool down and consider the best way to proceed to get the outcome you want.

Trust

"Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great."
                                                                                                                   ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

    The secret to effective management is trust.  Trust comes into play on so many levels.  First and foremost, the manager must be someone that the staff can trust.  They have to know that you will do the right thing.  They have to have confidence in your commitment to be fair and to respect them.  Therefore you must fill your team with people you respect and have confidence in.  Then you must let the team know that you trust them.  Make it a theme in your dealings with them and they will value that trust, protect it and live up to it. 
    Being human, there will be times that they don't.   When that happens, address it.  That adds value to your trust.  The other person will see that you are basing it on something and will fight for another chance.  Once that chance is given, they will protect the trust you have given them. 
    When team members feel trusted they develop greater confidence.  The patients sense that and they, in turn, trust the staff and dentist all the more.  People like entering an environment in which the staff gets along well, is happy, and genuinely likes what they're doing.  Trust makes all that more likely to happen.  When staff trusts each other, gossip is virtually eliminated.  It opens the door for teamwork and cooperation.  Trust means never having to say, "What is she up to?"
    If you have a team member that you just don't trust, you probably need to let her go.  Keeping an untrustworthy employee destroys the culture of your practice.  Before you know it the team will start discussing this employee amongst themselves and the entire network of trust that has been established can be broken.  You cannot make the team believe that you value trust if you make them work with someone who can't be trusted.  Believe me, any problem that you see with a team member has already been noticed quite a while ago by the rest of the team.  You're just catching up. 
    Trust encourages happy teams, healthy practices and satisfied patients.  When patients trust their dental team, they tell others about it.  That makes them want to share in the experience and causes a steady stream of new patients to your front door with little to no outside marketing.  When your patients let others know that you are someone to be trusted, you build a practice on that solid foundation.  What's the word on the street about your practice?

So, Let's Get Going!

    We talked about taking a look back, looking forward and seeing the changes you want to make, and personal change.  Now let's make something happen.  Don't let this new energy dissipate like the average New Year's resolution.  I dread going to the gym on January 1 because I know it will be packed.  I also know I only have to wait a few weeks for the wishers to fall away, leaving only the ones with determination behind.  Be determined, this is your everyday life.  Don't spend it wishing, make it happen.

    I know you're wondering where to start.  Sure, it's easy for me to give advice, I'm not the one who has to stand in front of your staff and tell them about all your new ideas.  Let me assure you, I've been there.  I've seen the eye rolls and skeptical stares.  I've heard the weary sighs and listened to the sarcastic remarks.  You'll be ok, I lived through it.  You have to grab their interest.  You have to believe so much in what you're telling them, that they sit up and take notice. 

    You have to have what I call rational passion.  Rational passion is something that they can relate to.  You're not on a soapbox.  You just have an attitude that's positive, hopeful and just excited enough that they want to get a little of that for themselves.  Rational passion is contagious, not off-putting.  So, you don't want to be a fanatic.  You don't want to turn anyone's world upside down.  That's why I had you rate the changes you want to make.  Start with the overall vision, but then select the top three things that you want to focus on first.  Help the staff see how making these changes will make their jobs more satisfying and enjoyable.  Sometimes you have to remind people that personal satisfaction in a job well done can be just as gratifying as financial rewards.

    Start with a staff meeting.  Begin by telling them that this staff meeting will be the beginning of a new culture in your practice and that you want them to help you create that culture.  Tell them about the vision you developed when you were listing all the things that are important for you to have in your practice.  Let them make objections if they need to and then ask them for solutions to their objections.  Let them see that they have the power to make it work. 

    The most important thing is to keep re-directing your staff in the way you want to go.  Everything's not going to magically change because of one staff meeting.  When you do see positive changes, mention it a morning huddle.  Give reminders at morning huddle, too.  New habits and behaviors take a while to become incorporated into everyday practice so be patient and persistent.  The payoff is the practice of your dreams.

The 15 Minutes Of Fame Review

     Everyone hates performance reviews, those that give them and those that get them.  Dentists and managers dread sitting down with staff members and telling them about their performance.  Sure, it's all nice while you're telling them the good stuff, but sooner or later the problems have to be laid out on the table and dissected.  For their part, staff members dread reviews.  They worry, they get nervous and spend a lot of the days leading up to the review thinking back over the year and trying to figure out what will be remembered and what will be forgotten.  A lot of times, the really worried ones will give the best service of the year in that week. 

     It doesn't have to be that way, and I think it really shouldn't.  A good manager will let team members know immediately what they are doing wrong and how they need to fix it.  They don't wait all year to dump it on them in one fell swoop.  Why would you keep watching someone perform poorly without telling them that things need to change.  It should be discussed, corrections should be recommended and followed through on, and a follow-up discussion should be scheduled.  If the problem still exists, maybe this person isn't right for the team.  It really is that simple.  Managers complicate the process when they become emotionally invested in the team members performance.  It's important to care about team members and their performance, but the team member needs to take responsibility for their own performance.  If you've been attentive to this all year long you should not have many performance problems.  Then you don't have all the anxiety and stress of a bad performance review.

     That brings me to the 15 minutes of fame review.  I do it once a year and we all look forward to it.  I spend about 15 minutes with each team member recalling moments of greatness on their part, improvements they have made, goals they have reached and goals yet to come.  I let them know that they are appreciated and needed in our practice.  The look of pleasure and satisfaction on their faces is enough for me to know that everyone deserves their 15 minutes of fame.

What Will Make Her Stay?

     Ok, so you did your homework, hired a great prospect for your team and she's trained and everything's going well.  She's one of the gang.  How do you keep it that way? 

     Make no mistake, I'm not going to suggest that you pamper a staff member or set yourself up to be at the mercy of someone who will make constant demands.  What I am saying is much more basic and simple than that.  Make her a part of your vision.  See her as an integral part of your practice and help her see herself that way.  Let her know that you're better with her than without her.

     One of the basic things employees want is appreciation.  I don't think that you have to constantly tell them how wonderful they are, just let them know that having them there makes life easier.  At the end of a tough procedure the words, "Well done!" will ring in your assistant's ears for days.  When the front desk assistant fills a huge gap in the schedule, let her know how nice it is to be able to count on her.  When your hygienist discusses treatment that is needed with her patient, let her know that you appreciate her efforts.

     Be consistent.  Set standards and expectations.  If things change, discuss it with your team.  Don't just keep them on edge all the time wondering when you'll change your mind again.  It's fine to change it, just clue them in. 

     Treat them at least as good as you want them to treat your patients.  You've heard the old saying, "Treat your family like friends and your friends like family."  What I've noticed is that if you treat your staff well, they'll be your biggest fans. 

     I don't think you have to give your staff the moon to earn their dedication.  As a matter of fact, that usually backfires in the end and leaves you with a group that can't ever be satisfied.  Keep seeing them as the wind beneath your wings and they'll keep you flying high.

Now That You've Got Her

    Ok, you've hired someone for whom you've got great expectations.  First and foremost, share those expectations with her.  Every office is different, every dentist wants specific things from their staff and each staff member has had a unique experience prior to joining you.  Start right away, don't wait a week to let them "get settled in."  You'll only let them get settled into bad habits or things that just don't work well in your practice.
    Get your team involved.  Let them know that it's in everyone's best interest for this new team member to be trained efficiently and correctly.  Once she's got it down, you will all be operating like a well-oiled machine again.  Make sure they know that it's ok to step in and give constructive advice to the newcomer.  Tell  them to treat her the way they'd want to be treated as a new employee.  No one likes to find out that everyone watched them repeat a task incorrectly, but no one told them the correct way to do it.
    Touch base often.  Set aside five minutes a week to talk about how it's going and to let the new staff member ask questions and express any concerns.  Remember not to focus so much on the new person that you forget to notice what the others are doing well.  It won't help the new person if you sing her praises so much while neglecting your existing staff, that you build a wall of resentment around her.  Find ways for her to have one on one time with other staff members doing projects or completing tasks so that she gets to develop relationships with them faster.  If she mentions something nice or helpful that another employee did for her, pass it on, it will encourage more of the same.
    At the end of her probation period, if she's been successful and will be a permanent part of the team, take everyone out to lunch to celebrate.  You've asked everyone to be a part of making this new situation work, so now it's time to enjoy your success and welcome the new team member on board.  That's the first step in the next part of the adventure; keeping this great new team member for a long time.

Hiring And Keeping Great Dental Staff

    It's not easy when it comes to building a great staff.  First you have to identify them, then you have to develop them, and finally you want to keep them.  It's an all or nothing proposition, all the steps need to be there.   So, let's start with how to find great staff members.
    Listen to your instincts.  Be ready to wait for the right person.  Don't bring someone on board that you think you can change.  Change doesn't come easy, so don't start out a working relationship hoping for  something elusive.  Be very clear about your expectations for this person and spell out the responsibilities that their position will include.  Listen to them.  Ask open-ended questions and listen to their answers.  This will let you know if they are articulate, if they have good grammar and it will also give you an insight into their character and what's important to them.  The following are a few questions that I like to ask at interviews:

1. Tell me about the best teammate you ever worked with, and what made her so impressive?
2. Tell me about the worst teammate you ever worked with and why you felt that way.
3. What will you bring to our practice?  How will you make us better?
4. What will make you feel satisfied in this position?
5. What is your definition of a good work ethic?

   

Watch their reactions and listen for sincerity.  If the answer sounds too good to be true, it is.  You'll feel it, but you have to listen to yourself.  I once hired someone who gave the perfect answers and I knew that she was trying to impress.  When she told me that if I hired her I'd be hiring the best assistant in the state, my initial reaction was that she was conceited, but I convinced myself that she was just confident.  She was conceited and made life miserable.  She was so sure of her own perfection that I could not help her see that her behavior was not appropriate, because in her eyes, she was perfect.  Had I listened to my gut, I'd never have had to deal with her. 
    If a candidate has poor grammar, you may think it won't bother you, but it probably will eventually.  The way they talk to you in the interview is the way they will talk to your patients.  If they do not connect well or don't sound intelligent, that's what your patients will experience.  They are the people your other staff members will have to interact with.  Hiring a staff member who is a poor fit with the rest of the staff can cost you a good staff member in a few months.  It's in everyone's best interest to be careful and responsible when hiring.  Next, I'll talk about how to develop a great staff member once you've hired them.
   

The Best You Can Be

    What does it mean to be the best you can be?  I think it changes minute to minute, patient to patient.  One quality that would be needed is flexibility.  To be able to switch gears and re-adapt to each patient and their unique situation and personality.  Another thing you need is the time and composure to deal with all the unexpected things that come up in the course of the day in a dental office.
    You can't do it all by yourself, so you need an excellent staff that will adopt your practice philosophy and uphold it with you.  That is how you can maintain your composure and stay fresh.  An excellent staff is one that you can delegate responsibilities to and that you can trust to do the right thing.
    Is your staff excellent?  Really, think about it, how would you rate them right now?  Are you tolerating anything or anyone just because you think it's too hard to deal with it or them or to make a change?  If you are, you are preventing yourself from being as good as you can be right now.
    It is only fair to your staff to let them know what you really want from them and to hold their feet to the fire to get it.  Yes, it takes effort and attention from you but, in the end you will get more than you give.  Even if you come to the realization that a staff member actually can't, or won't, perform to your standards, at least you've found out and can do something about it. 
    When dentists tolerate poor performance or attitude, they put success on hold.  Sometimes they even fall into a fatalistic attitude.  "Oh well, this is the best I can get."  I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.
    When I accepted my boss's request to manage our practice three years ago, we knew we'd need to hire another assistant.  It took three years to get the right one, our Cady.  At first, I interviewed carefully and was secure in feeling that I'd hired the perfect assistant.  I didn't.  I kept interviewing carefully and kept coming up with people who couldn't or wouldn't give us what we wanted.  After a while, it seemed that I might as well just give them all a try.  Bad idea, it was very stressful on the staff and the patients.  We took a break for a few months and I did all the assisting and managing.  Finally, we had Cady come in on rotation from her assisting program.  Within 5 minutes I knew that she was the one we'd been looking for.
    What makes her different?  She is striving for excellence in each moment and to be better every day.  She is open to instruction and correction and grateful to be in a practice that gives her that.    Until we had her we did the best we could every day.  With her, we actually are the best we can be. 
    Nobody's perfect every minute of every day, or even every day of every week.  It's all about attitude.  Do they strive to be excellent?  Do they care, and care about more than their individual performance?  Do you care, or have you given up on having the staff and practice of your dreams?  You can do it but, you can't give up.  Even once you assemble a great team, you have to stay there with them expecting and encouraging them to be the best they can be.

Tarantola Dental Learning

    Here's another great site I've added to my Dental Website list.  Greg Tarantola's Dental Learning site is full of great info and thoughts that you can use at staff meetings.  My boss has forwarded newsletters from Dr. Tarantola for years and I finally signed up to get my own.  You might want to as well.

http://www.tarantoladentallearning.com/home

ACT Newsletter

    I've posted a new link under the category of Dental Websites.  It's for the ACT dental coaching newsletter.  It's free for the asking so don't miss out.  I'll get you started:

www.actdental.com

Don't be shy, they'll be happy to send you one.

10 Worst Traits In An Employee

 Do you ever pause to do a little self-check on how you stack up as an employee?  It's a good thing to do every now and then so that you can be sure to weed out any undesirable habits you may have developed.  So here is my list of the top 10 terrible traits:

1.  Eye Rolling - every time anyone comes up with a new idea that might involve change, more work or that simply requires some enthusiasm, roll your eyes and look up to heaven.  Whoever thought up that stupid idea really needs to understand how stupid you think it is.  You'll be doing them a favor.

Or...

Champion their idea.  Add to it with some of your own.  Make it feel safe and inspiring to speak up make things happen.

2.  Manipulating - whine and wheedle your way out of work.  Get others to take on tasks that you hate, and while they are taking out the garbage you can slip out early for that pedicure you so desperately need...and deserve.

Or...

Help out wherever you're needed.  Enjoy the surprise from a co-worker when they see that you've set up their room when they were running late.  Since what you put out there usually returns to you, you'll see them returning the favor when you need one.

3.  Kissing Up - make sure the dentist knows just how fabulous you think he is, how adorable his children are and how gorgeous his wife is.  Don't forget to make up a cute little name like "Dr. Wonderful" and tell him how happy you are to work late, because...he's worth it.

Or...

Be genuine in your compliments and let them come naturally.  Be sure to spread all that good karma around, don't just save it for the boss or manager.

4.  The Liar - If you break something, act like you have no idea what anyone's talking about.  Forgot to call the lab for a pick-up?  Lie about it, just tell your boss that those lab people are getting worse and worse about service.

Or...

Own up to it.  If you made a mistake admit it and apologize.  Most people are understanding and even if they're not, at least you have maintained your integrity.

 
5.  Gossiping - Make sure everyone knows the scoop about everything and everyone.  Be sure to ask questions pass anything anyone tells you along.  If somebody did something embarrassing, don't be late, get in there first with the news.  You get the idea, tell all and tell it often.

Or...

If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all.  If you talk about someone, make sure it's positive or just be quiet.

6.  Selfishness - Do you know a good way to do something that would help another team member work better?  Keep it to yourself.  Why should you help someone else?  It's a dog eat dog world out there.

Or...

Tell them what works for you.  Knowledge shared isn't divided, it's multiplied.

7.  Complaining - Look around you and find every fault and every glitch that you can and talk yourself blue in the face about it.  Don't even think about looking for a solution, that's someone else's problem, right?  You found the problem, now let them fix it.  You can't do everything.

Or...

Fix what you can and accept that some things aren't perfect.  A wise person once told me, "I know that how I feel isn't always the most important thing in the world."  As a matter of fact, it rarely is.

8.  Laziness - Slack off, hide yourself away when there's extra work to do.  Never put away supplies, or if you do, do it carelessly.  You don't want them to ask you to do it again.

Or...

Jump in there and get it done.  You're being paid to work, so it doesn't matter what it is, if it needs to get done, you're on it.

9.  Take Advantage - Always try to wiggle out early and come in late, whenever you can get away with it.  The boss is sick?  Don't offer to come in and do maintenance around the office, just sit home and expect to get paid.  If they try not to pay you, you can always add some of the other aforementioned traits to your repetoire.

Or...

Be a great team player.  Adopt the belief that on time is 5 minutes early.  Come to staff meetings prepared and ready to participate.  Find ways to make bad situations better.

10. Irritability - Be a real grouch.  Let everything make you mad.  Nothing is really funny, so don't laugh.  Suck the life out of everyone.  You know you can do it.

Of...

Find the humor in things and lighten up.  Laughter makes the world go around and the day go better.  

If you see some of the 10 traits in yourself, start by becoming aware of when you act that way and watch how others react to you.  Then start changing things and see the difference.  That should be enough encouragement for you to try to limit or eliminate these 10 traits from your life.

Loyalty And Devotion

    I was reading about a front desk assistant who got mad at her boss and walked out of the office with the words, "I'm out of here!"  The dentist wondered what to do and was pretty annoyed to be treated that way.  He took her seriously and she is now without a job.  She wants to come back, but she burned her bridge with some unpleasant words after the fact and he isn't interested.  She had been with him for fifteen years.  After I read about it I decided that I think he handled it correctly.
    First, she acted immaturely.  She abandoned the practice.  Whether it's for an hour or a day, abandoning your job duties stresses the practice and stresses the rest of the staff.  It's a power play, and she had to lose if the dentist wanted any authority with the rest of the staff.  If she had come right back and apologized, I'd have given her another chance, but I'd have addressed the issue that allowed her to consider walking out as a response to a problem.  That issue is loyalty and devotion, or the lack of it.
    The dictionary defines loyalty as a sense of duty or devoted attachment to something or someone.  Devotion is described as profound dedication.  When an employee resorts to power plays like walking out or threatening to quit, she is not showing loyalty or devotion.  She is trying to intimidate the dentist through fear to get what she wants.  Most people would think that someone that has been with a dentist for fifteen years must be pretty devoted.  She may have once been devoted, but at some point she began to feel that she had the upper hand and betrayed her boss and neglected her duty to the practice.  You can be angry and still do your job until you have time to talk about the problem later.  That's the responsible way to handle an issue and a loyal way to act.  It is the disloyalty and unfaithfulness that makes this situation so dire.

    On the other hand, what about bosses that rule through intimidation and fear?  If you have loyal and devoted employees they need to know that you value those traits and respect them for it.  If you come to a rock in the road with a dedicated employee do you resort to making them feel insecure or do you work with them to move the rock or work around it?  Loyalty and devotion thrives when it goes both ways.  When an employee feels secure, they can place their attention on doing their job.  When an employee feels that their boss has no allegiance to them,  they start to test the limits of endurance.   Yogi Berra was quoted as saying this about loyalty:

     "When you're part of a team, you stand up for your teammates. Your loyalty is to them. You protect them through good and bad, because they'd do the same for you. 

     If you want loyalty from your team, give it to them.  If a team member walks out, they are telling you that something is broken.  You have to decide if it's something worth fixing.  Is this a time when you can protect them or is it a time when you must protect yourself?  Constancy on the part of the employer and employee, is what will help you avoid this scenario. 

You Had The Power All Along

    How do you make your staff care about your practice as much as you do? You can't. No one, not even your spouse, can care about your practice exactly as much, or in the same way that you do. It's like asking how you can make someone else love chocolate as much as you do. They'll value it in their own way and for their own reasons, but not just like you do.
    A better question might be how to set up the culture in the practice so that the staff gets interested. Being interested in something makes people care about it. People are interested in things that they feel they contribute to. They contribute when their contribution is valued and acknowledged. Every one has their tipping point. It's like a crossroads in that at a certain juncture, everyone has to decide to go one way or the other, or just stop altogether.
    As leaders or managers, we naturally want the people we lead to tip into enthusiasm and dedication. We want them to tip away from apathy or disengagement. Get them involved. Ask their opinion and try to explore it with them. If it makes sense, use it and give them the credit for a good idea. Let them know that you acknowledge and respect what they bring to your practice. Don't say that you want a team that dedicates themselves to the patients and the practice if you don't intend to value what they do and accept the fact that they are part of your success.
     Where does money enter the picture? Somewhere, but not necessarily in the forefront. If you show your staff that you appreciate them and keep them involved in what it takes to run a practice, money won't be the guiding factor for them. If you give them timely reviews and salary adjustments, they'll trust you to be fair. If you routinely stretch it out a little every year and keep them wondering, they'll start to focus on that and mistrust will enter into your relationship with them. Many times staff members really value their review as much as any salary increase they might get. If you find that your staff seems greedy ask yourself if you are giving them the thing that money can't buy...verification that they are needed and valued.
    How can you make your staff care about your practice? Care about them, be interested in their ideas and let them know how much they mean to you and the health of your practice. See, you had the power all along.

Perks, Treats and Limo Rides

    "The reward for the doing, must be the doing."  ~Maya Angelou~

    Why is it that some dentists give incentives to staff that isn't doing what they asked them to do in the first place?  Some speaker at a seminar somewhere may have come up with the idea that if you want to motivate your staff, you have to dangle all kinds of out of proportion treats in front of them.  They probably had all sorts of statistics showing that in the long run the dentist will prosper way beyond the initial investment they make in suspending this carrot.  That may even be true, as long as you don't consider the effect this may have on the mindset of the staff and the long range cost of having to come up with even bigger and better carrots.  At some point the dentist gets disgusted, throws his hands up in the air and exclaims, "Why can't I find staff that I don't have to bribe to get them to do their jobs?"
    It's one of those "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" dilemmas. Did the dentist have to offer the treats because that's the only way staff would perform, or did the staff become conditioned to expecting and believing they were entitled to perks if they were to put any effort into what they were doing?  I think that in many ways we have taken away the ability for the staff to look back over their day and derive satisfaction in the work they did.  Instead, they look back and calculate what is owed them for their day's labor.  It doesn't matter that they get a check at the end of every pay period because somehow, we've made them believe that it's not enough to bring home a paycheck. 
    You can't buy a child everything she wants, and then complain that the child is spoiled and make anyone believe you had no part in it.  You can't condition staff to believe that they deserve more money, limo rides, shopping sprees or trips because they hit a goal and expect them to find value in the achievement anymore.   They are not working to serve the patient any longer, they're working to get into the limo headed to the mall with $100 in their hand.  When you use perks to get performance you screw up the mentality of service and turn it into the mentality of more. 
    I think it's fine to give a bonus after the fact as a way of thanking staff for going above and beyond as long as all parties understand that it's a gift you are giving them.  Anything beyond salary should be viewed as a gift that the dentist chooses to give.  Not something that they are entitled to.  Throwing money at problems doesn't solve them, it just creates more problems.  Taking the time to talk about what we're doing together, why we're doing it and how it affects our patients, the practice and the team will build more goodwill and teamwork than a limo ride ever will.  People who won't work without perks just don't work period.  They will always be wondering what else they can get.  You want to fill your staff with people who are wondering what else they can give.

Hiring? Stop At The Red Flags

    The only thing more stressful or dreaded to me than firing a staff member is hiring one.  I'll be honest, it confounds me.  When I first became practice manager I thought up some questions I thought were really great for my first interview.  I was interviewing for a second assistant to help out since I would divide my time between assisting and managing.  She was great.  She told me so herself.  That should have been my first red flag.  I even wavered right before she started and my boss told me to withdraw the offer if I felt uncomfortable.  I should have.  She cried, I relented and we got off to a pretty good start.  That was until she started telling us all how much she had improved the practice by virtue of her presence.  She was the first person I hired and the first person I fired. 
    Other examples included a person who said she was dying to learn assisting, but on her first day told me she was just doing this until she got her massage therapy license.  She regaled us of stories of merchandise parties that she had on the weekend, and she wasn't selling Tupperware.  She also felt she had a talent for reading auras and was foolish enough to let me know that my boss and I both had pretty lousy auras.  Mistake number two.  I had a young woman who came to the interview dressed like she just stepped out of the pages of Talbot's and came for her first day of work looking like she just left the street gang on the corner.  On and on, bad language, bad attitude, bad work ethic, you name it.  They all seemed great and they all tricked me.  Didn't they think I'd mind when the real them showed up? 
    My big concern was for our team.  What did they think?  What would happen if these less than desirable persons dragged them down?  We worked so hard to get where we are.  Well, the team stepped up.  They let me know that they realized how tough it is and they let new team members know when something isn't acceptable.  They also chipped in and worked harder during times when we were short staffed and I was waiting for the right person.  They value what we've built and anyone coming into our office recognizes that.   
    The most important thing I've learned is never to hire because you're desperate and to trust those red flags.  They are there for a reason.  To me it's like having a bad cold.   When your congested and stuffy all you can think about is how good it felt to breathe easily.  You took it for granted when you were well.  It's the same thing with a bad hire.  You long for the days when they weren't there.  You didn't know how good you had it.  You feel like a guest in your own home.  It's better to work harder while you wait for the right person to come along than to hire in haste and make your office a place you hate to go to every day.

Blind To Your Bully?

Yesterday I wrote about bouncing the bullies out of your practice.  Then I started remembering some of my experiences in working with bullies.  They're sneaky.  They usually don't wreak havoc in front of the boss.  They can come across as very knowledgeable (and sometimes they are), hard-working (usually only in front of the boss), and put upon (get out your violin).  They usually try to develop an 'us against them' relationship with someone.  Let's face it, the dentist walks up and down the hall seeing patients and as long as nobody's crying, bleeding or yelling he assumes that everything's ok and everyones happy.  He's not going to look for trouble. 
    There's also a Mars/Venus thing going on sometimes.  Woman bullies know how to play that card.  It's sickening for the other Venutians to watch as the nice, peace-loving Martian is lulled into a false sense of security by this tormentor.   A Venus/Venus scenario can be just as bad.  Women dentists can be in the minority among dentists and may welcome a supportive Venutian who compliments them and acts supportive and lets them know when the rest of the team is slacking off and just basically taking advantage.  Of course, the team all knows what's going on, but who's going to be the one to put their reputation and job on the line in order to speak up?  Many times the phrase, "Kill the messenger"  applies well here.  Unfortunately, the staff member who finally throws caution to the wind and steps up and gives the doctor her account of the madness, may end up being labeled a snitch, looked at with suspicion or worse yet resented by the dentist; the very person she was trying to protect.  It's usually the team member who is most committed to the dentist and the practice and she just can't stand by and do nothing. The other team members know who's who and they'll give up if they see the bully triumph.  This creates two dynamics.  First, it empowers the bully even more.  She's unstoppable.  Second, it disempowers the rest of the team.  Enthusiasm is replaced by depression, commitment turns into inertia and loyal employees feel betrayed and may start to consider the greener grass elsewhere.

    It's not worth it.  Even stellar performance isn't worth the misery and discord a bully causes.  If a trusted team member tells you about a problem at least consider the possibility.  If the bully has been with you a while, it may be time to sit everyone down and talk about acceptable behavior.  Get it out on the table and see what happens.  The staff may be reluctant to speak up, but the bully won't be.  Don't announce the reason for the meeting beforehand and don't leave the room once you tell them why they're assembled.  I was once in this situation and when the dentist left the room to get something our bully told the rest of us that nobody had better say a word.  Even if nothing comes out at the meeting, you can bet that the bully will lurk around you later trying to find out what you know. If the bully is new to the practice it's a no-brainer, cut your losses and move on.   Once you send a bully off to find her future somewhere else, your's and your staff's will look a whole lot brighter.

Bully Free Zone

That's what your practice should be.  Whether it's a staff member or a patient, there is no place in a happy, productive practice for a bully.

"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation."

William Arthur Wood

Look at your staff on any given day.  Do they look like they are working with a purpose in mind, or do they look stressed and aggravated?  First, if you're the dentist or manager, make sure you're not a bully.  It's hard to look at our unpleasant side, but it's vital to do that if you want to be successful and happy.  How can you change or eliminate what you won't see?  OK, so, if you're not a bully, but your staff looks miserable, start paying attention.  Is there someone who gets in everyone else's face?  Maybe it's just the person who pushes their opinion so hard that no one else can contribute to staff meetings.  Try letting each team member lead part of a staff meeting and see how they handle it.  Hint:  the leader should facilitate, not dominate.  If, when they are leading, they are telling and never asking, you may have found your bully. Sometimes you can tame this person.  They may not realize they are taking over and shutting everyone else down.  Try to give them some ideas on how to respect and draw out the views of others and they may find themselves happier too. If they become aggressive or abusive when someone offers a different point of view, you've definitely found your bully.  I don't know if you can change her.

What if a new staff member comes in and starts throwing her weight around.  If the leader in this situation does not step up and handle the situation, he or she may find themselves in a world of trouble.  Nothing can disturb the peace more than a bully.  Staff look to the leader to handle a situation like this and will feel devalued and let down if he doesn't.  When you ask a team to commit to you and your practice you have to honor that commitment by addressing a bully.  If the bully happens to be someone in a position of influence over the staff, that magnifies your problem even more. Ask yourself why someone would come into a practice and try to intimidate.  The answer is simple, they don't see the potential in others and they have none of their own.  So before anyone starts challenging them or acts independently they will  put them in their place and hold them there with intimidation and aggression.  Guess how that's going to turn out? 

Keeping a bully on board is asking too much of everyone that has to try to function around them.  Because first of all, a team that may have thrived before will break down.  Team members will start talking about the bully.  They will feel guilty for talking about her.  They will resent the bully and then the leader for letting it go on.  Most of all they will resent the change in the culture of the practice.  If you made a mistake or got fooled and hired a bully, get them out of there.  Don't worry about unemployment, pay it, it's worth it in the stomach lining that you'll save, your's and everyone else's.  Your staff is watching, they are hoping you'll do the right thing.  Don't try to change a bully that intimidates and is aggressive, you'll waste your time and wear everyone down.  Employees like this are untameable, unteachable and therefore...unteamable.

Things That Make You Go Hmm

    Gretchen Rubin who writes the wonderful Happiness Project blog has written another article that has made me think.  It's about keeping a one-sentence journal.  She says, "For a long time I've been surprised about how little I remember about my own past."  This made her decide to start a one sentence journal where she records something about what happened to her a her family every day.  She admits that she often writes more than one sentence, but hey, that's life.

    In our team at work, our awareness has been raised about positive energy while we are talking about the book The Energy Bus.  We recently had lunch to celebrate our star project in which staff members gave each other stars whenever they heard each other being positive, kind or just being great team players.  The stars racked up fast and before I knew it I was bringing in lunch.  I am always in awe of what a great team we've built and while some of the really impressive things they do stay with me, others fade from memory.  Gretchen's one sentence journal would be a perfect way of keeping a record of all the things that make our team fantastic.

    I plan to start try to keep an on-line journal with a page for each staff person to record special things they say or do throughout the year.  Then I'll print them out and make some kind of nice book out of them and present each staff member with one at our Christmas celebration.  People love to read good things about themselves and to look back at good memories.  What better gift can you give someone than the gift of happy memories?  It's also a good counterbalance to have for myself on days when it seems like I'm running in circles, getting nowhere fast.  I can pull my journal up and see that we've come a long way.  Whenever I find myself thinking, "Hmm, that was a really great thing to say/do, I'll remind myself to make a note in my journal.  Those are the things worth the effort of hanging onto.

Teach Them To Fish

    "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
~Chinese Proverb~

    How about a new proverb?  Give a team the answer and you solve one problem.  Teach them how to think and you create leaders. 

    Sometimes it feels good to have all the answers.  It makes you feel smart and necessary.  But, sometimes it's annoying to be interrupted by constant questions.  You start to wonder why people come to you about things they should be able to reason out for themselves.  Well, maybe you got so comfortable being the magic 8 ball that you taught them to stop thinking for themselves.  Or, maybe you think that if you turn everyone into leaders, no one will be left to follow you.  That's ok, just build wide enough paths to travel side by side.  You'll get where you want to be even faster on those super highways of group thinking.
    How do you start encouraging people to think for themselves when they gotten used to you providing all the answers?  You can start by asking questions that lead to answers.  For instance, we got a delivery of new products the other day.  One team member came to me and said that she didn't know where to stock the products because there was no room in the stock closet.  I said, "Where would they be most convenient to where you will dispense them?"  She started talking about the fact that the patient would be in her room, so it might be a good idea to stock some there, but her drawers were full.  Ok, we're making progress.  I asked her how she planned to let her patients know about the new products.  She said she would just tell them about them.  I pointed out the fact that the products were attractively packaged.  Aha moment, "Yes, they really are, maybe I could make a display with them on my counter top.  I could even make little packets with some of the mints so that patients could try them and that might encourage them to buy them."  A brain-iac is born!  Sometimes when you lead someone to water, they actually drink it.  Asking leading questions subtly teaches people new ways of thinking through to solutions.
    Yesterday some new electric toothbrushes came in.  I heard the same team member telling the other hygienist that she could put some on the shelf in her room to encourage patients to notice them.   So the  new proverb gets even better, "Teach a team member to think and you create leaders, then they create leaders, and on it goes."
    Effective leaders encourage their team to think for themselves. They are not threatened by others taking the lead, they encourage it because it bolsters self-confidence and gives them more time to get in the zone and really concentrate on their own tasks.  Thinking can be one of those "use it or lose it" type things.  Encouraging dependency limits growth.  If a leader spends all her time running around putting out fires caused by ignorance they will have nothing much to show at the end of the day.  If they start fires in the minds of their team, their results will be multiplied by as many team members that they have thinking with them.  Once you get them thinking for themselves, have them write it down so that others can refer to their solutions.  Pretty soon they'll have developed a list of protocols and everyone will benefit from that.  If this keeps up you'll have lots of time to get started on those long projects you been dying to "get in the zone"on.
    One thing that encourages people to keep thinking once they've started is positive feedback and encouragement.  Positivity energizes thinking and sends it off in a productive direction.  Positive thinking is contagious and results in synergy and harmony.  When you help people realize that not only can they think for themselves, but that they can come up with pretty good ideas, you create a village of thinkers.  And who knows, they may even let you be the mayor.