Morning huddles are ideal for dental practices because it allows a chance to get team members on the same page and look over what lies ahead for the day, all before the first patient arrives. Every team member must engage with one another and ensure everyone understands what lies ahead for the day, details of the schedule, and concerns or issues that can briefly be discussed before the day begins. If morning huddles are so effective, why are they so difficult to run? Today on the blog, our dental practice coaches share tips on making the most out of your morning huddle so that you and your practice can have a successful day.
Prepare for the meeting
Morning huddles aren’t just a chance to catch up on everyone’s after-work activities from the day before or complain about problems in the office. Morning huddles should be a defined purpose. As the huddle leader, prepare ahead of time before the meeting begins. You could go into the office early to gather your thoughts and meeting points or organize these thoughts at the end of the previous day. An excellent way to ensure you cover important topics is to take a temperature check at the end of each day. Ask your team members what worked and what didn’t. Ask if they had any problems with the way things ran that day. This isn’t a complaining session but rather a chance for team members to share creative ideas to improve the practice’s daily operations.
Everyone must be required to attend
Attendance at the morning huddle is not optional but required. It defeats the entire purpose if only some of the team members show up, or you have to take time out of your schedule to explain what was discussed in the meeting at a later time to those that missed it. So, set a precedent that the morning huddle is required unless the team member is out of the office on approved leave (like for sick or vacation time). Morning huddles shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes, at most. However, some topics may need to be revisited later for a lengthier and more engaging meeting.
Encourage participation
Not only should everyone attend morning huddles, but encourage participation so that they feel heard. Sure, not every single idea can be implemented, but everyone should feel heard and valued when sharing concerns or opinions. Foster an environment that doesn’t result in backlash or ostracizing others when they disagree or bring something to the table that may invoke change. As the dentist, you may not always see and know what goes on in your practice. Additionally, each team member has a different perspective on their role in the practice. Therefore, encourage everyone to participate and share thoughts, ideas, or concerns that can help the practice improve. After all, a better practice improves the bottom line, which ultimately affects their pay too!
Dental Practice Consultants
Bryant Consultants offers dental practice coaching services for the entire office. We can help with all facets of managing and operating a dental practice. If you’d like to learn more or find out ways to improve your practice flow, contact Bryant Consultants by calling (877) 768-4799.
