We know you’ve heard the quote, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.” It’s true. You’ll find that the most successful dental practices running on autopilot have processes in place and a team confident in their role. And it’s truly a team. You’ll never hear, “that’s not my job.” You know every role is important if you’ve worked in the dental office for a minute. Can you get by for a day or two down a person? Yes. Are you working to total efficiency? Probably not. It takes everyone to make a great team. If you relate your dental team to a sports team, there can be no division between administration and clinical. There is no division between offense and defense. You need both to be successful.
Confident leaders lead successful teams. Leadership is the backbone of any office. A successful and efficient dental office is more than warm bodies coming in the door. It’s being profitable and providing the best dental care to your ability and an exceptional experience starting when they walk through the door.
How do you get your team to function at a high level? Provide high-level leadership. “Be the leader you’d wished you had.” Emulate to your team what you want from them. Show up, be happy, and set a good example. Suppose you show up to huddle and snap at people; that sets the tone for the whole day. And it’s not a positive one. Come to huddle ready to rock and roll and guess what? You set the tone for the day. Your team will be glad to rock too!
As the leader, you should inspire your team. If you come to work and are Bitter Bill or Betty, no one will want to be around you and stop listening. We’ve all worked with people with nothing good to say and always the glass half empty—excude what you want back. When you are positive and speak about your vision, your team will hold on to that, too, and they’ll start to believe it. And your team will be excited for the future and what they can be a part of growing.
Ask if anyone needs help. And mean it. Don’t ask as you’re walking out the door. Be intentional.
Regular communication is essential to any business’s success and your team’s growth. Once a month or inconsistent team meetings are not enough. You might implement regular 1:1 meetings or have a longer huddle now and then.
If something is not working or you’d like to improve it, share it with the team. Suppose you have a challenge or concern to share. Your team will be there to support you, just like you would support your team. It’s essential to speak up and share your wants and needs. Share successes as well. You want an equal mix of the positive and what we need to work on. Hopefully, the good will outweigh the bad.
As you implement some of our leadership techniques, you will see your team become a more cohesive unit and see more success, less stress, and working with a sense of purpose.
