Third Prize is "You're Fired!"
If I had a dollar for every dentist and dental team member who has rationalized disappointing performance as a byproduct of the state of the economy over the past few years, I would be writing this column from my favorite beach in Maui! Now as much as spending time on a beach in Maui would be wonderful, I would truly much rather put an end to the myth that we are victims of circumstances and success is beyond our control. So much time, energy, opportunity and joy are wasted in this mindset. There is a better way, read about it in my latest article in The Progressive Dentist Magazine
An iconic example of using sales incentives and punishments to ignite results can be seen in the 1992 film Glen Gary Glen Ross. Rolling Stone described the film as “a brilliant dark comedy that doesn’t just dazzle, it stings.” The incredible cast included Al Pacino, Jack Lemon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris and Alec Baldwin. I can attest that the story and the acting were compelling enough to reel me in; but I still vividly remember being exhausted and feeling like I had been beaten up after watching this movie. You may recall Alec Baldwin, the film’s “alpha dog motivational sales person” announcing “We are adding a little something to this month’s sales contest: First prize is a Cadillac Eldorado, Second Prize is a set of steak knives and Third Prize is “you’re fired!” Those are some sharp sticks that eventually had the sales force resort to criminal behavior as they marched to the beat of “A-B-C – Always-Be-Closing”.
The average workplace has evolved since 1992 and most businesses have adopted a kinder, gentler approach to motivating the team. Unfortunately, most still focus on the extrinsic reward such as team bonus systems rather than tapping into intrinsic and most teams still underachieve. If you’re frustrated by the results your team bonus systems have achieved, take a deeper dive into this subject in my article from The Progressive Dentist Magazine and consider brining me into your practice to engage your team in a strategic planning process that will ignite a unstoppable passion and bottom line success.