Four Steps To A Great Hire

ADA Hegarty CourseThe American Dental Association, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, has introduced the ADA Executive Program in Dental Practice Management.  The preview of my course Four Steps To A Great Hire is now available at this link.

Wondering what this online Certificate Program is all about? The ADA explains “this unique, six-course certificate program features the only blended curriculum that combines insight from the nation’s largest dental association with business acumen from a top-ranked business university.” I’d strongly encourage you to visit this link to see the comprehensive course offerings.

Team Meetings That Work

My favorite team meeting, the one I want to attend is “The Meeting After The Meeting”; the one that takes place in the hallway, sterilization area or at the front desk when the team separates into groups and has a no-holds barred discussion of exactly what should have been said at “The Official Meeting”.  It’s in this raw honesty that change is possible and we can create an agenda that fuels Team Meetings That Work!

The trouble is that “The Meeting After The Meeting” is private, by invitation-only and it’s a tough ticket to get.  

Click on this link to read the full text of this article as published in The Progressive Dentist Magazine to learn the surprising 4 steps to set yourself up for Team Meetings That Work 

Ethical Sales and Communication in Dentistry

Ethical Sales and Communication with our patients is one of the core values of the best dental practices I work with. Clear communication remains the most challenge aspect of both personal and business relationship growth. Dental Practice Report published our article The Importance of Creating and Building Relationships with the Dental Patient. Dr. Erin Elliott and I discuss the relationship rules that apply to our personal and professional communication:

  • People choose other people they like and trust
  • The best way to know what someone wants is to ask
  • Don’t make assumptions or you may believe them to be true
  • If you don’t like the answers you’re getting, ask better questions
  • There’s never a second chance to make a great first impression
  • If someone does not weigh in on a decision, they cannot truly buy into it

Here’s the link: Read my full article on the importance of creating & building a relationship with the dental patient published on Dental Products Report 

Employee Drama is Expensive

Employee drama, left unchecked is like a dust storm stirring up trouble as it blows through the office. Stick to the facts at hand to avoid being blinded and losing your way. Miscommunication and gossip create the whirlwind of drama.  Drama is expensive in terms of time, talent and bottom-line success. Stick to the facts and clear the air.

Here’s an example a team member submitted to Dentistry IQ along with Ginny Hegarty’s answer as published in an August 2013 Thursday Troubleshooter.

QOur office manager has been in our practice for 30 years and she has a very overpowering personality. She can be quite abrasive and acts very disrespectful at times. She comes and goes as she pleases and has even gotten to the point of having us do a lot of her work. I know she is valuable to the practice, but some of team members are leaving because of her actions. I really like my job and the dentist, and I would like to know the best way to handle this. Our entire team feels the same way as I do.

A: From Ginny Hegarty SPHR, President, Dental Practice Development, Inc., and current president of the Academy of Dental Management Consultants:

It’s very brave of you to want to step up and take this on, and I commend you for your courage. I think my response will give you the very best opportunity to create a positive outcome for everyone. I offer it with all due respect as I’ve been where you are.

There’s a lot going on in your question. Let’s start here. One thing that jumps out at me is that you’re making some judgments that I suggest you revisit. I say this because of your statement, “Our entire team feels the same way I do.” This tells me that rather than each of you talking directly with your office manager, you are all talking “about” your office manager. This is counterproductive and won’t help any of you.

I realize that it’s very difficult to approach someone that you see as “abrasive and disrespectful,” but have you given any thought to how the office manager may feel she is perceived or treated? Is it possible the office manager could be responding in kind to the negativity and tension in the relationship?

Here’s something I have confirmed over and over again with teams I work with. When asked, “If you were personally doing something that was holding the team back, would you want, a) a coworker to tell you directly b) coworkers to talk amongst themselves about the issue or c) coworkers go to the dentist/owner with the issue,” I consistently hear that team members overwhelmingly prefer that someone come to them directly. This kind of leadership and accountability involves constructive confrontation of the issues rather than involving others in your issues.

Once we involve others, we discuss our opinions and we start judging. By definition, judging is forming an opinion of somebody or something. If this is done before speaking directly with the person, these opinions are made without all the relevant facts.

These opinions then become the story we tell ourselves about what is going on, rather than what is actually happening. The story takes on a life of its own, drama ensues, and many well-intentioned people get hurt. This can be overwhelming for everyone on the team, including the office manager.

As time goes on, there can be so many layers and twists to the plot and so many hurt feelings, that people forget where the line between fact and fiction is. In my experience, everyone soon has a well rehearsed part to play and the practice moves further away from the truth into a soap opera of its own creation. It’s time to stop this insanity.

I have two recommendations for you:
First, I’d ask you to take a deep breath and revisit your story. Take your question apart line by line and remove your opinions so that you have only the facts at hand.

I think you’ll be left with:
*  The office manager has been there 30 years
*  You like your job and your dentist
*  There is a situation that needs to be handled
*  You want to help

Second, I would consider “how can you help?” You might consider one last behind the scenes meeting with your coworkers to discuss taking personal accountability to focus on solutions rather than blame.

Then, begin by addressing your own responsibilities or concerns with your office manager.  Start with one pressing issue, not a list of past issues. Your goal is to change the dynamic and make it more positive and productive. This is a process. When others come to you to discuss their issues, do not get involved; encourage them to also take their concerns directly to the office manager.

I’m not blaming you or your coworkers, your office manager, or your doctor. You’ll notice that I haven’t addressed the issue of blame at all. I don’t know enough to even begin to, and it would be counterproductive. It’s far more effective to discuss shared purpose and positive change with a forward focus. You all deserve better. Hopefully this is a good first step for all of you.

You might also want to address the bigger team issue, and realize that when this type of drama thrives, profitability generally suffers. What’s the best way to support the entire team to start over with new intention? What are your shared goals? How can you bring everyone together to work toward solutions and avoid blame? Often, this is best done in a practice retreat with an outside, objective facilitator guiding the group. Please feel free to contact me atginny@ginnyhegarty.com.

http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/2013/08/thursday-troubleshooter2.html