by Ginny | Aug 15, 2011 | Practice Leadership, Team Development
The American Academy of Dental Office Managers
Here’s some cold hold truth: turnover is disruptive and expensive; working through it can also be a demoralizing experience for the entire team, 30% of new hires start looking for their next job after just 30 days and 46% of new hires will fail within the first eighteen months.
These statistics may help explain why the leading human resource topic on The American Academy of Dental Office Administrators (AADOM) attendees’ minds for our HR: The Guts & The Glory session in Nashville is recruitment and hiring.
Join us in Nashville as we cover HR topics from recruitment & selection to training, performance management, leadership, accountability, practice culture and morale. We’re shining the spotlight on best practices that develop your team members into your greatest competitive advantage while improving the bottom line. (AADOM’s website is www.dentalmanagers.com)
by Ginny | Jul 15, 2011 | Practice Leadership, Team Development
Bob Kelleher of Southwest Airlines knows a lot about the power of purpose and the value of respecting your employees and treating them well. His company has been profitable for 38 years in a row – unheard of in the airline industry. He say that “the customer is always right” is a bunch of baloney if you have any respect for your employees. He believes that your employees are more important than customers and recommends taking care of your employees so they are able to treat your customers with warmth and hospitality that will keep your customers coming back, loyal to your company. CNBC Titans has a great episode devoted to Bob Kelleher’s story if you want to learn more.
GinnyHegarty.com Dental Practice Development Inc.
by Ginny | Sep 17, 2010 | Team Development
Zappos definitely has a unique strategy. After two weeks of classroom training, all new hires spend two weeks learning how to answer customer calls. At the conclusion of the training, new hires are offered $3,000 plus time worked to quit. CEO, Tony Hsieh explains that it encourages those who will jump ship to leave sooner, and those who will stay to make a public declaration of their commitment. Paying people to quit saves the company money. Pick up Tony’s new book Delivering Happiness to learn more about Zappos’ unique and winning culture.
by Ginny | Aug 3, 2010 | Team Development
Receiving positive reinforcement is one of the top predictors for success, yet only 39% of employees say their boss does a good job of recognizing and acknowledging their accomplishments. Are bosses falling short or do employees expect too much…? Ghandi challenged us to “be the change you want to see in the world” Imagine what positive change you could start if you began recognizing your boss and your coworkers for the good they are doing. Look for every chance to catch each other doing something great and tell everyone who will listen all about it. I’m willing to bet that you can start a wave of gratitude and appreciation within the practice. Don’t wait for the boss. Leadership opportunities are all around you.
-Ginny Hegarty
by Ginny | Jan 16, 2009 | General, Team Development
This classified ad for a Team Leader is currently on the web:
“You’ll be responsible for developing the team, and individual team members, to meet and exceed customer demand and expectations. The ideal candidate must be results oriented, have strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to build and maintain positive working relationships at all levels, a passion for excellence, and familiarity with continuous improvement concepts.â€
Would you believe that Chick-fil-A is the company behind this ad? You would if you’ve visited Chick-fil-A lately. After visiting a new franchise in our neighborhood, my son Dan called to say, “You have to drive down here, you’re going to love this.†Here’s how I was greeted: “Hello, my name is Josh, may I take your order please?†..“My pleasure, please come around to the next window where Amy will be happy to serve you.†After thanking Amy for my lunch, she also replied “My pleasure.†Great service, servers who identify themselves and set themselves apart with high energy and above average manners. This was a far cry from the “do you want fries with that†stereotype of fast-food restaurants. I’ve come to learn that Chick-fil-A’s CEO, Truett Cathy was inspired by the Ritz Carlton hotel chain when he chose his restaurant’s trademark phrase, “My pleasureâ€. Mr. Cathy is dedicated to inspiring others to leave a positive impression on the people they meet. It sure worked for me.
by Ginny | Oct 6, 2007 | Practice Leadership, Team Development
It’s amazing what you can hear in the parking lot outside a dental office. I recently heard a teenage girl say “Mom, I’ve had teeth pulled and gum surgery, I’ve had braces and cleanings twice a year my whole life, but I’ve never felt like such an object as today when I had that filling done. That new girl working on me hurt me and acted like I was invisible.” The young girl then began to cry.
I have to wonder if this doctor was aware of what had happened under his watch. How aware are you of how your staff handle challenges they may face with your patients? How much training time is spent sharing your practice philosophy of care and service? Do you teach your team members how to care for and about your patients? It’s a mistake to assume that clinical competency assures a compassionate chairside manner. When all is said and done your patients won’t remember exactly what you said or did but they will always remember how your practice made them feel. This young lady deserved better.
