Of course you know of (and probably have) a few of these type of people. They show up for another days work at the office, hopefully on time, do what they are paid to do and go home to repeat the process tomorrow.
The challenge with this is – in Dentistry – it’s about so much more than just ‘doing a job’. I get so tired of hearing about JOB descriptions and people thinking you can place a job description on a piece of paper and that’s going to make employees, Team Members in your Practice more accountable, more effective, more caring over their roles, responsibilities, and positions in your Practice.
If you want it to be more than just a job to your Team Members you have to convey a specific expectation and create a culture of initiative and cohesive team-WORK.
Very often when I’m talking through the Team Members in a Practice with a Dentist, as part of my Practice Transformation Blueprint Process, we discover many people who are either in the wrong place, not doing something they are actually good at or enjoy, or worse yet people who are completely under utilized because they desire to do more and be better but we have not clearly defined the ways they can do more and be better for the Team, your Patients, You, and for the overall growth of the Practice.
Here are the things that are essential to have laid out for each team member in order to help them see their position in your Practice as more than just a Job and to perform with excellence and ownership like it really matters to them beyond just their paycheck.
First, the daily and weekly responsibilities for each position. This is the closest to the “job description” concept but it needs to focus on what exact performance standards and outcome-based expectations would be.
For example, you hire someone for Hygiene “to do hygiene” and yet we wonder why she/he does not perform well because we have never given her/him a checklist or a specific outline of what your expectations are.
What is a good hygiene visit, clinically and from the patient’s experience.
What is the expected financial results of each visit, day, and week in Hygiene.
What is the appropriate way to educate patients, recommend treatment, and influence the patient to pursue improving their oral health and aesthetic appearance. Which by the way is the most important part of the whole thing – helping patients get healthy… creating dentistry.
The point is, no wonder a Team Member constantly disappoints you because you may not have ever walked that person through exactly what you want and how the performance will be judge on success and what real contribution looks like to the Team and Patients and Practice.
That’s what they really need to know.
The next thing a Team Member needs to understand is HOW she/he can be a better team player. During downtime, before and after hours, in between visits. What does “being helpful” look like.
This is a conversation you can have with your team; an open dialogue. Everyone contributing and being a cohesive team is anticipating needs of each other, being helpful, taking initiative, and always working for the same purpose.
As crazy as it sounds, it’s most likely not that someone doesn’t want to do this, it probably is just that person does not know how, or may have worked in other offices where it’s not part of the culture.
Again, communication is key. Clear expectations.
Finally, the most important part of each Team Member’s existence and what really drives her/him forward and out of the ‘just do what I get paid to do’ mentality is understanding, knowing, embracing, being held accountable and expected to CREATE DENTISTRY!!!
Right now today and every day for each different position in your Practice, what are all the ways this person is responsible for helping patients get healthy? How is each person contributing to the dentistry that is sold and scheduled? How is each person involved in educating patients and making sure everyone is working together to put points on the scoreboard, every single day.
When your Team Members understand these 3 layers of true performance and contribution, you will see how going beyond just doing their job, to taking initiative, to creating dentistry will explode your practice. Instead of an army of one out front pulling the practice up the hill, you’ll have a team of people carrying the Practice forward and driving your progress and growth to achieve your goals and live out your vision.
Yes, dentistry is a Team Sport and making patients healthy and creating a prosperous practice is how we Win…together!
