Your team is your greatest asset…when you invest in them!  I find it interesting that little time and money is spent on investing in growing the team in comparison to doctors learning new clinical skills!  When in truth the team can be the greatest asset and advantage in determining the level of success in the dental practice.

Alignment

Let’s start by aligning the team!  The more aligned the team is the more consistent the care and service.  The owner doctor(s) start by creating clear core values for their practice.  Take time to come up with your why…what four core words in order of priority would you choose?  This will help create clarity and unite the leadership team (doctors/managers/team leads).  Utilize a consistent decision-making strategy to avoid fly by’s which includes considering the following:

• What’s in the best interests of the patients, practice and team, not any one individual (including doctor)?
• What is practical and realistic based on current resources of people, time and money?
• What is the precedent being set?
• What is the value of implementing? Necessary to have a value of 8 or above on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high.
• Will it support the 4 core values?

It is necessary that the leadership team’s message is consistent from all leadership team members.  Otherwise it creates confusion and divides the team.

Engagement

The engagement part happens when you include your team in the discussions and decision making.  When your team feels like their ideas are heard and considered they feel valued and respected.  They become a creator versus a victim of their circumstances.  Creators focus on what is positive, identify and change what isn’t and own their results.  Whereas victims complain, criticize, blame, gossip and compare.

If you want the team to embrace a change ask for their suggestions and feedback on how to implement the change.  If you want the team to have ownership give them authorship as well.  A well-structured plan is well thought out and clearly defined.  I teach teams the R.I.S.E. Implementation Process to help them work together to create a well-structured plan.  R.I.S.E. is an acronym for Review, Implement, Sustain and Evaluate.

Review – WIIFTP&P&T (What’s In It For The Patient, Practice & Team)

• What is it we are currently doing
• Does it support the doctor(s) Core Standards
• Is it a WOW?
  • What’s working
  • What’s not
• WIIFTP&P&T – What’s in it for the patients, practice and team if we make the change
• It is important for the value/benefits to rate an 8 or above on scale of 1 to 10 or it is difficult to sustain

Implement – SOP – Standard Operating Procedures

• What are we going to change
  • What area(s) do you want to grow?  Prioritize if you have several areas.  Start with the area that will make the biggest impact.
• Who is going to do it
• Who are we going to do it for
• When are we going to do it – including time, sequence and flow
  • It is important to actually schedule time to fit it in to your day, week, month, and year or it won’t happen.
• Where are we going do it – very specific location
• Why are we going to do it
  • This is the most important part to successfully sustain growth.  What is it that will motivate you to continue to do the new behavior when you don’t feel like it or you are pressed for time.
  • It has to be a big enough why (8 to 10) – WIIFTP&P&T if we make the change – there must always be something in it for the team to sustain the change
• How are we going do it
  • Practice verbal skills
  • Practice role playing – yes I know it’s weird but it’s effective
  • Practice the entire physical walk through – never test it out for the first time on a patient
  • Clearly spell out the attitude, mindset and action steps will you need to take to be able to succeed.
• Define process
  • Create standard operating procedures and put in a SOP Manual
  • Schedule the roll out date

Sustain – Form Habits

• In order to sustain a new change it is important for the new change to become a habit
• Be precise and consistent and realistic to make the change become a habit much sooner
  • Same sequence and steps for every team member every time
    • 5 out of 5 times
• It takes a range of anywhere between 18-254 days  to form a habit depending on the difficulty with the average being 66 days
  • Until it becomes a habit it will feel awkward and uncomfortable
  • Give any new change at least 60 days to get comfortable before considering any changes
• Support the change positively in words, actions and attitude

Evaluate – Reflect/Diagnose

• What are the results
  • Were we able to implement
  • If not, why not
  • Is the process still working effectively
  • If not, what is the value and benefits in a change
  • What part is still working what needs to change

Investing time and energy in getting your team aligned and engaged are the first steps in making your team your greatest asset! Tune in next month to learn how to empower them to be your greatest asset!