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September 1, 2023

Top 10 Leadership Strategies!

I have the privilege of working with dental teams nationwide. What I have found is that everything begins and ends with the leadership team. It’s what leaders do, allow, or accept that cultivates the culture. If the leadership team is not aligned and cohesive it will be difficult to get the team aligned and cohesive. Here are my top 10 strategies to build and aligned and cohesive team.

Strategy 1- United We Team. The We team consists of everyone involved with leading the team. It could be as simple as a solo doctor without a manager. In this case very simple to be united with oneself. 😊 However, once there are two or more it takes a focused commitment. The leadership team would include doctors, managers, team leads and anyone in a role that is responsible for leading other team members. The leadership team must always be supportive and united in front of the team. Any difference of opinion or disagreements must always be handled behind closed doors. Otherwise, it can create confusion and chaos within the team.

Strategy 2 – One Message. In order to have one message the leadership team needs to be on the same page. Owner doctors will need to establish four core values to build around. Email me at JudyKay@PracticeSolutionsInc.net to receive a Core Values Sample Page. Weekly leadership meetings help keep the entire leadership team in the loop and on the same page. Choose the same day and time every week and reserve it a year in advance. It is at the weekly leadership meetings that discussions and agreements are made. It is important to put the agreements in writing and save the information in a meeting log. Once agreements are made they are shared with the entire team at a team meeting.

Strategy 3 – Open Communication. Open communication includes the entire team. A team meeting setting works best to allow time for introduction, discussion and implementation of new ideas or changes. It is important to get feedback from the team members that will be responsible for doing the work. Never introduce a change or new process in a memo. It does not allow time for discussion and will limit end results.

Strategy 4 – Model the Waddle. In other words, lead by example. This is the number one leadership principle. There are no exclusions, no exceptions in essence no double standards. I often hear, “but Judy Kay I am the doctor. I can do what I want.” Yes, they can but not without exceptions. It is not what we say but what we do that inspires our team to follow our lead. Leaders must always walk their talk. For example, they need to be engaged and positive if they want their team to be engaged and positive.

Strategy 5 – When to Lead Versus Manage. Know when to lead and when to manage. Leadership is defined as the ability to influence and guide people.

Leading is providing a big picture view to the team and motivating them to be a part of the vision. Once the vision is clear it’s time to manage. Management is directing and controlling the process to reach a goal. Managing turns the vision into reality by setting and measuring smaller goals for the team to reach the end goal.

Strategy 6 – Hire the Right People. The right people are those that fit the team and practice culture. Evaluate as a team the aptitude, character traits, and skill sets necessary to perform the job. Never trade character for skills. Skills can be taught whereas character is innate in the person.

Strategy 7 – Training Benchmarks. Establish clear and consistent training benchmarks for new hires. Define what the minimum level of performance will be for each benchmark. Create weekly benchmarks for the first three months. Create monthly benchmarks for three months to twelve months. Clear benchmarks create clear expectations for the new hire as well as the existing team.

Strategy 8 – Accountability. Leaders need to hold everyone equally accountable. No exclusions or exceptions or it will feel like favoritism and divide the team. Adress negative words, attitudes, and actions as they happen daily. The verbiage I like to use is, “How does _________ support our core value of _________?” or “How does what you did support our standard process of _________?”

Strategy 9 – Appreciation. Appreciation is not just nice to do fluff stuff! Appreciation gives team members value and purpose. It is also feedback on performance. Leaders catch your team members doing things right and show appreciation. Appreciation motivates. Criticism demotivates. What is rewarded gets done.

Strategy 10 – Celebration. Celebrate successes daily. Morning huddles provide an opportunity to share successes from the day before. I am not just talking about the financial goal. Highlight positive patient interactions as well as positive team member to team member interactions.

Implementing these 10 leadership strategies will help you build an aligned and cohesive team.

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June 1, 2023

Get Happier! Part 1

Filed under: Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,cohesivness,Communication,Conflict Resolution,Culture,Culture Camp,Decision Making,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Focus,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Performance,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Relationships,Rise & Shine,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Relationships,thought leader,Toxic Performer,Uncategorized — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, communication, conflict resolution, Decision making, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, drama, energy, focus, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, show your shine, team building, Thoughts — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 12:11 pm

Get happy! Fame, money, stuff, or even other people can’t make us happy. Just look at all the famous and wealthy people who are miserable. Happiness doesn’t have anything to do with what we have, where we’ve been, or who we are. Happiness comes from within. We are happy when we choose to be happy. We have a choice: to enjoy our lives or to find fault. We truly do write our own stories of happiness.

“Every moment you make a choice of what you want to keep, and what you want to let go of…and that’s how you write your story!” ~ Judy Kay Mausolf

Here are the first two of four strategies to get happier!

Focus Power!

We get happier when we change our focus to positive. You can be happy even when life seems difficult. Here is the big secret about staying happy and positive in difficult times. It does not take any superpowers or anything special. It is simply a clear understanding of the power of focus.

“Our focus creates our attitude.” ~ Judy Kay Mausolf

Our attitude is a learned behavior. Having a positive attitude is a skill. If you focus on the positive, you will have a positive attitude. If you focus on the negative, you will have a negative attitude. When you hear people say they are in a bad mood, it is because they choose to linger in the negative emotions. The physical part of any emotion only lasts thirty seconds or less. Any emotion after thirty seconds comes from hanging on to the emotion. Woe is me people, or what I refer to as wallowers, choose to be victims of their emotions. They wallow in them like a mud bath and tell everyone how miserable they are in hopes of eliciting sympathy. They actually enjoy the drama and negative emotions.

The science behind the thirty seconds of emotion pertains to fight or flight. Our immediate responses to negative or positive emotional stimuli are the result of a chemical reaction in our brains. Responses such as a rush of adrenaline lump in our throats, being out of breath, a dry mouth, sweat running down our backs, faces turning red, nervous laughter, flailing, and kicking, and tears welling up in our eyes – these responses happen in the first five seconds. In the next 25 seconds, we battle to take control of our bodies. It is best not to suppress nor deny the emotion, but to let ourselves feel it, observe the physical effect on us, mentally step aside from it, and let it go.

We can choose not to be negative, angry, hurt, stressed, frustrated, grumpy or whatever. It is always our choice. Instead, focus on finding a solution and a reason to be happy and feel good in every situation.

Action Plan – Focus Power:

Here are action steps to achieve Focus Power:

Whenever you feel stressed and, in the fight, or flight zone, breathe deeply and count to ten, slowly for thirty seconds.
Feel and observe the physical reaction and then let it go.
Identify three positives in the situation. Even in the most horrific circumstances there are positives.
Shift your focus from what is negative or missing to what is positive and present.
Spend 10% of your time focused on the problem and 90% on the solution.

Choice Power

We get happier when we choose to be happier. Have you ever thought, “I was in great mood until “___________” happened”? When we allow “___________” (whatever the blank is at the moment) to affect how we feel, we are in essence relinquishing our power and allowing circumstances to control our emotions. If we allow our circumstances to control our emotions, we become a victim of our circumstances. The truth is that circumstances don’t dictate how we feel – we do! It is always our choice!

“Happiness is always our choice!” ~ Judy Kay Mausolf

Action Plan ~ Choice Power

Wake up.
Affirm it is going to be an awesome day.
Choose to be positive regardless of how you feel.
Choose words and actions that have a positive impact.

Implement the first two strategies and you will get happier! Tune in next month to learn the about strategy three and four to get happier!

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May 1, 2023

Stop Walking On Eggshells!

I have the privilege of working with dental teams nationwide to help them co-create a happier, healthier, and higher performing culture. There are so many moving parts in a routine dental practice’s day. The schedule, among other things, doesn’t always happen as planned. There are even some days when it feels as if the wheels may have fallen off. We need to as a team be able openly discuss what is working and what is not. The obstacles are the eggshells that get in the way.

What are eggshells? Eggshells are the fragile feelings that arise when we try to resolve a conflict with another. These fragile feelings are a result of what we perceive based on our past personal experiences and not necessarily the other person’s intent. Some of the fragile feelings I am referring to are fear, anger, judgment, retaliation, desire to be liked, insecurity, nothing changes, peer pressure, hurt feelings, disrespect, it’s not nice, or it’s not my problem.

These eggshells stop many of us from addressing the elephants (the unstated issues or concerns) in the room. We create barriers between each other by laying our eggshells all around ourselves and worrying about stepping on those that others have laid around themselves. We believe if we talk about what is not working or what is a problem or a concern we will step on their eggshells. Almost everything becomes too uncomfortable or off-limits to discuss. So, we don’t! Instead, we just keep everything inside to avoid the eggshells and the practice culture deteriorates. The chance to make good things happen, (better results, better relationships, and more responsibility) disappears. What appears instead is a herd of elephants. Everyone knows they are there and yet no one will talk about them for fear of stepping on an eggshell.

The problem is, if we don’t discuss the issues as they happen, they don’t go away. Instead, the issues become elephants and the herd continues to grow until it takes over the entire practice. We end up tiptoeing around each other’s eggshells and pretending the elephants don’t exist. Or gossip grows out of frustration. Communication between team members becomes emotionally charged. The conflicts continue to grow; resolution becomes almost impossible. The practice culture becomes stressful and negative. This emotional stress and negative environment can drive even the best of team members to leave the practice!

To overcome the eggshells, we need to first acknowledge they exist. Have a team meeting to talk about the eggshells in the office. Have each team member identify which eggshells they surround themselves with most often. I recently held a team meeting where each team member identified their eggshells. There was a variety of answers; desire to be liked, hurt feelings, judgment, criticism, retaliation, and nothing ever changes. They differ for each team member because of their past experiences.

Once the eggshells have been identified, discuss the importance of talking about issues as they happen regardless of their existence. This proactive communication helps to prevent and remove the elephants from the room. Reinforce the message; we are all working together towards the same goal of a healthy, happy, and high performing practice culture. To accomplish this, we must give each other a break and believe that our other team members’ intents are good. We need to talk about the issues even if talking about issues creates eggshells like hurt feelings, judgment, or criticism.

We need to stop assuming we know what someone meant by their actions or words or the way they said something. Sometimes even what they say or the words they use can mean something different than what we believe them to mean. Approach with care and concern to help relieve tension and avoid defensiveness. Respectfully ask questions until you understand the other person’s true intent. Here are two questions I recommend based on issue.

I am not quite sure what you mean, please tell me more.
I am not quite sure what happened, please tell me more.

Once we understand each other’s intent our trust grows, and it becomes easier to talk about the issues and resolve conflict. Resolving conflict as it occurs will help to prevent elephants and promote a happy, healthy, high performing team environment.

Be a good egg; approach and be approachable!

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April 1, 2023

5 Essentials to Embrace Change Successfully!

You may have heard the quote; “The only thing that is constant is change!” It is true, change is inevitable but not always positive or successful! The reality is that some work cultures support positive change, while other cultures sabotage change. There are many factors involved, such as team workload, other current changes in progress, team beliefs about change, clear communication about the change, benefits of the change, appropriate training, coaching and support provided during the change, etc.

I have the privilege of helping dental teams nationwide create a happier, healthier and higher performing culture that they will enjoy coming to everyday. This always involves making changes. I often observe team members roll their eyes and let out deep sighs of frustration when they hear there is another change heading their way. They stress and worry about how it will affect them and how long it will last. This article is dedicated to learning how to rise above the pain of change and make it a positive process.

Change for many of us is often scary. The fear of change comes when we start the assumptions of “what if” thoughts! How many times have you been afraid to make a change because of saying to yourself, “But what if this happens”? You just “what if’d” yourself right out of action. Think about this. It’s a biggy! How many times has fear stopped you? The ironic part is that fear is really only a negative prediction of the future. In most cases, what we worry about doesn’t happen. What actually happened, we didn’t even think about or worry about, and yet we still survived. Its proof that worry is a total waste of energy and time. If we can learn to evaluate the real danger, as opposed to the perception of danger (what if), we will get a more realistic viewpoint and we will be less afraid to make the change. Imagine how much happier you would be right this second if the fear of “what if” had no impact on your decisions. What would you do or change? What would your life look like right now?

Change requires us to have courage to face our fear of “what if” in unpredictable and unknown! Regardless of how dysfunctional, unhappy, unproductive or toxic the current culture may be it often feels safer to keep the status quo. The known almost always feels safer than the unknown. That is why it is imperative that the value of the change be clear to those asked to make the change. It is essential that the value and benefits of change rate an 8 or above on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high. Otherwise, the chance for the change to be positive and sustainable is limited.

I have found 5 essentials to help dental teams rise above their fears and embrace change as a positive process.

Trust in leadership
Clear and consistent direction
Structured plan
Adequate training and practice time
Realistic workload

The number one essential necessary to embrace change is trust in the leadership. If the team members trust their leader(s) they will be more willing to step into the unpredictable and unknown. Leaders can build trust by embodying the following traits:

Model the waddle is the number one leadership principle – in other words lead by example
Have a clear and consistent direction
Be transparent by communicating to keep the team in the loop as much as possible
Be open to suggestions and feedback
Address any obstacles, fears or concerns the team may have about the change

The second essential is to communicate a clear and consistent direction. It is important to use a decision strategy to avoid fly-bys and emotion driven decisions in the heat of the moment. I teach the following four strategic steps:

What’s in the best interests of the patients, practice and the team – not any individual and long term
- Think about 10 months and 10 years instead of next 10 minutes or 10 days
What is practical and realistic based on time, people and money currently available
What is the precedent being set
- Is it fair, if we can’t do it across the board for everyone on the team it will feel like favoritism and divide the team
What is the level of passion we are willing to support the decision
- Will we support it when push comes to shove even if it may result in losing an employee or a patient

Set your team up to succeed by communicating the change clearly and concisely. I suggest the following communication process:

Clarify expectations
Ask questions to make sure everyone understands
Write objective down in bullet points if more than a couple of things
Identify equipment and supplies necessary
Schedule adequate training and practice time
Set realistic expectations for completion time and date
For more involved longer tasks schedule a check in

The third essential is for leadership to work with the team to develop a well-structured plan. 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
- What is it we are currently doing
- What is working and what is not
- Keep what is let go of what is not
- WIIFTT – What’s in it for the 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
  - What are we going to change
  - 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
  - Where are we going do it – very specific location
  - Why are we going to do it
    - WIIFTT if we make the change – there must always be something in it for the team for the team to sustain the change
  - How are we going do it
    - Practice verbal skills
    - Practice role playing – yes, I know it’s awkward and it’s effective
    - Practice the entire physical walk through – never test it out for the first time on a patient
  - Create standard operating procedures
  - Schedule the roll out date
- Sustain
  - In order to sustain it is important for the new change to become a habit
  - It takes a range of anywhere between 17 to 257 days to form a habit depending on the difficulty with the average being 66 days
    - Give any new change at least 60 days to get comfortable before considering any changes
  - Be precise and consistent to form a habit much sooner
    - Same sequence and steps for every team member every time
  - Support the change positively in words, actions and attitude
- Evaluate
  - Is the process still working effectively
  - If not, what is the value and benefits in a change
  - Any change takes ongoing tweaking

The fourth essential is to schedule appropriate and adequate training and practice time. I have found that the most positive and successful changes happen when the team has time to train and practice.

For new team members have clearly written weekly goals for the first 3 months. Review the progress with the new team member weekly. From 3 months to 1 year change to clear written monthly goals and review monthly. Having clear written goals helps manage the expectations for the new team member as well as existing team.

For existing team members, meetings are the perfect opportunity for training and practice time. Utilize your team meetings to:

Review and update systems and protocols
Implement new ideas
Monitor process of yearly goals
Practice, practice, practice
- Verbal skills, role playing and physical walk through

Team meetings are most effective when you:

Schedule often enough
Schedule time enough
Schedule when most can attend
Get feedback from the entire team
- Encourage solution focused suggestions on how to overcome potential obstacles

The fifth essential is to be realistic with the workload. It will be very difficult to get the team excited about embracing something new if they are already swamped and consistently running behind. It is important to evaluate whether there is adequate time, money, and people to successfully implement the change. Don’t firehose your employees with changes. Implement only one or two new changes at a time. Even the most committed employees will become resistant to change if they are consistently overwhelmed.

Cultivating a culture with these 5 essentials will help you rise above the pain of change and make it a positive process.

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February 1, 2023

5 Minute Positive & Productive Morning Huddle!

Filed under: Accountability,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Constructive Conversation,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Habit,Implementation,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Positive Psychology,Practice Solutions Inc,Relationships,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Uncategorized — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental office, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, energy, focus, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Patient experience, positive energy, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, sustain, team building, Thoughts, value, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:00 am

5 Minute Positive & Productive Morning Huddle!

Daily huddles are the best way to keep everyone on the team informed on the goals for the day and make the day flow more smoothly! It is important that they are both positive and productive to reap the best results. Time is often a deterrent. However, every practice can fit in a 5-minute morning huddle! Here are 5 steps to a positive and productive 5-minute morning huddle.

Morning huddles must be kept a priority! Nothing else not even patients can take precedence over them. Otherwise, there will always be a reason why it was canceled. Can you imagine a professional sport’s team not having practice? Morning huddles allow the team time triage and align on a game plan for the day. Which is why it is imperative that every team member scheduled including the doctors attend and be on time!

1. Have a positive huddle! Start out the huddle with something positive for example a positive quote, a prayer, kudos (highlight) from yesterday or a positive survey result! I post a daily quote on my Company Facebook Page (judykay.mausolf) for dental team huddles. A positive start sets the tone and leads to a positive huddle and day!

2. Give a heads-up of any changes in staffing for the day. Who is working and when. It’s all hands-on deck. Who can step up to help cover the shortage. Consider team members in all departments. Cross training enables business and clinical team members to assist each other.

3. Define obstacles and rocks for the day! The obstacles that may impede flow. As well as any rocks (tasks that need to be done that day or there will be negative consequences to the team, patients, or practice) that need to be completed that day. List and prioritize rocks. An example of a rock might be a lab case that needs to go out that day or ordering specific supplies if the practice will run out, or filling openings in the schedule for that day. Everyone at the huddle is expected to take part in sharing any pertinent information that may affect the flow of the day. Divide the tasks amongst the team. The goal is to maintain the schedule if possible. Otherwise, find a convenient time for the patients to reschedule. It may take some creativity including lengthening a day or adding a hygiene day.

4. Identify where to schedule same day emergency patients. We want to empower our business team to be able to schedule emergency patients proficiently. Identify two emergency times for the day. I have found it works best when the clinical team chooses a time in the morning and in afternoon to schedule emergency patients. Pick a time that is later in the morning and later in the afternoon to be able to accommodate the late caller.

5. End your huddle on a high note! A positive huddle close helps set the tone for the day! It’s so important that we start our day on a positive note. It could be something as simple as a high fiving each other and saying, “let’s make today a great day”! Alternate who ends the huddle between all team members. Be creative and fun! Bookend your huddles with something positive! The possibilities are endless!

Implementing the 5-step 5-minute huddle will improve communication, team cohesiveness and patient care!

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January 1, 2023

It’s All In The Close!

The success of a dental practice relies heavily on the close! The patient and the practice both lose if case acceptance is low. The patient experience can be perfect up to the close and yet everything comes to a halt if the financial close is awkward and uncomfortable. Practices invest heavily in marketing, branding, technology, practice management software, and clinical training. However, many often miss focusing on the close to achieve success.

The ability to proficiently present treatment and fees resulting in case acceptance is critical to the success of a practice. The more patients understand their dental needs and the fees associated with treatment, the more likely they are to accept recommendations. We want the patient to understand exactly what they need, why they need it, and the importance of getting it done now.

Most people dislike surprises when it comes to dental care and costs. Real understanding on the part of the patient leads to case acceptance. Use stories and analogies focused on real life benefits for the patient. For example, eating corn on the cob or steak or even just being able to smile.

It is vital that the team member (presenter) presenting treatment and fees is confident and comfortable with this role. Seventy percent of case acceptance breaks down because of the way the fees were handled. The presenter must understand dentistry and absolutely believe in the value and the quality of dentistry delivered in the practice.

Teach all team members the procedures that are being performed in the office. Together as a team create and practice consistent treatment verbiage. Utilize the same verbiage the doctor uses to avoid any confusion and keep everyone in the practice on the same page.

It is critical that the presenter discuss the treatment and fees with enthusiasm. Listen to the patient’s financial concerns, enthusiastically promote the payment options, and clearly communicate the financial protocol. Our patients’ perception is based on only 7% of our words, 38% our tone of voice, and 55% our body language.

Consistent fees and payment protocols are vital to build the presenters confidence and proficiency. A dental practice is not a bank or a charity and deserves to get paid for services rendered. Never be uncomfortable about charging appropriate fees or pre-judge a patient’s ability to pay.

It is a lesson I learned well over 30 years ago. I can clearly remember misjudging a patient’s ability to pay only to find out later they were extremely wealthy. The patient arrived for their appointment disheveled and dressed in a dated threadbare running suit. I later learned the patient had just come from working on a home project. The phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” is a great metaphorical reminder that means one shouldn’t prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone.

The following approach will enable the presenter improve case acceptance.

Mindset

The goal of the practice is to make it as comfortable as possible for the patient to have the very best dentistry available. Adopt a mindset of being an advocate to help the patient get the treatment they need and desire. Present treatment with care and concern not assumptions, judgement, or criticism.

Informed Consent

A successful treatment presentation results in informed consent not just scheduling treatment. Verify the following information with every patient.

Sequence
Time
Compliance
Investment

Handling Objections

It is essential for the presenter to actively listen to the patient’s concerns and comments. Their responses focused on What’s in It for The Patient (WIIFTP). Use patient focused benefits verbiage. Speak in “layman’s” terms so the patient clearly understands what is being said.

I have found the Feel, Felt, Found Method to show empathy works extremely well.

I can understand why you might feel this way. It tells the patient you heard them and empathize with them.
Other patients had initially felt that as well. It tells the patient they are not alone, and things can change.
What they have found was…. It tells the patient what another person found when they followed through, they got the results they wanted.

W.O.W. Process – Work, Options, When

It is important that there is consistency in treatment presentations amongst team members as well as clear documentation of all patient conversations. Utilize the W.O.W. Process to deliver consistent and effective treatment presentations. This is a second acronym for W.O.W. which is work, options and when. The W.O.W. Process is a simple three step process.

Work – Review treatment and fees with patient.
Options – Offer options, finalize, and sign payment arrangements.
When – Offer two available appointments and schedule an appointment.

Getting case acceptance is a win for the patient and the practice, resulting in a healthy smile for the patient and healthy bottom line for the practice. Email judykay@practicesolutionsinc.net to receive your white page on Delivering W.O.W. Treatment Presentations.

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September 29, 2022

5 Strategies That Cultivate Positive Change!

Filed under: Accountability,Attitude,Behavior,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,Culture,Culture Camp,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Fear,Focus,Implementation,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindset,Motivation,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Positive Psychology,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,Relationships,Respect,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,Toxic Performer,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized — Tags: attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, Culture, Decision making, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, energy, experience, focus, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, show your shine, success, team, value — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:35 am

I help dental teams nationwide successfully embrace change. This message is dedicated to learning how to cultivate a culture where change can be a more positive, successful, and sustainable experience! Change requires us to have courage to face our fear of the unpredictable unknown! Regardless of how dysfunctional, unhappy, unproductive, or toxic the current culture maybe it often feels safer to keep the status quo. The known almost always feels safer than the unknown. That is why the value of the change must be clear to those expected to make the change. It is important for the value and benefits of change to rate an 8 or above on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high. Otherwise, the chance for the change to be sustained is limited.

“Change starts in our mind!”

I facilitate Culture Camps nationwide. I have found 5 consistent strategies that cultivate positive change!

Trust in leadership
Clear and consistent message
Structured plan
Adequate training and practice time
Realistic workload

Number 1! Trust in the leadership. If the team members trust their leader(s) they will be more willing to step into the unpredictable unknown. Leaders can build trust by embodying the following traits:

Model the waddle is the number one leadership principle – in other words lead by example
Aligned leadership – Have a clear and consistent direction
Be transparent and keep the team in the loop as much as possible
Be open to suggestions and feedback
Address any obstacles, fears, or concerns the team may have in open communication

Number 2! Communicate a clear and consistent message. Set your team up to succeed by communicating the change clearly and concisely. I suggest the following communication process:

Clarify expectations
Ask questions to make sure everyone understands
Write objective down in bullet points if more than a couple of things
Set realistic expectations for completion time and date
For more involved or longer tasks schedule a check in

Number 3! Develop a well-structured plan. 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. Email me at JudyKay@PracticeSolutionsInc.net and request R.I.S.E. Process White page.

Number 4! Schedule appropriate and adequate training and practice time. I have found that the most positive and successful changes happen when the team has time to train and practice. Team meetings are the perfect opportunity for training and practice time.

Number 5! Be realistic with workload expectations. It will be very difficult to get the team excited about embracing something new if they already feel swamped and are consistently running behind. It is important to evaluate if there is enough time, money and people to implement the change successfully. Even the most committed employees will become resistant to change if they are consistently overwhelmed.

Implementing these 5 strategies will help you cultivate positive change!

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August 1, 2022

Three Reasons Why Incentives Don’t Motivate or Change Behavior!

Filed under: Accountability,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Culture Camp,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Habit,Implementation,Incentives,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Performance,Positive Psychology,Practice Solutions Inc,Relationships,Respect,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Relationships,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized — Tags: attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, Decision making, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, drama, experience, Habits, Incentive, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, show your shine, success, sustain, team building, value — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:00 am

Do incentives work? This is the question that I am consistently asked. I have seen many different incentive strategies with little to no positive outcome. It is disheartening when dentists tell me they gave their team money, gifts, or trips and didn’t receive even a simple thank you. Yet when I talk to the team, they say they are very appreciative and yet confused. They are not sure if it is a reward or an incentive with expectations to change something. An open conversation will go a long way in creating clarity as well as create an opportunity to express appreciation.

There is a vast difference between an incentive and a reward. Incentives have attached expectations to motivate and improve behavior or performance. An incentive is in essence an enticement to change something. A reward is simply a thank you for past performance without any strings attached. Incentives have future expectations attached to them and rewards do not.

Dentists and managers don’t often determine if they are offering and incentive or a reward. They give to the team with little or no explanation. Therefore, the team is unsure as well. What is the motivation for giving the incentive? Knowing whether it is an incentive, or a reward will make a big difference on your expectations and how you perceive your team’s response.

I have had the privilege of working with dental teams since the early 80’s first as a manager and now as a culture coach. I have yet to see where incentives have created any long-term change. The sad truth is that incentives don’t generate sustained motivation or changes in behavior. Any expectation of an incentive increasing and sustaining motivation and performance will disappoint.

The assumption that incentives work is prevalent, but growing evidence supports the opposite. According to numerous studies in workplaces, classrooms, and other settings, rewards typically undermine the very processes they are intended to enhance.

So back to the question…do incentives work? The answer depends on what we mean by “work.” Research suggests that incentives succeed at only temporary compliance. When it comes to producing lasting change in attitudes and behavior, however, incentives, like punishment, are ineffective. “Incentives are like throwing sticky balls at a wall and hoping they will stick.”

Here are three reasons why incentives don’t work.

1 – The first time you give something it is a surprise and greatly appreciated. However, it is human nature that once we receive something we expect it again.

2 – Incentives can feel like a manipulation similar to punishment. “Do this and you get that! or do this or this will happen!” In the case of incentives, the gift may be highly desired; but by making it conditional on certain behaviors, the team will feel manipulated. That experience of being manipulated is likely to feel very similar to punishment.

Many of us have received conditional love. Conditional meaning that another person’s love for you, is contingent on certain actions, or things. Do you remember how you felt? It can feel manipulative, controlling and at times even abusive.

3 – Incentives can cause people to focus on the numbers instead of what’s best for the patient. It could even lead to unethical behavior such as unnecessary treatment.

We will be disappointed if we expect incentives to fix problems. Money, gifts, and trips don’t fix problems. It is important to understand the underlying causes and address the specific concerns.

So, what does work? Cultivate a happy, healthy, and high performing culture. Where the number one core value is that the entire team (including doctors) treats each other as well as they treat the patients. A happy, healthy, and high performing culture empowers:

Clear core values and consistent leadership
Opportunity to grow and learn
Value and appreciation towards each other
Trust and respect with coworkers and patients
Open communication and feedback
Recognition and respect for teamwork
Positive attitudes
Ongoing team building strategies
A consistent structured training program
A competitive compensation package

It will take commitment from the leadership team to maintain the culture. They are the ones who determine who will be a part of the culture. Anyone whose attitude and behavior does not support the culture values will not be invited to continue to be a part of the culture.

Implement the standards to cultivate a happy, healthy, and high performing culture. You will nurture meaningful relationships and positive lasting change. You won’t need incentives. The money, gifts, or trips you give will truly be a thank you reward with no strings attached!

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June 30, 2022

The 5 C’s to Cultivate a Happier, Healthier, & Higher Performing Culture!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Culture Camp,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Happy,Implementation,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Performance,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Relationships,Respect,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Relationships,thought leader,Toxic Performer,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, show your shine, team, Thoughts — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:37 am

I have the privilege of working with dental teams nationwide to help them cultivate a happier, healthier, and higher performing culture. I have created my Rise & Shine Culture Camps which is a customized practice driven focused training for the entire team. There are 5 areas that we address to get results. I happen to like alliteration which is why they all start with the letter C! The 5 C’s are: Clarity, Compassion, Compromise, Celebration, and Commitment.

I have been invited to present this information and more in a half day program hosted by AADOM at their annual conference. I will offer a morning course and a repeat afternoon session on Wednesday, September 7^th, 2022, in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. Click on this link https://www.aadomconference.com/ to learn more about this amazing must not miss conference!

The first C is Clarity! It is vital for the entire team to be aligned in achieving the goals of the practice. Clarity starts with the owner doctors agreeing on and defining their 4 Core Value words and communicating those words consistently through their words, actions, and attitude. This is really where it all starts. If the leadership team is not aligned the rest of the team will not be aligned. This is the most important C of all as it is the foundation of the practice culture. Please email me at JudyKay@PracticeSolutionsInc.net to receive a sample Core Value Words.

The second C is Compassion! There will be ups and downs and obstacles along the way. It is easy to get along and play nice when everything goes our way. It is much more difficult when things aren’t working, and expectations aren’t met. That’s when we often fall into the judgment thinking of should or shouldn’t! They should have done this, or they shouldn’t have done this etc.… It is imperative that we stop judging and instead show compassion for our co-workers and patients. “When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself.” -Earl Nightingale

We often judge others in the areas where we feel the weakest. Instead remain in curiosity mode and stay out of judgment mode. Judgment shuts us down and divides us. Most judgments about people are based on incomplete information. Curiosity, on the other hand, keeps us open to the possibility that there is something about the situation that we don’t fully understand. Whenever I start to judge people –I ask myself: “I wonder what the situation is with that person?”

We show compassion by trying to be understanding, supportive, and giving the benefit of the doubt. We achieve this by trying to walk in the other persons’ shoes to understand their B.O.A.T. (beliefs, opinions, assumptions, truths)! Their why! The questions I often use is, “Help me understand why…!”

The third C is Compromise! The team is like a large puzzle that all need to learn how to fit together. There will be different B.0.A.T.’s amongst the team. It is important to compromise to work well together. It is not just the new team members that need to learn how to fit in. The existing team members need to learn how to fit with the new team members. The puzzle changes each time there is a change in team members. There is more than one way! We need to compromise and create our new way 😊! Someone unwilling to compromise is in essence saying they are unwilling to be a team player. If they are unwilling to be a team player, they can’t be a part of the team. It is both a difficult and simple concept to act on.

The fourths C is Celebration! Look for what is positive and celebrate it every day. The more we focus on what is positive the more positive we will create. Don’t get lost in the muck of the mundane tasks. Instead, consider the bigger picture. We are changing people’s lives with better function and aesthetics. The smile is the number one connector. Our focus creates our attitude. Look for things to celebrate in each other and each situation. Focus on the good and we will find more in each day. What we look for we will see!

The fifth C is Commitment! Stuff doesn’t just happen. It takes focus and work. Everyone on the team is accountable to support the practice standards. There can be no individual opt outs. The team is like a group of fire fighters holding a net that supports the practice standards. If someone opts out, they are in essence taking their hands of the net. There are consequences to every action or inaction. The consequence becomes a culture by default instead of by design when we don’t address unsupportive behavior. We need to commit as a team to support the practice standards in every word, action, and attitude. We will then cultivate a happier, healthier, and higher performing culture!

Come join me Wednesday, September 7th, 2022, in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona at AADOM’s Annual Conference to dive deeper into the 5 C’s to Cultivate a Happier, Healthier, and Higher Performing Culture! Click on this link https://www.aadomconference.com/ to learn more about this amazing must not miss conference!

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June 1, 2022

Co-leadership! How to lead Successfully!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,Culture,Culture Camp,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Fear,Goals,Gossip,Habit,Happy,Implementation,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Performance,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,sarcasm,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team — Tags: attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, Decision making, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental office, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, drama, energy, focus, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, service, show your shine, success, sustain, team building, Thoughts — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 8:09 am

What is co-leadership? Co-leadership is two or more people in charge of a team or group. They share ownership of the goals of their team but divide the roles and responsibilities. Co-leadership has many benefits when utilized correctly. The downside is the more leaders the more complex it becomes.

Co-leadership in a dental office may include doctors, practice administrator, team leads or any team member in a leadership position depending on the size of the practice.

Everything begins and ends with leadership. It is what leaders do, don’t do, or allow in their culture that defines the practice culture. The more leaders the more difficult it becomes to create and sustain a consistent message. Here are 5 principles to build an aligned and cohesive co-leadership team.

The first co-leadership principle – It is necessary to have an aligned vision for the future of the practice/company. I start the process by having the owner doctors choose 4 core value words and place them in order of priority. All future decisions are based on supporting those values. Everyone on the leadership team must live and lead those core values in words, actions, and attitudes. Apply these core values when making decisions by using the following questions.

What’s in the best interests of the patients, practice, and team that supports our core values? (Specialists also add referring doctors) It can never just benefit one individual.
Is it practical based on time, money, and people that will still support the core values?
Does the precedent we are setting support our core values?
How passionate are we to implement change? It must be a value of 8 or above on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high.

The breakdown happens when a leader decides to opt out of something they don’t agree with entirely. It can never be 100% our way unless we work by ourselves. It is healthy for leaders to discuss and debate behind closed doors. However, they must come to an agreement and support that agreement in front of the team. There will be times leaders need to support decisions even without consensus. I often hear, “I am the doctor, I can do what I want!” Yes, you can but not without consequences. If leaders do not support each other, they will create division in the team and the leadership team. Division leads to confusion, gossip, clicks and lack of accountability. The team will choose the path of least resistance. The bottom line is that when you have a co-leader you no longer have autonomy to make decisions. On a side note, doctors supporting your practice administrator doesn’t mean saying do whatever you want. It means being involved in the decision and solution process. Practice Administrators you will become very frustrated and overwhelmed if you want more for the practice than the owner doctors. Which is why it is so important that you are aligned with the owner doctors’ vision for the practice.

The second co-leadership principle – It is important to place people in the leadership role that shines the light on their strengths and dims their weakness. No one is perfect. We all have strengths as well as weaknesses. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Any weakness in your co-leaders will be a reflection on the entire leadership team. Define the specific tasks for each role. Leaders are responsible for the individual tasks of their role. Each task must be owned by that one person to create accountability. The more people responsible for the same task the less accountability due to assuming the other person is doing the task. Some leaders find it difficult to let go and to not be involved in all tasks. We must trust our co-leader to be accountable. Be open to renegotiating your roles based on changing circumstances, growth, and ambitions.

The third co-leadership principle – Owner doctors and practice administrator(s) must make time to meet on a weekly basis. (I refer to these specific leadership team members as the We Team) This allows for real time conversations to discuss and come to a resolution as a leadership team. All decisions must be discussed at this meeting before implementing except for direct patient care. Document discussion and agreements and save in a meeting journal. Review last week’s meeting notes and confirm if all assigned tasks have been completed. The meeting will create accountability as well as keep everyone in the loop. Schedule the weekly meeting the same time and day of each week. The time is reserved and is to be considered sacred. I can hear all the excuses already. However, it is necessary to commit to a weekly meeting if you want to co-lead successfully to build and sustain a high performing practice. It’s time to put your ownership hat on. Once you make it a priority it will happen. If you don’t meet at least weekly, you will be spending extra time putting out unnecessary fires and fueling disorder, stress, and discord.

The fourth co-leadership principle – Is don’t break the chain of communication. Here is a simple flow for chain of communication both up and down. Please email me at judykay@practicesolutionsinc.net for a multi-location practice communication flow chart.

Owner Doctors

Practice Administrator

Team Leads and Associate Doctors

Team

The practice administrator has a weekly meeting with all team leads where they share the outcome of their We Team meeting. Team leads are to bring any questions, suggestions, or concerns they have, or their team has for discussion and feedback at this meeting. The practice administrator will take this information to the We Team meeting to discuss and come to a resolution. Then back to the next lead team meeting for implementation. I know this slows things down. However, the end results are an informed, aligned, and cohesive team.

The fifth co-leadership principle – Expect disagreements and differences of opinions. What many people refer to as conflict. If you never disagree chances are someone is not being honest with their opinion. Let go of ego. It’s not about you and what you want. Have a mindset of care and curiosity not judgment and criticism. We will need to make concessions at times to move forward.

Utilize the questions in the first co-leadership principle to come to a decision that supports the core values.
Start with what you can agree on and build from there.
Define the end result.
Discuss in specifics instead of concepts.
Come to an agreement and write it down.
Support the agreement in words, actions, and attitude.

Implementing the five co-leadership principles will help you build an aligned and cohesive team!

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