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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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July 1, 2023

Get Happier! Part 2

Happiness is not just feel good, nice to have, fluff stuff. When we feel happier more often, we entirely change our beliefs about our world, what we can achieve, and ourselves. Harvard and Mayo Clinic research supports that the happier we are, the more successful, more intelligent, more creative, more productive and healthier we will be.

Here are the final two of four strategies to create a happier culture.

Smile Power

We get happier and make others happier when we smile. Smile energy is extremely powerful and wide spreading. A smile instantly creates positive energy in the environment and uplifts the mindsets of the giver, the receiver, and everyone in the vicinity. People want to spend time around people that make them feel better. Smiles are contagious.

A simple smile can change how you and everyone around you feels. Try to think of something negative and keep smiling. It is very difficult to do. When you smile, your body recognizes it as a positive body pattern and sends a message to you that everything is okay, and that life is great. Smiling changes our mood. When you’re feeling sad, or stressed, start smiling and you will feel instantly better.

Smile when you don’t feel well to improve your health. A smile can boost your immune system by improving your general feelings of well-being. Smiling makes you feel more relaxed which reduces your blood pressure and feelings of stress. People who smile live an average of seven years longer than people who do not. Get happier and live longer by smiling often every day!

Action Plan – Smile Power

Make eye contact.
Smile genuinely.
Don’t worry about their response and whether they smile back or not. It’s not important.

Laughter Power

We get happier when we laugh more often. Add a regular dose of laughter to every day and you will not only be happier, you will also be healthier! However, it is not always so easy to do. We get so busy that we focus only on getting the job done. We don’t slow down enough to take time to laugh. We need to add laughter to our list of daily priorities!

Laughter triggers healthy physical changes in the body. A good, hearty laugh:

Relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to an additional 45 minutes
Boosts the immune system
Decreases stress hormones
Triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems

Think about it. When was the last time you had a hearty laugh? No, I am not talking about a little chuckle. I am talking about a throw your head back, side holding, tears streaming, almost wet your pants laugh! You don’t need to have a sense of humor, be happy or have any reason to laugh. Just laugh for the sake of laughing!

Action Plan – Laughter Power

Fake it until you feel it.
Schedule time to practice laughing every day.
Surround yourself with people and things that make you laugh.

The more you practice laughing, the better you will become and the happier you will feel!

Implement the four strategies to get happier, Focus Power, Choice Power, Smile Power, and Laughter Power and you will 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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March 1, 2023

How to Have Difficult Conversations – Approacher-Approahcee

There are hundreds of moving parts in the day-to-day activities of a dental practice. Stuff happens even in the most successful practices. It is vital that the entire team is empowered to discuss and resolve issues. However, the fear of confrontation and conflict can often prevent many team members from having necessary difficult conversations. Avoiding the short-term discomfort of having difficult conversations often causes long term dysfunction. When we don’t address issues as they happen, they will spiral out of control. We have all experienced something little grow into something big.

It’s time to have the difficult conversations to sustain a happier, healthier, and higher performing service culture. The conversation includes two roles. The Approacher(s) and Approachee(s). The Approacher(s) is the person conveying and inquiring and the Approachee it the person receiving and responding.

The Approacher’s Role

A difficult conversation is always in private and starts with positive communication from the Approacher. The Approacher shares what they appreciate about the other person. They build up instead of tear down by focusing on the other person’s strengths. A positive conversation has a minimum of a three to one ratio. Three positives for every one growth opportunity. Research shows that exceptional relationships have a five to one ratio. You may be thinking; what if I can’t find 5 positives. Every person has a least 5 strengths you can highlight! We will discover their strengths when we shift our focus from their weaknesses to their strengths. How ironic that our strengths are just taken for granted and minimized whereas our weaknesses are highlighted.

Be specific instead of generalizing. Focus more on objective points than subjective opinions. Just saying “I don’t like it or you’re doing this wrong” is not helpful. On the other hand, stating the specific strengths or skills you would like to see developed is helpful.

Don’t make it personal. Talk about issue not the person. Avoid saying, “you need to”. Start the conversation with the word I instead of saying you. For example, “I noticed,” “I have seen,” “I observed,” or when sharing feedback from others, “I have had reported to me.” “I” conversations are issue-focused instead of person-focused. Always consider how your words may impact the other person. Ask yourself; how can I say what I need to say and be respectful of how they may feel.

Keep your energy neutral and come with a mindset of care, curiosity, and concern instead of judgment and criticism. Never have a conversation when you are angry or frustrated or your emotions will rule the conversation. Instead take a few minutes to process and get calm. Start out by making eye contact with the other person. Be mindful of tone and body language as well as words. A tone of care and concern communicates a sense of importance and provides the appropriate level of sincerity to the conversation. Avoid using sarcasm or derogatory words or the content of the conversation will get lost in the harshness. Once you say something it cannot be taken back. An apology doesn’t mean we forget. The old nursery rhyme that goes sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, is not true. Words can destroy even the best of relationships.

Break your feedback down into key points. Don’t give your feedback as one big lump. Break it down into various key points, then give your feedback point by point.

Give examples of each point. What are the exact issues, situations, or examples where the person exhibits the behaviors you highlighted? There is no need to highlight every single one. – just disclosing a couple of examples per point will be sufficient. The purpose is to bring the person’s awareness to things which he/she may not be aware of and clearly illustrate what you mean.

Be timely! Try to address issues/concerns as they happen or within 24 hours of the occurrence. I have actually seen employers make a list of everything an employee has done wrong or needs to improve on for the year and go over it at their annual review. It reminds me of Santa Claus’s naughty list! It’s no wonder why reviews get a bad rap!

Ask the other person what they need from you (communication, support, training, practice) to be able to achieve the desired results. Together discuss and agree on a resolution.

The Approachee’s Role

The aproachee is to start out by just listening and not taking offense. The team must be able to talk about what’s not working to resolve issues. It is important to recognize that the approacher’s intent is good and to realize that it is not easy to approach someone.

Listen intently before responding. Make eye contact with the other person. Instead of defending, deflecting, or blaming someone else consider how your actions or lack of actions affected the outcome. Be honest with your response.

Acknowledge you heard and understand them. Never assume. If you are unsure ask questions until you clearly understand. If you are thinking I think they mean this…ask more questions.

Don’t take it personal. If the issue pertains to the patients, the practice, or the team it is necessary to address. It can be difficult to hear when we are not meeting the standards or expectations. However, it is necessary to address to create and sustain a happier, healthier and higher performing culture.

Take it seriously. It may not seem important or be a priority to you, but it is for the other person.

Control your emotions. If you are upset don’t just walk off in anger or frustration. Instead, let them know that you need a little time to process the information they shared, and you will respond later that day. Try respond within 24 hours.

If you are on the receiving end of anger or frustration, ask the person if they are okay. This is their cue to reset their energy to calm and neutral. A response of frustration, sigh or rolling of the eyes, may actually be inward focused and yet can feel directed outward. If you are feeling attacked or uncomfortable let them know. For example, you seem frustrated or angry is that directed towards me.

Share what you need (communication, support, training, practice) to be able achieve the desired results. Together discuss and agree on a solution and make a commitment.

Have the difficult conversations to sustain a happier, healthier, and higher performing service culture!

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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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November 1, 2022

Get Grateful…Get Happy!

Did you know that grateful people are happier? People who are grateful feel higher levels of wellbeing. Grateful people are less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Grateful people also have higher levels of control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, self-acceptance, and success. Grateful people also have less negative coping strategies, being less likely to try to avoid the problem, deny there is a problem, blame themselves, or cope through substance use. Grateful people sleep better, and this seems to be because they think less negative and more positive thoughts just before going to sleep.

Sometimes it can be difficult to show gratitude when we don’t feel it. I think gratitude is kind of tricky. It’s one of those things that until we start to show it, we don’t feel it. The tricky part is how do we show if we don’t feel it? Do we fake it? I believe we get so busy in our lives we no longer perceive what we have as gifts instead we take them for granted. It is not until we lose them that we remember how much they mean to us. Life becomes routine and things are just normal, and we falsely believe normal will last forever.

As hard as these economic times can be…there can also be blessings. They force us to realize there are no guarantees and things are only as they are for the moment. When we realize things in life and life itself is temporary, we no longer take it for granted and we feel grateful. So, if you like who and what is in your life right now right this moment, take this moment to feel grateful. Gratitude starts by being present in the moment.

You can get present this moment while you are reading this. Just look…look all around you. Take a moment longer to rest in the moment and digest it all. What do you see, hear, touch, smell, and taste? If tomorrow, all that was no longer, who and what would you miss? How funny when we push the noise aside how easy it is to be embraced with gratitude for all our blessings. How clear it all becomes, colors are more vibrant, sounds are musical, smells are sweeter, relationships have become precious, and everything comes alive. Only, isn’t it just the same as it was before…only now we see it.

The grass is greener on the other side is a very contagious comparison syndrome. You know, someone else has something, instantly we want it and think we must have it. We believe it will make our life easier, or better, or more meaningful. Only to find out once we have it, nothing has changed. Why is it we instantly see what we are missing and miss what we already have? It’s because the…. grass is always greener when someone else has it!!! The simple truth is we will never be happy with what we have until we are happy with what we have. Okay, so maybe that sounds a bit redundant. It’s not! It’s so simple it’s deep. LOL! Just think about it for a moment. It is only when we are happy and are grateful for what we already have that we began to feel happy for what we have. When we give thanks and appreciate the things that already exist in our life and stop comparing ourselves to others, we find peace and happiness.

Start and end your day with words of gratitude. It might be as simple as, “I am grateful to be alive another day to celebrate what life has in store for me.” Or “Thank you for another day!” Do you remember the old saying count your blessings? When we get in the habit of counting our blessings, we feel gratitude. Think about all the things you are grateful for such as family, friends, health, home, work, the sunshine or even the snow. Take a notebook or your computer and write down the top 10 things that make you feel grateful. Funny, how once we start, we realize how many things we must be truly grateful for…okay, maybe top 20 if you can stop there. Funny thing, I feel a greater sense of wellbeing just writing this! Give thanks and appreciate the things that already exist in your life! Stop comparing yourself and your life to others and you will find peace and happiness!

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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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September 1, 2022

A Code of Commitments!

Filed under: Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,Criticism,Culture,Culture Camp,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Fear,Focus,Habit,Happy,Implementation,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Meetings,Mindset,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Positive Thought,Relationships,Respect,Strategy,Stress,Success,Sustainability,Team Building,Team Relationships,Toxic Performer,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized — Tags: attitude, change, communication, conflict resolution, Culture, Decision making, dental management, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, drama, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, show your shine, success, team building, Thoughts — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:13 am

Even the best of us can lose our way in all the noise and hubbub of the day-to-day stresses! Establishing a Code of Commitments for the practice will help the entire team keep on track…even in stressful situations when the wheels fall off!

A Code of Commitments is about having a preplanned game plan on how to react. Behaviorally, that means testing decisions and planned reactions for “integrity” that support the core values before implementing them.

Here are 4 questions to help you create your own code of conduct:

Is it legal?
Is it ethical?
Does it align with the practice core values?
Does it support each other and the patients?

I suggest a team meeting (4 hours minimal) to establish a Code of Commitments for the practice. Start the meeting by reviewing the practice’s 4 core values. Owner doctors you will need to have established 4 core values in order of priority. All owner doctors must support the same 4 core values. Ask the entire team to share how, when and where they feel the Core Values are not being supported.

Utilize a large easel pad and markers to write down all the concerns being shared. Discuss the breakdowns that are happening. What current attitudes and behaviors support the Core Values? What current attitudes and behaviors need changing to support the Core Values? The behaviors you list that support as well as the necessary changes become your new Code of Commitments!

It is very important for the We Team (leadership team) to lead by example on whatever is established as the Code of Commitments.

Here is an example of a Code of Commitments.

Model the waddle you want to see
Set and maintain high standards – no double standards
Support a no gossip culture
Communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully
Treat each other as well as you treat your patients
Resolve conflict by going to the source the same day if possible
Take ownership, follow through, and be accountable for your mistakes
Support each other and help each other succeed
Hold each other accountable to the practice’s standards for behavior, communication, attitude, and service!

Having a Code of Commitments will empower the entire team to interact with patients and each other with integrity!

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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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