You’re running a busy dental practice with a jam-packed schedule and hardly enough wiggle room to take lunch on most days (although you should be!) Now, your dental practice consultant is asking you to take time away from what’s making you money to sit around chit chatting with your team.
We’ve heard it all before why practice managers don’t (and won’t) take time to invest in their team:
- We’re too busy.
- Nothing has ever worked before.
- We’ve got patients to take care of.
- What’s the point of it anyway?
- What if we spend time and money investing in our employees, and then they quit?
Actually, the question you should be asking yourself is, what if you don’t invest in your team and they stay? Where will that leave you and your practice? Probably not where you want and short of your goals.
Our dental practice coaches are here to share with you five reasons investing in your team is time well spent. We’ve seen it increase bottom lines, energize the team and doctors, and spark new ideas and creativity that change practice numbers for the better. What are you waiting for?
It empowers your team
Many businesses and employers won’t invest time or money into helping their employees discover their strengths, probably out of fear that they will recognize they can do better and move on to another job. But you’re only hurting yourself if you dig your heels in and insist on everyone maintaining their “place.” Instead, encourage team members to expand their knowledge and skillset through various training or other continuing education modules. Empowerment helps individuals feel valued and unique, and they’re more likely to stick around and work harder at accomplishing team goals for the practice.
Your team will be happier
Empowerment doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is given the same responsibility or decision-making powers. Instead, it shows team members their purpose and creates a sense of job satisfaction and purpose. No one wants to feel like a time clock puncher or that they have “maxed out” in their current role as far as skill development and learning. That doesn’t sound like a happy place. Therefore, investing in the team results in happiness and higher morale at the office.
Increases productivity
Research shows that happy employees generate more profit. Everything about your team members’ attitude and outlook on their job rubs off their performance and productivity and even shapes how patients perceive your practice. Team members should feel valued, allowed to contribute ideas, and feel heard when providing feedback to the other team members. Additionally, find ways to help them discover their strengths and expand on those in such a way that contributes to their own professional development and supports the practice’s goals.
Discovers the potential of each team member and as a group
People perform better at their jobs when put into the right role. Don’t compartmentalize team members and assume certain tasks are only for the office manager or suitable just for dental assistants. Each team member possesses their own strengths that can be harnessed and used to improve the practice. It’s also essential that everyone knows each other’s strengths. Natural leaders will take the reigns, while someone with excellent organization skills may be better suited to handle inventory. Just because one particular role has always been responsible for specific tasks doesn’t make the person in the job the best at it. But don’t ignore areas of improvement. Everyone should have a plan and actively work toward strengthening areas of opportunity.
Energizes the team
Some people like to refer to it as synergy – “the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects” (dictionary.com). Teams work together better and are more productive with synergy or by energizing them. There are various ways to do this with your team, and we have some ideas on our blog that may help. This may be rewarding your team with lunch, fun team-building activities, or even bonuses for their performance. The possibilities are endless, but keeping your team energized and working well together increases the bottom line.
Dental Practice Consultants
Bryant Consultants is a family-owned consulting firm that can help dental practices reach their full potential and more! If you would like to learn more or schedule a complimentary one-hour consultation, please get in touch with Bryant Consultants by calling (877) 768-4799. We provide consultation, training, and coaching virtually or in person. To ensure that you receive the latest updates, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
