The biggest difference between an efficient, highly profitable practice and a less successful one may not be what you think. It’s not location. It’s not their marketing strategy. It’s not the reputation of the dentist. Don’t get me wrong—each of these factors is very important. But most of the time, it is the effectiveness of the team that determines how effective and profitable a practice can be.
A well trained, efficient team keeps the practice running smoothly. It enables the dentist to spend his or her time treating patients, not dealing with administrative tasks. For this reason, one of the most important jobs of a dentist or a practice manager is simple—motivating employees. Below are three tips to help you in this department:
1) Provide regular feedback. As an employee, nothing is more frustrating than not knowing if you’re doing your job right. Compliment your employees when they do a good job. Conversely, don’t ignore mistakes or bad habits that may be developing. Address them and be sure that your employee knows what to do differently. Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be—a quick conversation is all that is required.
2) Give your team freedom to think creatively. Don’t micromanage. Give your employees the opportunity to solve problems creatively and to think outside the box. If you don’t trust your team to think independently (within reason, obviously), you aren’t being selective enough when you hire.
3) Invest into your team. There is a big difference between teaching an employee how to do their job better and teaching them skills that will help them throughout their career. Obviously, it’s important to teach them skills that are required at present. But take the opportunity to teach them skills and ideas that will help them for years to come. Your employees will recognize the investment you are making—and they’ll be more loyal and motivated than ever before.
A motivated and effective team is essential if you hope to build a profitable dental practice. These three steps will help—but feel free to get in touch with us if you would like to learn more today!