“Being a boss is the part I hate most about my job as a dentist and practice owner!” I wish I had a dollar for every time, as a coach, I have heard that lament from my coachees! You would prefer to be chairside, right? You are most comfortable when you are being a dentist,…
Some years ago, I read an article by Dr. Bruce Glazer in Oral Health magazine titled “Are Entrepreneurism and Dentistry Mutually Exclusive?” Dr. Glazer thought so and I was so incensed by his argument that I emailed him. A very lively and intelligent exchange of emails ensued…..
BOSS HACK: Acknowledgement vs. Appreciation Hey, both are good. But there is a difference! Appreciation is saying “Thanks for a good day” as one of your staff members heads for the door. Acknowledgement is saying, “You handled disgruntled Ms. Jones beautifully today. That wasn’t easy – you have a special way with people and great patience. Thank…
Does your Office Manager have the right stuff? Were they hired for their managerial qualities or something else (tenure, loyalty, a CDA who can’t do clinical work any more? ). What are the qualities an excellent OM should have? Professionalism – they represent your practice. How do they dress? What is their demeanor in and…
I have a client who is a coach. (Yes, coaches have coaches). This past week, she called me in the middle of the day because something had happened that threw her into a tizzy. You know, one of those states when our buttons are pushed and we just can’t think clearly, can’t process things logically.…
Do you have the “water sense” you need to be a successful practice owner? I have just returned from a week out on the waters of Desolation Sound, which is a collection of islands, bays, fiords and deep-water arms stretching between mid-Vancouver Island and the mainland of BC, north of the Sunshine Coast. As…
Do you have an Office Manager in your practice? Are you sure? During a recent presentation I was giving for a group of dentists, I facilitated a case scenario where an employee came in late for the third time in a month. The purpose of the exercise was to learn how to apply my 4-step “Manage Moments, Not…
Do you hold regular staff meetings? Have you stopped because they turn into ‘bitch sessions”? I hear this too often. I believe that staff meetings are essential unless you have some other brilliant way of communicating en masse with your team. Failing that, there are ways that you can make your staff meeting worth everyone’s time.…
Have you ever come home from IKEA with a box of pieces and bits for a shelving unit, a book of instructions in four languages and an Allen wrench? You have all the parts laid out on your living room floor; you have the detailed ‘how-to’ instructions and you have the little key that is…