An article, published in a 2000 edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association, states the following:
“An overwhelming percentage of dentists report that staff-related issues
are the number one cause of stress in their offices.”
I believe this to be true, however, based on my own personal observations, I would like to state this quote based on the staff’s perspective:
“An overwhelming percentage of staff report that dentist-related issues
are the number one cause of stress in their offices.”
I also believe this to be true.
Why do we so often frustrate each other? Well, I can tell you why you frustrate us. Quite honestly you intimidate us. We know we can’t live without you, and yet we struggle to live with you. We don’t know how to communicate effectively with you, so we just don’t. It’s not your fault and, quite frankly, it’s not our fault either. Doctors do not know how to lead. We are not taught to lead, therefore, we rely on our ability to manage systems, which is the antithesis of leading, and yet, this is all we know so it becomes our practice management duct tape. It is all that we have in our toolbox.
I’m not saying that management is bad. In fact, it is necessary for our practices to operate efficiently. But management is about doing, where leadership is more about being. It’s about creating mutually accepted guidelines through which a team functions, communicates, and exists. It sets the framework for meaningful communication between members of the team; staff and doctors.
So why do we frustrate you? Who wants to share their thoughts as to why doctors frustrate their staff? My experience leads me to three possible conclusions. First, I believe that our messages to you are neither clear nor consistent. Clarity and consistency are manifested only when we have a clear sense of purpose and a vision of the path that ultimately fulfills that purpose. Lacking the sense of where we are going and why, we find ourselves following many different paths that lead to dead ends…thus our inconsistency and lack of clarity.
Furthermore, along with our lack of clarity and consistency, we fail to create a psychologically safe environment within our practices that allow you to participate in open dialogue that has proven to be vital in optimizing our practice culture. Dialogue implies two-way communication, but for constructive dialogue to occur, both parties must be able to express themselves without fear of repercussion. We should acknowledge and thank you for respectful and well-intended corrective feedback. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Instead, we suppress this type of communication and we suffer as a result.
The only way that this costly disconnect can be resolved is through the introduction of leadership throughout the practice. Doctors must lead; they have no other choice, but you can lead as well. We all have the capability to lead, yet leading takes courage. Leaders must confront the lack of clarity and consistency, and an environment that suppresses dialogue. Ask yourself if you can be happy in such an environment. I suspect that your answer is “NO,” so change it if you can, or leave if you can’t.
Much of what I am about to say has universal application. Being a leader makes you a better boss, a better team member, a better person, a better parent, and a better citizen of the world. Listen to what I have to say from these multiple perspectives.
If you are interested in finding out more about how coaching and, in particular, dental coaching, can help you change your life, please book a no obligation coaching call with me.