Teamwork part 2 of 2

Part 2 of 2 

This week Salt DPM Features: Price Pritchett's book, "Teamwork, The team member handbook for teamwork."

By: Price Pritchet

 How does your team work? Are they strong, communicate and an extension of your right hand? Or are they argumentative and negative? 

Here are some highlights from the book:

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Help new teammates make entry.

            Although, new people may be entering your team all the time treating them like an outsider does not build a cohesive team. Spend time making the new person feel comfortable and help supprort them as they become comfortable with the team.

Play down yourself and build up others.

            A team becomes stronger when you work to build everyone up.  Noone is going to get anywhere following their ego. 

Spend time with your teammates.

Team's take time to build and you can't expect that you are going to become a close knit group with a few hours of time here and there. Spend quality time getting to know everyone on your team. No what their goals are and how they work.

 

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Help drive discipline into the group.

            Hold yourself accountable. Don't wait for the boss to tell you what to do but take initive to complete your job well anticipating and fixing problems when you need to. 

Make sure you make a difference.

           Times are tough and people have lot's of options in terms of business choices.  Showing up to work isn't enough. You have to committ to making a difference and doing your best everday.

Give attention to group process.

           When you are at work pay attention to what is going on and work to fix problems when things are not working. Know what is going on with your teams in order to support them when needed.

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 Help create a climate of trust.

         Talking about a teammate can be the quickest way to drive a problem into a team. Make sure you are not causing the problems. Be committed.  When there is a problem that is when people learn whether those around them will honor committments, make sure you are.

http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/trust.html

Strengthen the leader through good follower-ship.

            No leader is good enough to take a team to high performance if the team members are lousy followers.  What’s involved in follower-ship?  Initiative.  Know what to do without being told, and do it.  Think for yourself.  Good followers are people who lead themselves.  

Be a good sport.

A lesson that is learned when we are younger but we can forget as we get older. It is our responsability to let everyone shine on the team and provide opportunities for everyone to win.

Let Salt DPM help you receive typical results today for a better tomorrow. 

              

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Teamwork part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2

This week Salt DPM Features: Price Pritchett's book, "Teamwork, The team member handbook for teamwork."

 How does your team work? Are they strong, communicate and an extension of your right hand? Or are they argumentative and negative? 

Here are some highlights from the book:

http://www.dreamstime.com/teamwork-cat53

Communication is key-the team needs to know not only what the other hand is doing but where the right hand is going as well. In a dental office things change every second you need to have someone that can anticipate problems, find a solution and move forward without skipping a beat.  This takes strong and effective communication.

 Bring Talent to the team: Everybody has a talent so bring as many people to the table as you can and learn from each other.  Constantly build on your talents and skills by going to conferences, studying and learn about the going on's in your field.

http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/soccer.html

Play your position: Know what your job entails and do it well. Stay within your station and complete your responsibilities without wavering.  If you move into another person's area it can create problems.

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Turn diversity to the team’s advantage: diversity is a positive thing use it to enhance your team's power in the office. Don't shy away from others if you are the one that is different and don't ostracize if you are not. Everyone brings a unique position to the team and it can help your office.

Back up others who need help: Anybody can make a mistake or have an off day so help them when they do.

Practice: Make everyday count. This isn't just a job, it is a career, a family that counts on you to be there and to take care of what needs to be taken care of to the best of your abilities. Run drills and practice what needs to be done, so you can see where the holes are and find a solution.


Be prepared to sacrifice for the team: Inevitably there will be times when you have to weigh what you want up against what is best for team. Be prepared to sacrifice when it is needed because that is the, "price you pay," for being a part of the team and having their support.

By following these view steps everyday you will become a strong, cohesive group that can take on challenges.

Let Salt DPM help you receive typical results today for a better tomorrow. 

                 

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How does your team measure up?

Survival of the fittest

By: David Milligan Salt DPM Consultant

Part 1 of 3 

 I have always enjoyed watching sports.  As a youngster I started watching The Wide World of Sports.  It was the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that kept me engaged.   My grandmother and I would trade off.  If I watched Laurence Whelk with her, then she would watch The Wide World of Sports with me.  I remember watching one Sunday when a ski jumper slipped and fell just before the end of the 90 meter hill.  Fortunately he didn’t die.   He did however suffer a major concussion.  On any given Sunday he could see himself on the opening of the show crashing  over and over, and right after his crash the announcer word say “ and the agony of defeat”.   It didn’t seem fair he had worked so hard for his team and this is how he is remembered.   The sad fact is it happens in our dental offices as well.   If we make a mistake, patients talk about it over and over.

 Whether football or dental, high functioning teams must all be fit enough to meet expectations or the entire team suffers.  In 1987 I had the opportunity of meeting a retired 33 year old pro football player.  This guy was healthy and in remarkable shape, ran 5 miles a day and trained as if he were still playing football.   So why wasn’t he?   After playing ball in a small collage and not being recognized for his talents, his only hope was to be given the opportunity to try out for the pros.  That chance finally came with the Chicago Bears.   In 2 of the 8 years he played, he led the team in interceptions.  In the off season before the beginning of his 8th year, while recovering from a knee sprain, he met his new Head Coach Mike Ditka.  One week later he was traded to the Buffalo Bills where he sat out most of the season.   One year later at the ripe old age of 33, he retired.   Mike Ditka took the bears to the super bowl that year because he made sure every player on his team was highly trained and capable.

In the two stories, both athletes were ready to sacrifice their bodies for the team and eventually both did.   In every organization at any given moment, everyone must be ready to sacrifice for the team. Thank goodness when we talk about sacrificing for the team in Dentistry we are talking about covering for someone who is sick or maybe working late or stepping away from our egos and asking for help.  What does it take to be a team player? As a leader your team must know what your expectations are.  In the current environment, if your team is not a high functioning, talented group, you may not survive.   In Price Pritchett’s book, The Team Members Hand Book for Team Work he talks about what it takes to have a great team.  Here are a few of the points from the book.

Article originally published by: Tri-County Dental Society

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Teamwork

 Team Member Handbook for Teamwork

        By: Lenora Milligan Salt DPM 

                        Part 2 of 2

 Help new teammates make entry.

            People come, people go.  Turnover can be hard on teamwork.  It makes sense to help people succeed, to take pains to keep them.  You and your teammates play a key role in this process.  Too often, when a newcomer fails to make it in the team, it’s because the team failed the person.

Play down yourself and build up others.

            You’ll never build the team by acting like a big shot-you do it by building your teammates.  Play the game in such a way that your presence make the others perform at a high level.  Be a cheerleader.  Offer encouragement.  Tell them what a good job they’re doing.  Point out their strengths.  Catch them doing things right.

Spend time with your teammates.

            If your group get together only now and then – say for an hour or so – it doesn’t have crying chance of becoming a close knit unit.  It take togetherness for the group to gel as a team.  Even though you work side by side with someone, it doesn’t mean you will develop “team integrity.”

Help drive discipline into the group.

            In high performance teams, the players police themselves.  The people don’t relay on somebody else – for instance, the boss or whoever is in charge – the crack the whip.  Team members show superb self-discipline.  Individuals hold themselves, and each other, accountable for topnotch results.

Make sure you make a difference.

            Just having your name on the roster doesn’t mean you’re earning your keep.  Making a difference take more than just showing up, doing only enough to by or merely going through the motions.  Staying busy is no big deal either.  You need to do what counts.  Often the top performer isn’t the most talented person on the team, but the person who puts our the most effort.

Give attention to group process.

            Things are always going wrong when people work together in groups.  And even when things are going right, a sharp eye can often find ways for them to go a lot better.  Pay attention to what’s going on inside your group, and you’ll see problems there that need fixing.

Help create a climate of trust.

            The “growing season” for trust is when people are being tested – in matter big or small.  Only then do you get a chance to really prove anything.  Will you keep your work?  Do you honor your commitments?  Are you consistent?  Dow you play fair?  Can others count on you to “be there”-hanging tough under fire, helping out when the need you, putting yourself at risk for the sake of the team?

Strengthen the leader through good follower-ship.

            No leader is good enough to take a team to high performance if the team members are lousy followers.  What’s involved in follower-ship?  Initiative.  Know what to do without being told, and do it.  Think for yourself.  Good followers are people who lead themselves.  It requires that you align your efforts with the rest of the group.  Commit yourself to the team’s common goals.  Don’t drift off in another direction and splinter the group.  It also requires that you work to strengthen the leader.  Show your support and empower that person.

Be a good sport.

            Have a sense of fair play.  Show respect for others, rather than putting them down, finding fault, or promoting yourself at their expense.  Humility fits into the picture too.  Don’t brag or get a big head when you do well.  Be big enough to ask for help when you need it, admit your mistakes, and say “I’m sorry” when appropriate.  Learn to take criticism without taking it personally.

                                 (The team member handbook for teamwork by Price Pritchett)

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