The Golden Rule

What we learned in Kindergarten applies to the workforce today:

The Golden Rules we learn in kindergarten are the stepping-stone of what we need to implement in our day-to-day life.  On that list of rules is respect yourself and each other. When you are on a team it does not matter if you like them or if they are your friends on Facebook. When you are in the office you must communicate with your team upholding respect above all else.  

Respect needs to be delivered not only in the message you are saying, but your body language as well. I can say the nicest thing in the world, but if I speak in a condescending tone my words will be lost.
Our tone of voice depicts how much we respect our teammates or don’t respect them. Be careful of the tone you use, as you do not want a negative communication pattern to begin between yourself and others in the office, especially ones that can be heard by the patients.  Your team is only as strong as the weakest person, and if you are busy bickering among yourselves and are not respecting others then your team communication will break down.    

Keep in mind that what respect means to me is different than what your co-workers definition of respect is. For example, I work with an individual who takes messages very literally. Our boss was describing to the team that there were too many adult issues going on and that the team needed to handle them. To her the boss was informing her that she didn’t care about their feelings and their concerns. Our boss, was trying to get the team to problem solve for themselves.  Our boss believed that she was respecting the right of individuals to come up and problem solve a situation while my co-worker believed she was disrespecting them because she didn’t care enough about them to support their concerns.

No matter what the issue is, it pays to error on the side of caution when communicating and interacting with your team. Take the time to know them in order to help increase support and respect around the office. It will pay off in the end, because your patients will pick up on the positive relationships that you as a staff have.

Great teams take effort. Take time to work on your practice regularly to build quality communication and strengthen your results. For more information and to read other articles, please visit us at www.saltdpm.com.

Take Action

At some time in your life you have probably watched a game that went no where. You sat for hours while a team kicked a ball back and forth. While neither team ever scored the winning goal. The heat and pressure is on, but yet no one wins. The coach yells, the team re-huddles and the second half of the game starts. But still nothing. No action and no change. The coach switches out a player, the team get's excited and still nothing. The end of the game can't come soon enough. The players sink off the field and come back two weeks later. Only to have a repeat. So, what's the problem?

Leaders must take action!

A team doesn't win the game by sitting in a huddle discussing or chatting. A team doesn't win by a pat on the back and a high five. A team doesn't even necessarily win because they can run the fastest. They win because they take action on the field. They may jump over another player, dive, or complete some fancy passing and foot work. Whatever, they do. They don't stop moving. 

Great leaders win because they focus on a specific target, and do what it takes to reach that goal.  They do not stand and wait for the action to come to them. Great leaders realize the steps that must be taken for the office to reach that bonus or increase the number of patients and everything else moves around that goal. Become laser focused and determine what action you must take in order to build the office you want to have tomorrow. 

Great teams take effort. Take time to work on your practice regularly to build quality communication and strengthen your results. For more information and to read other articles, please visit us at www.saltdpm.com.