3 Ways to Inspire a High Performing Dental Team

Motivating Your Dental Team

As a dental practice owner, I’m sure you want an effective, cohesive team, but you are also looking for high performance.

But why?

Because a high-performing team can drive changes within your practice that lead to greater productivity and increased revenue.

A cohesive team still requires direction, monitoring and supervision. Over-reliance on a manager cannot establish the accelerated progress you need.

At every turn in any business, there will be specific challenges. We all know that a growing business is ever-evolving and progressing. However, this requires a team effort.

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Lack of Growth

When dental team members don’t have the right inspiration for high performance, it can lead to stress, strain and procrastination. This is especially true when the team face challenges within their roles in the dental practice.

It could be in communicating with patients, not following a particular protocol, or lacking confidence in dealing with a specific task. Then you start hearing “excuses” for why things are not getting done.

And, of course, you end up micro-managing your people.

A dental practice owner who micro-manages or believes in a strict hierarchy will not have the stamina to lead the business towards growth. All their energy and mental focus will be used up in a regressive manner.

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What Does It Take to Build a High-Performing, Optimal Dental Team?

There are three essential components to optimal performance:

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Effective Communication

Your team needs to fully understand the vision of what you are trying to accomplish. They should be involved in its creation, integration and execution.

Clarity of vision enables any individual to work autonomously and direct themselves towards positive solutions. It also makes decision-making easier.

For example, if a team member is faced with a decision, rather than constantly going to the dental practice manager for every little issue, they can ask themselves: What are my options, and how will each option impact the overall practice vision?

If they know the vision, they will be able to work out the answer, since the right decision will positively impact that vision.

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Roles & Goals

Your team needs clearly defined roles integrated into an overall system designed to achieve a specific end result. You then need checks in place to monitor the system and refine it when the metrics are not what you expect.

If each team member fully understands the objectives they need to reach and has deadlines, they are more likely to succeed. However, it must be ensured that the team member is comfortable with their skills in completing the tasks assigned. This requires proper training and motivation.

This subsequently develops autonomy and independent work that the dental team feel responsible for.

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Team Culture

This is about how everyone interacts with each other and the values you, as a group, have decided are important to you. These become your “rules” of behaviour.

It takes time, but eventually, it becomes embedded within the very fabric of your business. A positive team culture will drive your dental practice in the direction you want.

This is when you can leave your team unsupervised and accountable for their own work.

We have seen this in operation firsthand as we began managing multiple dental practices. We were able to leave the team to work effectively and efficiently on their own with minimal guidance.

Transforming your practice requires enhanced leadership skills, a clear vision and a group of people who buy into that vision.

Your dental team want to be part of a group that is supportive, motivational and inspirational.

You can now join the group of discerning, savvy dentists who are gaining momentum in their businesses using tried, tested and proven techniques in Transformational Leadership.