The Power of Observation

When it comes to establishing premium service and care in top practices, how we behave in the business environment is as important as how we communicate. Our actions can either be productive or remain stagnant. If they contribute to the business’s success, then collectively, the practice will do well. However, if our actions are never changing for the better or remain flatlined, then the business can suffer.

I feel that much of success in business has to do with the power of observation, as described by the Hawthorne Effect.

The term “Hawthorne Effect” was coined by psychologist Henry A. Landsberger in 1950 and refers to our social environment and actions. He reviewed experiments conducted at Hawthorne Works, a Western Electric Plant outside Chicago, between 1924 and 1933.

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In efforts to increase productivity among the workers, the company spent years tweaking and altering factors such as lunch hours, pay schedules and levels of lighting. Workers predictably became more productive when the lighting was brighter. Reviewing the data decades later, Landsberger concluded that workers increased productivity because they could tell there was an interest in them and how they worked. He defined the Hawthorne Effect as a short-term improvement in performance caused by observing workers. In other words, people change their behaviour when they think others are watching.

Today, the Hawthorne Effect phenomenon is as relevant as ever, for example, with social media. There are billions of us on Facebook, more than a quarter of a billion on Twitter, and hundreds of millions on Pinterest, Google and other networks. Smartphones allow us to plug into our social media audience continuously.

Never before could we so quickly and easily share our behaviour with others and receive the opinions of scores of people who are “observing” us, perhaps leading to modified behaviour.

The Hawthorne Effect, if used correctly, can also be applied to the business of dentistry, especially in the leadership of our teams.

Team members tend to adopt more productive behaviours and work harder if they feel that someone in authority is observing their actions and daily work quality.

Several strategies can be used to improve and enhance teamwork by utilising the power of observation. This will contribute to improved team performance and better quality of care.

Tips On Applying the Hawthorne Effect

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• Conduct Regular Individual Team Appraisals. These are essential to make it known that managers are observing how well the team are working. Team members who feel that no one is overseeing their performance may easily slip into a comfort zone where they are less productive than they could be.
• Hold Regular Team Meetings. Focus on improving the quality of care given by the team in their various roles. These meetings are critical for maintaining productivity and staying ahead in business. Team members need to understand what is vital to the practice principal, helping them to know what is expected of them.
• Carry Out Observation Walks. Regularly observe the team going about their work. Noting discrepancies or incorrect tendencies can significantly impact the establishment of positive employee behaviour. The team needs to know that managers are not confined to their offices but are observant of how effectively the practice operates. During these observations, managers can assess whether processes are being followed correctly, practice rules are being adhered to, and systems are being implemented as trained. This also allows managers to highlight what is working and what is not, thus increasing productivity.
• Accentuate the Positive. As Ken Blanchard explains in his book “Whale Done”, catch your people doing the right things and applaud them for it. Appreciate your team when they do things correctly and redirect behaviour when necessary. This encourages the repetition of positive actions, leading to increased productivity and better collaboration.

Keeping in touch by careful observation with the realities of everyday business in your practice can help enhance systems and functions. It will help to also highlight the unmet needs of your practice and team. Thus facilitating better leadership and the results achieved.

Talk to us about how we can help.