Andrew Carnegie once said, “[Teamwork] is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” When a group of people works together to achieve a common goal, few things can stop them. However, if stress, conflict, and distractions begin to take over, the whole mission may fail.

For dentists, just one or two struggling team members can ruin the whole show. However, if the whole team seems to be weak, there may be an underlying issue.

In this blog, we’ll help you identify signs of a weak dental team and offer advice for each problem.

1. They lack direction.

Imagine being dropped into the middle of a maze with no signs or map to help you get out of it. While you may try really hard to find the exit, to those watching it would appear that you have no idea what you’re doing. Well, that’s because you wouldn’t! You’re just simply doing the best you can.

Let’s assume that your team members are trying their best, but they just don’t know exactly what they should be doing. As the owner/CEO of the dental practice, it’s your job to give them direction. Create a job description for each member of your dental team. It also may be helpful to sit down with each of them to discuss what their typical day should consist of.

If this doesn’t quell the problem, the position may need to be refilled.

2. They aren’t meeting expectations.

Similarly, your team members need to know exactly what is expected of them in every area of their job. Answer these questions:

• How should each team member interact with patients?
• When should they step in to help with tasks that aren’t necessarily in their job description?
• How should they dress?
• What conversations should stay out of the office?
• How should conflict be handled?

These are areas that can be addressed on the go by providing compliments when someone does the right thing, or they can be handled in team meetings or private meetings. Either way, every team member should be on the same page when it comes to these topics.

3. There is tension among them.

Where there are people, there will be conflict. It’s just in our nature. The key is to extinguish the fire before it consumes your whole practice. Morale, productivity, and profit will suffer when these issues fester.

The best way to go about handling conflict is to face it head-on. Sit down with the staff members and try to come to a solution. Then, work together to make sure the problem won’t arise again.

4. Many lack confidence in their abilities.

Many times, we assume that the people we hire have more capabilities than they actually do. This can lead to a lack of training and guidance from the beginning which eventually turns into a lack of confidence on their part.

If you notice one of your team members struggling with their tasks, be sure to pinpoint the actual problem and provide him or her with the proper training. You may find that several of your team members have become inefficient and unproductive because of the same thing.

Contact Our Trainers Today

Our team at Dental Practice Enhancement offers administrative and clinical training for dental practices. Our goal is to see our clients succeed at every level. We can help with team building, billing collection training, technology integration, and much more.

To learn how we can help your dental team reach their full potential, call us today at (833) 373-3678 ext. 1.