Some Simple Advice for the 'Captain' of Your Dental Team

Every dental practice has its own leadership structure. Larger practices will have a designated office manager, but even in smaller practices there is usually someone who takes the lead for you and becomes your "captain" in the practice.

This person is usually a senior hygienist or administrator, a person who represents your interests and coordinates the team while you are busy performing dentistry. I have written before about how you need to define this role and give the right person a mandate to lead on your behalf.

 

Now let's talk about a specific thing they need to know to perform this role effectively. If I had one piece of advice to give to this leader it would be to get moving—literally. They have to be the one person in the practice who sees the big picture at all times, in all parts of the practice. After all, the other team members, including you, are given a briefing during the morning huddle meeting; after that, they go off to play their respective roles in the process. It's the designated team leader who has to ensure that the objectives of the day are being met, and that means circulating throughout the office to troubleshoot problems as, or before, they arise.

She may not being doing the appointing herself, but this team leader needs to be on top of any scheduling issues that develop. She should be alert to spotting open time, and adept at filling it. If someone is running behind or away from their post momentarily, she needs to be able to jump in herself to help where possible, or re-assign others to get the flow back on track. She has to have the "court sense" to see what's happening around her and an ability to strategize and respond in real time. She needs to be a constant presence throughout the office.

In this way, the team leader in the office is like the catcher on a baseball team. This is the player who has a view of the whole field of play and is able to signal and direct teammates to respond accordingly, all the while performing the vital function of protecting home plate. In other words, an effective leader is not just confined to a desk, performing paperwork duties. Your designated office leader is the captain of your team, and to be an effective leader she needs to be out on the field.