Do you like to be in charge? In control? Many of us certainly have a desire to control our world and that around us. It is human nature. I know Denise and I both do. It is hard to let others take the reins. Here is the problem with that though…you can’t possibly do everything by yourself. It is not feasible.
When Denise and I went into business together (15 years ago this October), we wanted to do everything ourselves. We were under the impression that if anyone else were to complete the tasks, they wouldn’t be done “right”. When we first started our business, that was somewhat feasible, but we were certainly not always playing to our strengths. Once we started getting successful and busy…it was not! We had to get some help. This wasn’t easy, but we finally did, and our business continued to increase.
Dental offices have a lot of moving parts. There is a lot to do, and one person cannot do it all. Unfortunately, a lot of practice owners, as well as office managers, are exactly like Denise and I were…afraid to let go of the reins. Until you know you have the right people in place, I understand, it’s hard. However, you must start the process of letting go of some of that control. You should always be watching and keeping your finger on the pulse of your practice. You just don’t have to be the one completing all the tasks.
Why is it that we want to have control? Of course, everyone has different reasons, but most of the time it comes down to a lack of trust in other people’s abilities, as well as trying to be perfect with everything we do. How can we let go of control and still be confident that the tasks that need to get done are, in fact, getting done and getting done right?
Accept that everything does not have to be perfect. This is extremely difficult, believe me I know, but it is okay, the sky is not going to fall I promise. We had a coach give us some great advice early on in our business. She said “implement now, perfect later”. Get your tasks completed and there will be time to make them even better along the way.
Create protocols or cheat sheets for others to follow so they know what tasks need to be completed and how to go about getting them done. It will make you feel better to know that your team has directions to follow even when you are not right there with them.
Be open to change and listen to your team around you. There are some great ideas out there when you take the time to listen and try some new ways to do things.
Trust your team to get their responsibilities completed. That’s why they are there, and they need your confidence in knowing that they can do their job. You should always have checks and balances in place to ensure that the tasks are being done and done properly, but at some point, you have to trust the process.
Trying to do everything on your own is only going to lead to more stress and overwhelm. It will also cause your team to feel that you don’t trust them to do their job. This creates a strained relationship with your team members, and they stop feeling inspired to do the job they were hired to do. Keep their spark for the job alive as well as your own. Your practice will be stronger and more enjoyable when you do.
Janice Janssen, RDH, CFE, Consultant
At age 14, Janice Janssen got an after-school job working for her dentist. Twenty-something years later, she is the co-founder of Global Team Solutions and an expert in practice consulting. Besides hands-on experience, Janice has gained professional recognition for her hard work and commitment to excellence. She is co-author of OMG! Office Management Guide, the “bible” used in GTS training workshops. She is a member of the Academy of Dental Management Consultants (ADMC), and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), which positions her as an expert in educating dentists to deter fraud and embezzlement in their practice.
Janice can be reached at: janice@gtsgurus.com
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