April
2004
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Leading the Way
Great
leaders create a culture where others excel. By
setting high performance standards they encourage
their team members to learn and grow, striving
for excellence in all they do. Dental Practices
that have a healthy culture and are attracting
and retaining the best and the brightest talent
frequently have an extraordinary leader guiding
their Practice.
Leaders
are basically normal people with average talent
that use their innate wisdom in extraordinary
ways to inspire and bring out the best in others.
What is leadership?
The ultimate goal of leadership is personal and
shared fulfillment. Leadership is the process
by which one person influences others to follow.
Leadership transforms groups from what they are
to what they could be. Leadership isn’t
just what you do; it’s what you are, which
then drives what you do.
The
three key components of successful leadership
are vision, communication and trust. Let’s
take a closer look:
- Vision:
Having a clear vision of the future acts as
a guide in the decision making process. Effective
leaders are able to ‘see’ the potential
benefits and pitfalls decisions will have on
both the present and the future viability of
their Practice.
- Communication:
By communicating your Practice vision
to your team members, they will be better able
to support you in your decision making process.
And, if they participate in the decision making
process, they will be more likely to have psychological
ownership for the outcome, which ultimately
will improve your results.
- Trust:
The most effective way to build trust is by
being trustworthy. By conveying a sense of trust
to your team you empower them to trust and support
you.
Can leadership be learned?
The skills required to successfully lead and empower
others are learned, very seldom, if ever, are
powerful leaders simply born that way.
One
of the easiest ways to determine what leadership
characteristics are important to you is to consider
the people who have made a positive impact on
your life. This could include your parents, teachers,
bosses, public figures you have read about and
admired, as well as any other role models you
have had. What specifically is it about these
people that you admire? Also consider people who
have left a less than favorable impression on
you. What personality traits did they exhibit
that you have chosen to not adopt?
Develop
a list of attributes that you want to incorporate
into your personal leadership style and then commit
to do whatever it takes to make them happen on
a consistent basis. Commitment will open the door
to self-mastery and excellence.
The
most effective leaders invest countless hours
in self-development. Do whatever you can to fine-tune
your leadership skills by reading, attending courses,
and being very aware of all that goes on around
you.
Leading Your Team
Some
leaders think it's their duty to point out all
the mistakes their team members make and suggest
solutions. They adopt a problem-solving mindset
that consumes a lot of energy.
These
people are so busy focusing on crises management
that they frequently forget to notice all the
great things happening in their Practices and
acknowledge their team members when they do a
good job. They see their team ‘as they are’
instead of envisioning them ‘as they could
be.’
This
approach to leadership doesn’t do anybody
any favors; it rather stifles creativity and impedes
growth. Take the time, with the help of your team
members, to develop effective and efficient systems
that will eliminate the guesswork in your office,
enabling you to provide automatic and seamless
delivery to your patients. When we give complex
tasks structure, we simplify them, making it easier
to consistently achieve great results.
Paint
a picture of where you want your Practice to go,
articulate clearly the reality of where you are
now, and then engage your team to help you determine
how to close that gap.
Questions
to consider
Being a great leader will help you build a highly
capable Practice. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would
you rate your leadership capabilities in the following
areas?
- Do
you encourage and empower your team members
to be the best they can be?
- Have
you developed a culture of trust in your Practice?
- Do
you hold yourself and your team members accountable?
- Do
you deal with conflict by being upfront and
honest?
- Do
you deal with sensitive issues that affect your
Practice without betraying confidences?
- Do
personal problems affect your performance at
work?
- Do
you have effective systems in place that support
your Practice?
As
you define and build your leadership capabilities
your Practice will grow and prosper, and you will…
lead the way. Good luck on your journey!
About the Author
CoraMarie Clark, MBA is recognized
as a highly effective Dental Practice Strategist.
She works with dentists that want to optimize
their potential both personally and professionally.
Her collaborative approach has helped teams develop
dynamic competitive strategies and achieve high
impact sustainable results.
If
you would like to explore the possibility of having
CoraMarie work with your Dental Practice or speak
for your Association or Group, contact us today.
CoraMarie
Clark
phone 403.686.6136
email coramarie@strategix-ltd.com
web strategix-ltd.com
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