February
2004
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Building a Culture of Trust
Trust
is the number one ingredient necessary to build
strong relationships with our patients and with
our team members. A culture of trust is never
perfect, but always growing, always accepting
responsibility and looking for ways to improve.
Culture is "the way we do things around here."
When you get your culture right, all else follows.
What is trust?
Trust is the underlying belief in any relationship
that the other person has your own best interests
at heart. People who trust each other share vulnerabilities
and feel confident to question each other, while
at the same time, accepting each other as is.
How can we build trust?
The most effective way to build trust is by being
trustworthy. Trust is the glue that holds relationships
together and is displayed repeatedly by your actions.
This includes what you do and do not do. Simple
things are key, such as listening to what your
patients tell you and then acting on that information,
doing what you say you’ll do, and keeping
your appointments in a timely fashion. These are
the types of things that invite patients to feel
safe and cared for in your practice, thereby building
their trust in you.
Each time you interact with a person you both
have a chance to further develop the trust you
have for each other. Each patient appointment
provides an opportunity for each member of your
team to build on the trust the patient has for
your practice to take care of his or her oral
health needs.
When trust is high, interacting and communicating
with others is effortless; when low, it requires
a lot of effort. Listening builds trust because
it shows how much you value the other person.
Being heard meets a deep psychological need to
be respected as a person.
Eight strategies for building
a Culture of Trust:
- Ask
pertinent questions
- Listen
with complete attention
-
Exceed expectations
- Be
extremely organized and dependable
-
Show sincere appreciation
- Partner
with your patients to optimize their oral health
- Handle
complaints promptly with empathy and honesty
- Return
phone calls as soon as possible
Trust is an Investment
Building trust is not cheap. It is an investment
in your service to your patients. This means hiring
good people and providing them with ongoing training
and going out of your way to better meet patient
needs. The catch is that these investments pay
off handsomely in improved profits and a strong
referral base. Remember, word-of-mouth marketing
is the best way to attract new patients. When
trust is high, patients go out of their way to
tell others about your dental practice.
Competence
and Credibility
Trust is built by showing competence and credibility.
Competence is getting the job done right, better
than your competitors. It is expressed through
knowledge of the patients’ needs, your service
and the ability to work with others. Credibility
is your character, integrity and honesty. Only
say what you really mean and be a person of integrity.
Show genuine concern for your patients by hearing
what they tell you and providing exceptional care.
Focus on the customer and his or her needs.
Test Your
Trustworthiness
In order to succeed in business and in life, it
is imperative that you be worthy of trust. Answer
the questions below to test your level of trustworthiness.
You may also want to have your team members answer
these questions.
- Are
you punctual?
- Are
you a team player?
- Are
you open to new ideas and forward in your thinking?
- Do
you do what you say you will?
- Are
you willing to jump in and help when others
are in a jam?
- Are
you responsible for your workload?
- Do
you maintain a positive attitude, even when
time is scarce?
- Are
you responsible for any and all mistakes you
make?
- Do
you tell the story exactly as it is while at
the same time honoring personal privacy?
- Are
you devoted to continuing education and competency?
Relationships
of mutual trust are essential in order to be productive
and successful in life. Best wishes as you continue
to build a culture of trust in your practice.
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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