When does 1 + 1 = 3, not 2? When the output of 1 and 1 together is much greater than 1 and 1 on their own. That is synergy, and it’s what your organization needs to be continually striving for.
It’s not hard to tell when your team is starting to create a greater output together than they would on their own: not only do team members accomplish more, but the journey is smoother. If you are struggling with slow or frequently “jammed” workflows, or you are struggling to get your team members on the same page, read on for our three tips on creating synergy within your team.
Team synergy isn’t just a buzzword, it’s how you can dramatically improve your practice’s efficiency. If you’re ready to learn more, from an experienced, hands-on leader, contact Jennifer Pearce, Founder, Owner, and Executive Lead Prosperity Coach. Jennifer has been involved with dental practices for over 23 years and understands how to foster cohesion within your practice.
Establish clear goals—together.
First and foremost, clearly defined goals help everyone understand what they are working towards and why. Include your team in goal-setting workshops. Give them a chance to share with you and other team members the vision they have for the practice, and what may be preventing them from reaching it. By including others in goal-setting, they feel a sense of ownership and will often feel more driven to help accomplish the team’s goals. (That’s exactly why goal-setting is the critical first piece of our Practice Management Consulting program.)
Don’t forget to make your goals an integral part of your team’s day-to-day. Often, after goal-setting workshops, the lists and the notes get put away, only to be referenced at next year’s workshop. However, at Prosperity Dental Solutions, we advocate that goals become an integral part of your daily operations. Right after a goal-setting workshop with our team, make sure the goals are placed in a visible area of the practice and talk about them once a week during team meetings. Team members will have the practice’s goals top-of-mind always, which will help them feel empowered in their role to help the practice reach them.
Put extra effort into making the right hire.
If you have led hiring efforts for any amount of time, you know that hiring the right person is key to developing a cohesive workplace (or, should we say, hiring the wrong person is a sure-fire way to create discord in your workplace!). When you are working towards a goal of greater production and efficiency, your team members are the single most important piece in the equation. Clear goals and open communication won’t resonate with your team if the wrong people are behind your desks.
We love this crucial piece of the puzzle. It’s why hiring and onboarding coaching is a key part of our process. We utilize a tool called the Predictive Index, which helps you take stock of your current team, to learn what personalities you may be lacking to increase your team’s productivity. When hiring, the PI helps you to carefully evaluate prospective employees’ personalities, to gauge whether they will be a good fit with your team. Complementary personalities are crucial for synergistic environments, as too many of one personality will slow progress and usually create bottlenecks. Sometimes, it takes just one, great new addition to drastically improve your workflow. So, hire with caution: here’s a great article that has great tips and ideas for finding a team member who will fit with your practice.
Set a precedent with communication.
Open, upfront communication around any new developments or changes within the practice will let everyone feel informed and empowered to make decisions on their own. Informed, empowered team members can work more efficiently and effectively with others to produce higher-quality results.
As a manager, you should make clear communication across your team one of your top priorities. Sometimes, the best way for a smaller practice to accomplish this is through a quick touch base each morning before the practice opens for business. During our coaching sessions, we can help you outline employee expectations that will give your team clearly define roles within your organization. Often, confusion about who is in charge of what, and who can make decisions leads to slow, clogged systems. Workplace issues that stem from a lack of communication are usually the easiest to fix. Stay ahead of these issues and prevent them from inhibiting your team’s synergy by developing and continually tweaking the communication strategy that works for your practice.
Greater efficiency and a happier workplace.
As the leader of your dental practice, it’s up to you to set precedents in the workplace, but we are here to help. By helping you create the right environment with the right people, and establishing clear communication and work goals, your team will have the tools and resources they need to develop synergy that is fulfilling for the entire team.
At Prosperity Dental Solutions, we believe any team can develop the synergy they need to drastically improve their workplace environment, as well as the practice’s profitability. We are passionate about helping dental practices improve their team dynamics to create happier and more fulfilled team members! If you are looking for additional resources on creating team synergy, contact us today to learn about our various consulting programs.
