Dos and don'ts for building a better team

Why performance reviews are a must

Every practice should have annual performance reviews for each team member. Performance reviews are a way to reinforce exceptional achievement, identify areas of improvement, and encourage team members to reach their potential.

Focus on three questions. Performance reviews should reflect the job description and cover three key topics:

1. What has gone right for the team member in the practice over the last six months?
2. What can the team member improve upon during the next six months?
3. In the team member's opinion, how can the practice perform better?

These performance reviews should encourage the team member to do 80% of the talking in an open, nondefensive manner. These reviews are meant to be positive, growth-oriented, and informational. They also represent an excellent opportunity to listen to the employee.

Don't resort to negative criticism. The goal is not to criticize team member, but rather to focus on how the employee, office, and doctor can all do a better job of working together. With this approach, the emphasis is on how to build a better team and practice rather than strictly on the individual.

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