Dos and don'ts for team leadership: Lead by example

You probably have greater influence on how your staff members behave than you think. They watch you constantly, taking cues, reading your moods, seeing how you react to challenges, and seeing how you interact with patients and team members. You're like a walking, talking instruction manual for your team -- without actively trying to teach them anything. This gives you great power, but you can harness it only by understanding your impact.

Think of yourself as the role model. Some dentists mistakenly think that being a leader means giving orders about what to do and how to do it. But that's what training and systems are for. Your role is to demonstrate the right patient-centric behavior -- the attitude and behavior that create strong practice-patient relationships.

Don't let your negative feelings drag everyone down. When you have a bad day, everybody has a bad day (if you let your feelings show). This may seem unfair. You're human, after all. But this is part of the price you pay as practice leader. When you walk into the office, leave your concerns about world affairs, disappointment with your daughter's report card, irritation with other drivers -- leave it all behind. Bring positive energy and warmth into your practice and your staff will follow your lead.

Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the founder and CEO of Levin Group, the leading dental practice consulting firm in North America. For the complete list of dates and locations where you can attend his latest seminar, visit www.levingroup.com/gpseminars.

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