Do's and don'ts for team building: Midyear performance review

Set aside some time to speak individually with team members about their performance for the first six months of the year. Checking in with your employees gives them a heads-up about what's going well and what areas need improving.

Evaluate individual and practice performance. Annual reviews are a standard operating procedure for businesses, yet they can blindside employees if there's no communication about performance throughout the year. Scheduling a midyear review lets team members know where they stand. The discussion will reinforce strengths and motivate staff members to make any improvements, if needed, before year's end. The dentist can also elicit suggestions for enhancing current processes in the practice.

Don't avoid unpleasant subjects. If staff members are performing below expectations in certain areas, it's up to you to tell them, so they can make adjustments. It's not always easy having candid conversations, but if you fail to communicate that you'd like to see improvement, then you are in a sense condoning their poor performance. Don't make that mistake!

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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