Do's and don'ts for practice leadership

As the practice owner, you have ultimate responsibility for decisions about how to run the business. But that doesn't mean you -- and you alone -- must make all the decisions. In fact, involving your team in the process is a much better approach.

First, minor day-to-day decisions -- which typically account for as much as 98% of the total -- should be delegated entirely to staff. The most critical issues, like whether to bring in an associate or how to reduce the tax burden on your income, should be addressed by you and outside experts. The remaining decisions -- about systems design, customer service, marketing strategies, etc. -- can benefit from teamwork.

Brainstorm for ideas and solutions. Coming at issues with different individual experiences and perspectives, team members will almost always come up with suggestions you'd never think of ... and some of them will be excellent. Hold special meetings, or take time at monthly meetings to talk about specific challenges and brainstorm solutions.

Don't neglect anyone or any idea. By acknowledging every team member for their thoughts, even impractical suggestions, you'll encourage enthusiastic participation and make everyone feel that they're contributing to practice success.

Dr. Roger P. Levin is CEO of Levin Group, a leading practice management and marketing consulting firm. To contact him or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit LevinGroup.com or email [email protected].

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