Unleash the Vibrant Energy of Your Team

Do you feel like your team is out of rhythm? You are not alone. This Round Up will give you four things you can do to help turn things around!

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, most offices I work with have been very busy, have experienced being short staffed, and suffered from supply chain issues, among other unusual occurrences. For some, this means working harder with less and experiencing a dwindling profit margin.

All this leads to “burnout” — for not only the leader — but the entire team. 

Many dental offices are experiencing burnout and issues with what is called “surge capacity.” Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems both mental and physical, that people draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations — situations like COVID, hyperinflation, skyrocketing supply costs and shortages, a decrease in the available workforce, and on and on. 

The problem is these global stressors have gone on too long, which leads to a mental health crisis on a global scale.

Referencing an article I wrote last summer, “The Great Aspiration,” people want more work/life alignment — that means, it isn’t all about the money!

They are prioritizing their health and well-being over work like never before. 

People want meaning in their work. They want to work with a mature, mission-oriented team, driven by a dynamic leader who honors family and health. 

If your team is lacking the vibrant energy they once had, we need to tap into what drives them in the first place and

unleash it!

1.  Purpose-Driven Conversations: be on the lookout for your best people getting bored. What aspects of dentistry excite them, or do they want to know more about? What type of Continuing Education (CE) would they like to pursue in the next year? Set up a budget for team CE or bring it in-house. It doesn’t have to be all about the work either. Some people feel disconnected, which is often a lack of spiritual development. With our innate drive for connection to others and self, what can you do as the dentist/leader to improve the ability for your team to connect with people?  

2.  Create Team Rituals that Foster Care and Belonging: a strongly bonded team creates a place people want to be. When people feel deeply connected with their work and team, it is energizing and more fun. People talk freely about work and personal difficulties, health needs and voice their concerns in a safe and supportive environment. 

3.  Create a Positivity Rich Environment: referencing an article I wrote a few years ago on positivity, help each person create a positivity portfolio. Including a team portfolio or ritual to orient the group mindset toward positivity and joy each day can move the team to make positivity their prime orientation, rather than the emotional ups and downs of a disconnected or fragmented psyche and group. 

4.  Be the Model: as the dentist/leader you are the model of health and well-being. You set the example for how others take care of themselves and their families, their stress and money. How you conduct yourself with others, your spirit of caring, how you celebrate successes, how you orient yourself toward a positive mental attitude, as well as how you deal with adversity, are all areas your team look to you as the model.