Amy Morgan, CEO of the Pride Institute

Compensation is one of the most complex operational systems in your dental practice. However, when implemented effectively, compensation can be a catalyst for growth, motivation and enhanced morale and performance.

If I took an educated[1] guess on what topics the majority of The Pride Institute’s phone calls for “help” were based on, I would have to say half of the calls are from hygienists who feel under appreciated, undervalued and underused, while the other half come from dentists who are, quite frankly, a little anxious about their relationship with their hygienist(s). Considering the No. 1 secret to succeeding in these challenging times is a modern, interactive hygiene experience, we need to get to the bottom of what seems to cause frustration for the key players involved in continuing care.

Q:  How do I get my team motivated to think like an owner and go the extra mile?  First and foremost, no one can motivate anyone to do anything. Motivation has to come from within! It’s an internal process, a reason to act a certain way based on the good ole’ radio station WII FM (What’s in it for me?). So if that’s the case, why are there jillions of books, lectures and articles written on this very topic?  

You are not the only ones wrestling with this daunting task! The issue of finding comfort in the “asking” always reminds me of a Theatre 101 class I took years ago. The first rule of the stage is, before you utter one line of dialogue you have to ask yourself, “What’s my motivation?” Your answer will color the tone, pace and delivery of that one line.

You can’t talk strategic planning without talking statistical interpretation of success, and you can’t talk statistics all by yourself. In the small business of dentistry, it is essential to keep the staff educated and engaged in your vision, values and strategies. That requires forwarding the concept of open book management as a key practice management tool. An open book? Open book management is when businesses share key financial and strategic details with employees. 

How many times have you woken from a sound sleep, with an employee’s performance issue weighing on you? As your heart races, you think dark thoughts-She hates me! He needs a therapist! There’s nothing I can do! I’ll just have to live with the problem until I sell the practice! This is an example of “stinking thinking” because it doesn’t give the leader any options to upgrade performance and doesn’t allow the team member the benefit of being coached to new levels of success.

Photo:  Somos/Veer/Getty Images

If I took an educated guess on what topics the majority of The Pride Institute’s phone calls for “help” were based on, I would have to say half of the calls are from hygienists who feel under appreciated, undervalued and underused, while the other half come from dentists who are, quite frankly, a little anxious about their relationship with their hygienist(s). Considering the No. 1 secret to succeeding in these challenging times is a modern, interactive hygiene experience, we need to get to the bottom of what seems to cause frustration for the key players involved in continuing care.

It never fails to amaze me how many dentists have purchased “stuff” for their practice, only to have an important piece of “must-have” technology gathering dust several weeks (or months) later for lack of use. Even in this challenging economy technology purchases are still being made, although many dentists and teams appear much more cynical when it comes to silver bullet promises or fairy tale hopes for results.

Amy Morgan is CEO of the Pride Institute. With Pride since 1993, she is a sought-after educator who still consults one-on-one with practices.

According to economists, who know these things, the RECESSION IS OVER! Yet, we still are getting massive feedback from dental practices regarding concerns about:

The wonderful thing about the beginning of a new year is it allows us to close the door on the past and set new goals and strategies for a positive future. Let’s face it, 2010 was a tough one for most. The good news is patients continued to say “yes” and receive the dental treatment they desire and deserve, and a good number of dental offices still experienced many successes (though we had to work a little harder to achieve them).