Create a Culture of Listening

Every practice owner says that their team members are their biggest asset. We say this, however, we also have a large problem with disengaged, burned-out people who are leaving the profession in droves. Even when they don’t leave, we have more than our share of “quiet quitters.”

How can we renovate the culture that exists in our practices to better nurture and empower our teams? Talented people today are looking for organizations that have a clear purpose that is aligned with their own purpose. They want clear direction for the future and how they fit into achieving that goal.

It’s been said that “no one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Talking with your team members is a great way to let them know you care. They are the ones who are in the trenches interacting with your clients. Ask them what they think about how the practice is doing? What have they heard from clients about new services you could offer, or for protocols or things that you could/should change to make it easier for them to make appointments, and in general make it easier to interact with you.

Talking with your team members and really listening to what they have to say, is an easy and inexpensive way for them to know you care. A common complaint amongst team members is that no one ever really listens to what they have to say. They don’t even have to get their way all the time, they just want to be heard.

Most cultures don’t require a complete overhaul. Many times just simply appreciating the past and all its lessons and evolving the practice’s culture to make it fit for the long term is all that is needed.