“You can't control what others think. The only thing you can control is yourself†- Marie Sexton.
This quote says it all. An easy concept in theory, however some days, a seemingly impossible concept in reality. Simply put, as a practice manager, it is up to you to garner respect among your staff. If you do not work at this, a leader can easily become despised by the staff. They will either smile in your face and damage you behind your back or just quit. This leadership can negatively impact any staff retention strategies the practice has put in place. Practice managers certainly do not want to get caught up in futile practices like following up on every little comment, looking into emails, and passing judgment based on silly unsubstantiated conjectures.
What are some items we as managers can keep in mind to help build the kind of respect we want our physician's staff to have for us?
Firstly, how do we address our team? Do we bark out commands at our employees first thing on a Monday morning? Your team will be dreading your arrival every day if this is you. Try asking people how their day is or how their weekend was before giving orders. No, you do not need a long, time-wasting dissertation of exchanged weekend experiences. However, showing a little care goes a long way. And if you're absolutely rushed, a good quick and sincere “Good Morning†with eye contact will work just fine as well. This builds respect.
Furthermore, recognition for the little day-to-day items that make the practice successful is huge. Someone who had to go over and above their call of duty today deserves recognition today. They should not have to wait two weeks for the monetary thanks they get directly deposited in their bank account. A simple “thanks for taking care of that today†when the employee is walking out the door at the end of the day is more motivating than you think and wins respect.
On the flip side, we can also be inadequate by being too easy-going - a “soft†manager is just as bad. There are certain employee personalities that will test a manager's stability. Often times, this can manifest itself in complaints or outright breaking the rules. If we as practice managers do not uphold policy, employees will quickly look at you as a push-over and before you know it, your front desk supervisor tasked with opening the building in the morning will “oversleep†on your busiest Friday of the year because they were partying Thursday night. Some practical ways to avoid becoming the pushovers are simply implementing industry standard verbal/written warning system: first offense - verbal, second offense of the same kind - written, third offense of the same kind - termination. Three written warnings of any type represent grounds for termination as well. And by all means do NOT be the manager who only gives out verbal warnings. Take the time to write-up repeat offenders.
The road to becoming the respectable practice manager is NOT an easy path. You will be the bad guy sometimes, and you will get criticism. You will have those who like the way it is and do not want change. However, change in the right direction must not be interrupted at any cost, even if it means changing the way we've been doing things and the people we use to do them.
Ducks like rain. If you've ever watched ducks in the rain, they are not just huddled up shivering in the cold puddles, they play in it! And if you watch closely enough, you can see that when the rain hits their back, it rolls right off, and their thick feathery coat remains perfectly dry. Out of line comments, rude remarks and unfriendly gestures... ALL RAIN. People can despise you even when you're absolutely in the right - I've seen it happen. The duck secretes oil and with its bill, is constantly rubbing the oil over its body. Oil and water do not mix. Optimistic confidence and negative energy do not mix. If you coat yourself every day with a good application of confidence in your leadership and optimism, disrespect and opposition will roll right off your back.
Keep up-to-date with your knowledge of your industry and your job. Becoming certified with the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is a great plus to anyone's skill set or resume and demands respect from the vast practice management areas it covers. This certifies that you at least have the knowledge to run the practice.
In closing, it is important to show respect to those around you regardless of what you expect back from them. Remember you are the bigger person and you are their leader. A true leader does not fear the malcontent of a subordinate; he or she wins them or sets them aside and keeps moving forward.
This quote says it all. An easy concept in theory, however some days, a seemingly impossible concept in reality. Simply put, as a practice manager, it is up to you to garner respect among your staff. If you do not work at this, a leader can easily become despised by the staff. They will either smile in your face and damage you behind your back or just quit. This leadership can negatively impact any staff retention strategies the practice has put in place. Practice managers certainly do not want to get caught up in futile practices like following up on every little comment, looking into emails, and passing judgment based on silly unsubstantiated conjectures.
What are some items we as managers can keep in mind to help build the kind of respect we want our physician's staff to have for us?
Firstly, how do we address our team? Do we bark out commands at our employees first thing on a Monday morning? Your team will be dreading your arrival every day if this is you. Try asking people how their day is or how their weekend was before giving orders. No, you do not need a long, time-wasting dissertation of exchanged weekend experiences. However, showing a little care goes a long way. And if you're absolutely rushed, a good quick and sincere “Good Morning†with eye contact will work just fine as well. This builds respect.
Furthermore, recognition for the little day-to-day items that make the practice successful is huge. Someone who had to go over and above their call of duty today deserves recognition today. They should not have to wait two weeks for the monetary thanks they get directly deposited in their bank account. A simple “thanks for taking care of that today†when the employee is walking out the door at the end of the day is more motivating than you think and wins respect.
On the flip side, we can also be inadequate by being too easy-going - a “soft†manager is just as bad. There are certain employee personalities that will test a manager's stability. Often times, this can manifest itself in complaints or outright breaking the rules. If we as practice managers do not uphold policy, employees will quickly look at you as a push-over and before you know it, your front desk supervisor tasked with opening the building in the morning will “oversleep†on your busiest Friday of the year because they were partying Thursday night. Some practical ways to avoid becoming the pushovers are simply implementing industry standard verbal/written warning system: first offense - verbal, second offense of the same kind - written, third offense of the same kind - termination. Three written warnings of any type represent grounds for termination as well. And by all means do NOT be the manager who only gives out verbal warnings. Take the time to write-up repeat offenders.
The road to becoming the respectable practice manager is NOT an easy path. You will be the bad guy sometimes, and you will get criticism. You will have those who like the way it is and do not want change. However, change in the right direction must not be interrupted at any cost, even if it means changing the way we've been doing things and the people we use to do them.
Ducks like rain. If you've ever watched ducks in the rain, they are not just huddled up shivering in the cold puddles, they play in it! And if you watch closely enough, you can see that when the rain hits their back, it rolls right off, and their thick feathery coat remains perfectly dry. Out of line comments, rude remarks and unfriendly gestures... ALL RAIN. People can despise you even when you're absolutely in the right - I've seen it happen. The duck secretes oil and with its bill, is constantly rubbing the oil over its body. Oil and water do not mix. Optimistic confidence and negative energy do not mix. If you coat yourself every day with a good application of confidence in your leadership and optimism, disrespect and opposition will roll right off your back.
Keep up-to-date with your knowledge of your industry and your job. Becoming certified with the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is a great plus to anyone's skill set or resume and demands respect from the vast practice management areas it covers. This certifies that you at least have the knowledge to run the practice.
In closing, it is important to show respect to those around you regardless of what you expect back from them. Remember you are the bigger person and you are their leader. A true leader does not fear the malcontent of a subordinate; he or she wins them or sets them aside and keeps moving forward.
