You’ve put your time in, learned the ropes and know your systems inside and out.
There are some office managers who came to the position completely by accident- knowing more than others and being given the position. Others had a definite career path they set out to follow, with practice management being the ultimate goal. Either way, the position is now yours and how you handle the changeover helps to set the stage for your success.
A Delicate Dance: How to Begin the Transition
If you’ve promoted up the ranks, there’s a good chance you’ve made some deep friendships along the way with your team, along with the possibility that a few feathers have been ruffled. Your once-peer is now your direct report and that is uncharted water. Your desire is to shine in this new role and you need to have the team behind you in order to be successful.
These three suggestions will help to make your passage a bit smoother:
- Re-introduce yourself. By that, I mean you should meet with each direct report, individually. Utilize this time to not only let them know what your goals are, but to ask them what theirs may be. Become invested by digging deep-what is their vision of how they’d like to continue contributing to the practice, as well as how they’d like to grow personally and professionally. It’s important to remain curious by asking leading questions. The phrase “what does that look like for you” is often helpful. It allows them to stop and imagine, to think before spouting off the first words they think you want to hear. By doing so you convey the message that you care, while still tying it back to the practice. It also wards off the ” Oh, she’s the BOSS OF ME NOW” mentality some may be harboring which inspires visions of three-headed monsters. Finally, this conversation establishes you in a leadership role as you’re driving the tone of the conversation.
- Before wrapping up the one-on -one, enlist their help: ask them what area they feel they can make the greatest impact in, and then “task them” with taking the helm. Leaders are transparent, and they are not required to have all of the answers. Assuming the role of Office Manager does not come with a key to living in the land of the All-Knowing, and your co-workers know this. Remaining humble matters to your direct reports.
- Schedule a special team meeting. This is not a morning huddle situation, nor should it be a part of regular staff meetings. This is an opportunity for you to stand in front of the group and share YOUR vision of what you’d like to accomplish and how you intend to go about doing it. A word of caution: do not do this half-heartedly. Spend that first week or two really drilling down on things, review it with your boss so you have their support (and they might have suggestions) and only then, fully prepared, convey it to the team. Be clear on the steps and people involved with reaching each goal and keep connecting it back to the overall practice vision. Using visual aides- a Power Point, white board, handouts- will help people connect because pictures and images are more impactful than simply being lectured or “talked to”.
Give Recognition.. and More About That Initial Meeting
Watch your pronouns new manager. The “I” point of view comes across as very egocentric to many people, and during times of transition, even more so. At your first team meeting as the Office Manager, be sure you recognize a few points from each one-on-one, if you can. “Jenny said she would like to help us gain control of the overdue patients list, and since she has such a great relationship with them, she will be taking the lead on this. Thanks, Jenny.” That’s it. Identifying and recognizing a positive strength for each person creates a culture of inclusion and contribution.
At the meeting, clarify the message of how you like to operate, and what parameters/rules you will follow: for yourself and others. Realistic expectations, which are known and shared, allow each person to start on equal footing.
The Resistance: Pushback and Undermining from the Ranks
It’s going to happen- there will be those who give you a hard time, much like a child testing the limits of a new baby sitter. Take heart- and nip it in the bud. When presented with the “We never did it that way before” or “The old way worked just fine”, calmly remind the person that while you value the contributions of the person who held the position before you, the “old way” doesn’t fit the goals and vision the team is now aiming for. If it continues, a private meeting is in order where you can simply ask what is preventing them from getting on board with the direction you’re headed. They might have an insight you were unaware of, which you should be open to hearing. Remember, leaders don’t come into a conversation to tell, they should, instead, be there to ask questions, listen and learn. If you find that people are purposely undermining you, and you’ve had an opportunity to meet about it, consider measures that might be a bit more dramatic, but resist the urge to take it personally, and don’t lash out. Choose to respond rather than react. Leaders have a responsibility to remain calm in the face of adversity and the behavior they model is the temperature setting of the surroundings: people take their cues from you and will, hopefully, respond accordingly.
The Boss-and Team- are Relying on You
The role of office manager comes with a host of responsibilities and if you keep in mind- first and foremost- that the team is the most prized commodity of any business, you’ll succeed. Without a highly engaged, dedicated workforce who take pride in their work, you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. You can still be fully dedicated to the practice like a good guard dog protecting it, but you’ll have a hard time if you see the “intruders” are the people already in the house.
They’re looking to you to set the tone. And it’s not a light undertaking.
Until next time,
Peace, Joy and Success!
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Ascendant Dental Development LLC is built on the solid foundation of positive communication, both in the workplace and personal space. As a certified coaching resource with over 30 years in the dental field, we bring a new twist to dental practices and staff, focus primarily on leadership, team-development, communication skills, and workplace culture. We offer in-office workshops, individual coaching and also provide lectures to larger groups. We are proud members of many organizations including the Institute of Coaching, the Via Institute and others. We are currently filling our schedule for 2019-20 and encourage you to call us Toll Free to learn more
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