The Knowledge of an Office Manager is a Superpower!
I was recently asked, “Aren’t you afraid of losing your job to another person in the office?”
To which I happily replied, “No, my job is to train and give my staff the best knowledge of what I know as a manager, and for you to be able to take over my job as the next manager or strong team leader.”
I got a funny look from my employee when I made that comment.
How to Perfect Your Dental Team
Think about it; my job as a manager is to make my TEAM the BEST! How do you make the best team? What skills do you need to become a leader? I feel that if you use these essential strategies for your team members, your whole office will be a success.
Being able to delegate successfully is often more difficult than some realize. As leaders, we sometimes feel that it’s just easier to just “do it myself. I will get it done faster. I don’t have time to show you right now.” However, just begin by taking little steps. Start by delegating small tasks first before handing off the bigger projects. This way, you can monitor your team’s progress. Also, you should delegate based on skill. Take the time to think about which team member would do the job well and in a timely manner.
Secondly, expect to spend time teaching your employees how to perform the given tasks. They’ll likely have a few questions at first and will need your guidance. Be sure to give them clear instructions. Allow your employee to complete the work without you micromanaging or hovering over their shoulder, but do check in with them to verify progress. Encourage feedback from the team as well as you giving them feedback. Make sure to offer praise when it is appropriate.
Lastly, you will need to manage performance. Be sure to meet and discuss how you plan to evaluate the results of their work and make plans for measuring success. Employees work more efficiently when they have clear expectations. If you tell them ahead of time that you’ll be asking for weekly updates, they’ll have the freedom to decide how to spend their time. Please do not give your employees work without setting a deadline or goals for completion. Giving someone an important task and avoiding telling them when it’s due, is just setting them and yourself up for failure. Develop a priority system for tasks. Consider how you might create a priority system for everyone to follow, so they know what to work on first. As we know, some projects are time sensitive and take priority over other tasks.
Taking the time to teach your employees how to perform the given task is time-consuming, I know. Think of this time as an educational investment in the company’s future and in the employee’s career skills. Providing them with opportunities to learn something new and to be creative will help your employees feel valued.
In the end, by using your superpowers of delegating, teaching, and having high standards for outcomes, you will build an excellent team as you thank and reward them regularly for a job well done. Sharing knowledge and teaching your employees new tasks helps to improve the overall well-being of the office.
As the saying goes, “Team work makes the dream work.”
About the Author
Theresa Larson, MAADOM is the Office Manager at VIP Family Dentistry in Dacula, GA. She is a lifetime AADOM member and serves as a board member for the AADOM Gwinnett County Chapter. She achieved her AADOM Fellowship in 2019 and was most recently inducted into the 2022 class of AADOM Masters, achieving her MAADOM designation.
Theresa is always excited to expand her knowledge and work with her AADOM tribe. Theresa lives in Winder, GA, with her two dogs and one cat. In her spare time, she loves to take her Harley “Blue Cheese” for some wind therapy.
