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Sally McKenzie,CMC President McKenzie Management Sally McKenzie's Weekly Management e-Motivator Click here to print this e-Motivator Article. Missed any past issues of Sally's Weekly or Monthly Newsletters or Magazine Articles? (click an item to view archive) August 5, 2002 WEB: http://www.mckenziemgmt.com Is Your Practice Operating at Peak Performance? Take this test to find out.   Sally McKenzie's Weekly Management e-Motivator---Issue #23 Surviving Staff Conflict Let’s face it, there are days when the practice of dentistry would be great if it weren’t for the staff. It feels like an episode of Survivor where lunching on rodents might be easier to choke down than the latest complaints from employees. You’ve tried the occasional staff meetings but they just turn into gripe sessions. Molly and the Merry Minions have managed to build their own little fiefdom and were it not for the fact that you bring in the big bucks, they’d gladly vote you off the island. They are setting the schedule, telling you when they’ll work. They’re even pulling you away from patients to change the light bulbs. Yep, the situation is out of control. How do you reclaim your practice? Take charge. Yes, it’s easier said than done, particularly since many dentists would, in fact, prefer to be sent to a remote island somewhere off the coast of Timbuktu than tackle staff conflict. But focusing on staff communication can significantly reduce the differences and get the practice back on track and you in control. Sally’s Recommended Actions Make a conscious effort to expand communication with your staff. If they are seemingly banding together against you, it’s probably because they are not getting enough direction and feedback from you. Clearly spell out employee responsibilities, and hold them accountable. Establish expectations for employees and, if necessary, provide training to enable them to meet those expectations. Hold regular meetings with staff and follow a specific written agenda. During meetings, require each employee to report on the system they are accountable for. Discuss what is happening with each specific system – scheduling, accounts receivable, recall, etc. Identify other critical issues and strategies for addressing those concerns. Assign deadlines and delegate responsibility to specific staff to address those critical issues. Staff conflict will not disappear on its own. The best way to manage it is to confront it head on. However, if tackling this issue yourself is something you simply cannot do, call us. Assisting doctors encountering conflict in the practice is our specialty. WANT TO KNOW????? How To Bring Your Team Together with the ultimate in PEAK PERFORMANCE? The Center for Dental Career Development located in Beautiful LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA! Click Here. Join us for our Premiere Open House Celebration, September 6th 3-7pm. For more information call 1-877-900-5775 or info@dentalcareerdevelop.com This issue is sponsored in part by: McKenzie Management - A full service, in-office dental management consulting company specializing in the business, clinical, and hygiene areas of practices nationwide.You can find McKenzie Management at http://www.mckenziemgmt.com CareCredit - More than 30,000 healthcare practices nationwide use CareCredit as an alternative means of helping their patients finance treatment. You can find CareCredit at http://www.carecredit.com DentalTown - Never practice solo again! DentalTown.com is a free community, hosting dentistry's MOST ACTIVE message boards, classified ads and a dental event calendar.The site is open to dental professionals throughout the world, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Once you visit, you'll wonder how you ever practiced without it! Log onto http://www.dentaltown.com TODAY! Lares Research - Make Your Practice Profitability Soar! SoftCare ™ boosts your hygiene department profitability to a new level. Treatment of periodontal disease with the Lares' PocketPro Lasers ™ is easy to learn and offers a quick and dramatic return on your investment. Lares lasers will also make your dentistry faster and easier. Visit us at http://www.laresdental.com/products/lsc/default.asp or call 800-347-3289, ext. 1 and schedule an educational presentation. HPSC - Finances, via lease or loan, dental and office equipment, leasehold improvements, working capital and supply contracts at fixed competitive rates, with no points, variables or hidden fees. HPSC also offers a variety of financing programs to dental professionals seeking to set up, expand, buy into, or acquire a practice. http://www.hpsc.com/ INFORMS - Allow InForms to participate in your successful practice by becoming the "ONE STOP SOURCE" for your front office needs. We carry a full range of products including: recall and appointment cards, registration forms, exam forms, statements and envelopes, folders and labels. Call us at 1-800-722-4884 or email us at informs@bellsouth.net today to receive your catalog.   McKenzie Management Newsletter Information: To unsubscribe: To discontinue receiving the Sally McKenzie eNewsletter, click on the link at the very bottom of this page for instant removal, or simply click Reply to this email with the word "Remove" as the only word in the subject line. To report technical problems with this newsletter or to request technical help, please send a descriptive email to: webmaster@mckenziemgmt.com To request services, products or general inquires about McKenzie Management activities please send a descriptive email to: info@mckenziemgmt.com If you would like to have any of your dental practice concerns answered personally by Sally McKenzie, please send a descriptive email to her at: sallymck@mckenziemgmt.com. Copyrights 2002 McKenzie Management - All Rights Reserved.