Dos and dont's for team leadership: Discover the power of delegating

Many dentists tend to "do it all" or micromanage staff members. Either way, potentially productive time is wasted, doctors work harder than necessary for what the practice earns, team morale suffers, and growth is curtailed. As the CEO and team leader, only you have the power to change this pattern -- and doing so can have a tremendous impact on your enjoyment of dentistry and the success of your practice.

List the tasks you handle personally, and delegate virtually all of them. For one week, note everything you do to keep your practice running. Then go through the list, assigning all nonclinical responsibilities to appropriate staff members. Your goal: spending 98% of your time chairside with patients.

Don't forget staff training ... and don't backslide. To handle some of their new responsibilities, team members will probably need training. Walk them step by step through the systems they will be using, conduct training days, and provide offsite training if needed. If you ever feel the do-it-yourself urge or find yourself hovering, remind yourself that patient care is your overriding priority.