When you are performing an exam on a patient, you have a checklist in your mind of key aspects to assess, diagnose and if needed, treatment plan. Why would you not do the same for your team? How well is your team supporting you and your practice? How well are you supporting them? Your team is crucial to the health and well-being of your practice and your patients. Yet, it is often the most neglected part of running a practice and costs you directly. Perhaps the problem is not knowing what the key aspects are to diagnose? In this article, I will provide that checklist for you and offer ways to enable you to truly diagnose your team and take steps to develop a cracker jack team.
The moving parts of a team can be divided into two distinct categories; Productivity (what the team does) and Positivity (how they do it). There are a number of aspects of a high functioning team in each category and none can be overlooked! Go through the checklist in your mind and formulate how you would describe your team for each aspect:
PRODUCTIVITY (What the team does):
Team Leadership (how does each team member step up?)
Accountability (do individuals and the team as a whole ‘own’ the day’s results?)
Goals & Strategies (what benchmarks does your team set for themselves?)
Decision Making (does your team know how to achieve consensus and make decisions?)
Resources (how does your team utilize its resources, including its human resources?)
Proactive (how much initiative does your team as a whole show?)
POSITIVITY (How your team interacts):
Communication (how well does your team communicate with you, patients and each other?)
Trust (what is the trust level of your team as a whole?)
Values Diversity (how well does your team encourage new and different ideas, opinions?)
Camaraderie (is your team close? Is it enjoyable when the team is together?)
Constructive Interaction (Can the team brainstorm without hurt feelings? Can members speak up?)
Optimism (Is the team an “Eeyore” or a “Piglet”?)
Once you have thought about each of these categories, you are ready to take action to ensure that your team is the best that it can be. A winning team will increase the health of your practice and patient retention. What are your next steps? Attach a metric to each aspect! By doing this you will be able to determine where to focus your energy for team development or coaching and/or correct any problems than can undermine your team. This is easily accomplished with a Team Diagnostic Survey – a confidential, on-line questionnaire designed specifically for your team which will provide you with a comprehensive diagnostic of your team in all of the above aspects. The results of the survey will make it easy for you to see your team as it really is, because the end result is based on input from your whole team. As a Certified Team Performance Coach I can help provide the tools and the solutions for you. What are you waiting for?
