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January 12, 2009

By Cathy Jameson

My husband John and I were both raised by wonderful parents who grew up in the depression and during World War II. John's father was a member of the United States Army. My dad was — and always will be — a United States Marine. All four parents were raised by hard-working people who labored long, hard hours to put food on the table. Yet there was never a lack of love. They may have eaten only bread and milk for supper, but grace and thanksgiving was a part of every meal and every day. Our parents brought that into our childhood homes, and John and I have brought it into our own home and business even today.

My father is a practicing architect. My mother was a school administrator. John's father was a working rancher, and his mother a vocational home-economics teacher. They lived and breathed professionalism in every encounter and every situation, with every person. Whether they were at their place of employment, school activities, church functions, or civic responsibilities, they treated all people with professionalism, kindness, and grace. They practiced the "Golden Rule" — "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Why this long and personal introduction? Why this subject? How does professionalism relate to "recession proofing" your practice? There has never been a time when professionalism, care, and attention to detail have been more important. Courtesy in each interaction with your patients may determine whether or not a person comes to you, stays with you, says "yes" to treatment, and refers others to you.

In these changing economic times, it is imperative that you focus on doing your best, and that applies to each person on the team. Each person can make or break a relationship with a patient. Every patient is critical to the health and well being of your practice. Each person — each patient — each encounter.

Review your systems and ask yourself, "What are we doing well?" Keep on doing those things. Then ask yourself a more critical question, "How can we do everything we're doing a little bit better?" It's the little things that make a big difference. When you improve each of the systems within your practice, even slightly, the accumulation of improvements will make a substantial difference in the practice as a whole.

The Younger Generation

Being a professional in all that you do will help you attract and retain quality team members. This, perhaps more than anything else, is critical to the stability and development of your organization, your practice.

There is much conversation at dental meetings, in articles and books, and in today's professional management literature regarding the changing work ethic of today's workforce. There are those who believe that the younger generation is more interested in what they're doing for the weekend than what they're currently doing at work. There is much conversation regarding the lack of effort that goes into producing an excellent result.

However, we have not found that to be true in our own organization (Jameson Management), and while the data shows a difference in work style, research has not shown a difference in work ethic or values. We have team members ranging in age from 23 to 62. We would not say that any one person works harder or puts in more effort, energy, and commitment than another. We have awesome young people who have excellent work ethics and put 100% into their responsibilities. So it's difficult for me to hear people my age claim that the "younger generation" has little work ethic.

People, no matter their age, are looking for more than a paycheck in today's workplace, and this includes the younger generation. People are looking for fulfillment in their position. Talented people will come to an organization, be productive, and stay if they're challenged and find fulfillment in the work. While past generations held tightly to excellent work ethics, they were also driven by the need to put food on the table in difficult times. The generations in the workplace today have surpassed this survival mode. Putting food on the table is certainly still a motivator, but finding fulfillment in the workplace is more of a motivator since survival needs are usually met and excess is available. It has been said that today's worker earns more by Tuesday afternoon of the first week of the month than their grandfather earned in an entire month. Peter Drucker calls today's workers "knowledge workers" — people who own their skills, which are transferable to many businesses. The knowledge worker can pick up his/her skills and move easily.

As a leader, you want to employ talented people who will put forth the effort and commitment to help your practice grow and thrive. You must create a healthy work environment where the grass is not greener elsewhere, where people will come, be committed to your vision, and stay. Creation of this environment starts with the owner, leader, CEO — you.

So, be a professional. Be a leader for your employees.

1. Do what you say you will do.

2. Let people be able to count on you.

3. Lead by example.

4. Be honest.

5. Lead from a place of integrity.

6. Be gracious. Treat others with respect and courtesy.

7. Honor your teammates, your patients, and your colleagues.

8. Think of others first. Give. In the giving is the ultimate of receiving.

9. Speak from a place of kindness. Think before you speak. Are your words coming from a place of love or hatred, kindness or cruelty? Will your words help or hurt? Are you paying attention to what you are saying? Do you care?

10. Let the clarity of vision for your ultimate purpose shine through all that you do.

Be a role model. If you expect your team members to behave in a professional manner, they must see you modeling that behavior. If you do not follow through, if you do not show respect for others, if you do not live each and every day with a positive attitude, if you do not exemplify joy, passion and energy for your work, how can you expect the people who work for you to be any more than you?

If you don't return phone calls, if you don't honor your colleagues, if you don't do what you say you will do, if you're not professional, how can you expect your employees to be professional?

Your Practice: A Reflection of You

Your practice will always reflect you — the owner, the CEO, the leader. What kind of leader are you? Are you proud of yourself? Or can you honestly say that you have room to improve and are willing and able to do so? The effort put forth to live a truly professional life will bring you to a place of fulfillment, peace, and joy, which is the ultimate reward for work well done. In their book "Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge," Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus write, "Managers are the people who do things right, and leaders are people who do the right things."

Will your colleagues say that you did what you said you would do? Will they say that they trusted you? Live a life where you are proud of yourself and proud of what you do each and every day. Work at developing a healthy sense of self-regard. It's from this place of caring for yourself and loving yourself that you will be able to reach out to others with an even greater ability to care and love.

Learn more about what Cathy and the worldwide Jameson Management, Inc., team can do for you at www.JamesonManagement.com. You're also welcome to e-mail info@jamesonmanagement.com or call (877) 369.5558.

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