Initiative? Get real.

Its been 12 years now that the same phone call or email has arrived on a regular basis:

I’ve created the protocols, we arranged the training, we all agreed that we were going to do it this way – and then I find that it hasn’t been done the way we agreed.

Why can’t people follow the systems?

Why don’t they do it the way we agreed?

Why don’t they use their initiative?

So, once again, I have to remind you that if everyone in your team had 100% initiative, they would all be running their own businesses.

Armies have the Sergeant Major to train and drill the troops into repetition in the face of bombardment – and they still have to nag the soldiers to get things done.

The officers don’t do the training, the drill or the nagging.

In a dental business you have a practice manager to do that – not by SHOUTING at the team but by training them, drilling them (the dreaded role play) and nagging them.

If you don’t train, drill and nag – then the protocols will not be followed. The troops will just fall asleep in the trenches.

Your surveillance never ends – never.

How many times do I have to say this!!!!!!!

About the Author

Chris Barrow

4 November 2008 by Chris Barrow

Chris Barrow is co-founder of Barrow Kwong Hing Group of Companies, a private dental corporate active in independent and retail dentistry and post-graduate dental education, operating in the UK and Canada. Chris has been active as a consultant, trainer and coach to the UK dental profession for over 15 years. As a speaker he is dynamic, energetic and charismatic. In 1993 Chris moved into business coaching and became one of the first UK students at Coach University, from where he graduated as a certified coach. In 1997, he created The Dental Business School (DBS) and the development of a 12-month business coaching programme for dental practice owners and their teams, delivered to over 400 UK dental practices in the following 10 years.

 In the last 5 years Chris has acted as a Non-Executive Director, Director and Consultant to a number of dental corporates, whilst maintaining his freelance activity as a dental business coach for independent practice owners. BKH is the culmination of his past experience in the business of UK dentistry

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2 responses to “Initiative? Get real.”

  1. Dan

    Imagine a practice where all staff were paid solely on a cup of the net profit for the month and you would see initiative aplenty. I know some practice managers are getting paid this which has completely transformed the definition of motivation and commitment. I don’t know where this stands employment law wise….Chris? Anyone?

  2. Chas Lister

    the reason you have to constantly survey it is that even the dentists need someone to surveille them – and that’s you!!

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