Judy Capko
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Who doesn't want a "dream team"—a group of employees who all strive for success and give their best for the greater good of
the practice? It costs urologists plenty when an employee sloughs their responsibilities or wants to skate through the day
without breaking a sweat. Motivating staff members to give their best isn't always easy, but it's definitely worth the effort.
Here are some tips to keep your employees motivated and, in the long run, more productive.
Start with understanding your employees more and taking an interest in them. This pays big dividends. Too often, busy urologists
forget to pay special attention to employees. Be sure to say "good morning" to everyone, and when an employee hits the mark
by meeting your expectations or overcoming a problem, acknowledge it and let him or her know you appreciate it.
Physicians create the practice culture and work ethic. If you start on time, work hard, and honor both patients and staff,
the staff will model this behavior. It begins with hiring. Hire good staff and treat them properly, with kindness and respect.
Motivating staff requires awareness and good communication. Often, it means playing the role of both captain and coach. Be
encouraging and express confidence—let Ericka know where you see her strengths and then clarify your expectations. Make a habit of observing behavior and performance on an ongoing basis. Be visible to the staff and show a willingness to
assist them. Look for opportunities when encouragement or constructive feedback will support improved productivity and top
performance. Staff will feel their contribution is important, and they will have a sense of purpose that stimulates pride
in their work.
Involve staff in problem solving
Things may not be perfect, but before analyzing a situation or offering a solution, find out how the staff member involved
sees the situation, what his concern is, and what course of action he envisions. When staff's input is valued, confidence
increases. This will also give you a more realistic picture of what issues staff must deal with at work. Gathering information
from different perspectives encourages open dialogue and can head off problems and contribute to reaching acceptable solutions.
It may seem like Terri's having a bad day, but you have the ability to turn it around and make her feel better and become
more productive.
Be realistic about the changes you can expect from employees. Change is difficult. It is important to manage change one step
at a time. This allows you to evaluate progress, hold staff accountable, and reward progress at measurable intervals. If you
expect too much too soon, staff will be overwhelmed and feel doomed for failure.
If you are working though a major change, such as a computer conversion or adopting a new appointment scheduling system, develop
a written action plan. Include a time line of activities and identify the primary person responsible for each line item. Include
appropriate staff members in each step, so they agree on what resources are necessary and what is a realistic time frame to
achieve the desired result. This is the best way to guarantee that staff supports your efforts, accepts responsibility for
the outcome, and is motivated to succeed.
Think positive when communicating
Strive to be a positive influence with the way you communicate. When Mark is taking on a new task, be sure to let him know
you are confident he will succeed and that you're available if help is needed.
Be careful with the words you choose. Use positive messages to frame reminders, instructions, or suggestions. For example,
it is better to say, "Remember, we're doing a chart audit next Monday" instead of, "Don't forget, you need to get ready for
the audit on Monday." It's important to use words like "we" instead of "you" so staff won't be put on the defensive. Also,
watch your body language. Pointing a finger and crossing your arms sends a signal of disapproval. Good eye contact and a nod
of the head will keep the listener attentive and encourages open dialogue.
These tips are basic to the simple principle of treating people the way you want to be treated. Most of the time staff has
the desire to perform well, but they don't always know how to go about it. Give them the tools and resources that are required
to do the job at the highest level—then get out of the way. Have confidence in staff, provide them with guidance and support,
and you'll be on your way to achieving peak performance. You hired employees for the right reasons—now let them show you what
they can do!
Judy Capko is a health care consultant and the author of Take Back Time- Bringing Time Management to Medicine . She can be reached at 805-499-9203 or judy@capko.com
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ModernMedicine NETWORK
EDUCATION
Proper investment in staff and technology can improve the impression your practice conveys, according to one practice management
expert. Read: http://www.urologytimes.com/investment
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