STAFF MANAGEMENT - The Mistake of Criticizing the Whole Team for the Transgressions of the Few

Early in my practice, I noticed that several of my chairside assistants were sitting, staring off into space instead of talking with the patient when waiting for me to come to their chair.  Several times, I had asked them to spend this time engaging the patient in conversation instead. A few assistants, however, didn’t seem to be getting the message.

So, at a clinical team meeting, I showed my irritation by telling the group that “Some of you still aren’t talking to the patient when your waiting.”  I then proceeded to criticize the team for not taking me seriously.  Big mistake!

After the meeting, Gena (my excellent clinical coordinator) took me aside and said that she didn’t appreciate being scolded for something she and several other assistants weren’t doing.  She continued, “We know who’s not talking to the patient and you need to talk to them directly instead of blaming all of us”.

Score one for Gena!

Here’s what I should have done instead:

1.  Compliment the team’s improvement, rather than the criticizing them for their deficiencies.

When you do, the ones who have improved will know that you appreciate their effort and the ones who haven’t, will be reminded that they need to get better.  Say something like, “I really appreciate everyone doing a better job of talking to the patient while waiting for me. It makes me happy to see you making that effort”.

Two key elements of ANY compliment are:

• BEING SPECIFIC and
• TELLING THEM HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL

 2.  Talk privately with anyone who persists in not making the change.

After complimenting the team’s improvement, the next step after a while is to speak privately to those who aren’t getting any better.  Make sure that when you do, you can point to an incident that happened that same day.  Otherwise, she may deny that it happened that way.

As I mentioned in my blog entitled, “The 4 times to hold your staff accountable”, that conversation may look like this:

• DESCRIBE THE BEHAVIOR observed & be specific

“I noticed that for several patients this morning, you were not talking to the patient while waiting for me”.

• DESCRIBE THE IDEAL

“I know it can be hard with some patients who are quiet, but in those cases, just show them something on the computer about their treatment or sit them up, tell them it will be a few minutes, and ask them if they need anything.

• REASSURE THE ASSISTANT

“In most cases, you’ve been fairly good at this, but this morning wasn’t one of your better days.”

• KEEP THE REMEDY FUTURE FOCUSED and don’t scold her for what happened– no one can change the past, only the future.

“So, for the rest of today, let’s see that you can get every patient talking when you’re waiting.  Thanks”

 Bottom line: Never criticize the whole team for the transgressions of the few.  

The ones who haven’t done anything wrong will resent it, and the ones who have, won’t think that you’re referring to them.