Category: Staff Connection

Reading time  4:10

Sometimes we forget how important positive feedback can be to our staff. We assume that they know how much we appreciate what they do and how much they contribute to our practices.  But the fact is, it’s important to share what we are thinking with our co-workers and not just keep it to ourselves.  I had this confirmed after a conversation with my nail tech, Nancy.

Nancy shared with me how pleased she was recently when she received some compliments from the owner of her salon. To make it even better, it happened at a staff meeting.

These two small compliments had a major impact on Nancy’s self- esteem.  This feedback meant so much to her.   She said that in fifteen years of working as a nail tech (and being very good at her job), it was the first time a boss or owner had ever complimented her.  How sad is that?  But, it also started me thinking of how I interact with the people I work with.  I have always tried to be good about giving feedback.  However, there is always room for improvement for everyone.

EFFECTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK   

Getting positive feedback helps everyone.  Who doesn’t appreciate having their contributions noticed and valued?  Aside from our basic needs, we all want to know we have worth. We want our efforts to make a difference.   Think about how you felt the last time you got an unexpected compliment.  I’m certain it lifted your spirits and made your day a little better.

So how do we find the behaviors and actions that are deserving of praise?  First of all, quit looking for only the faults or negatives.  It’s really as simple as that.  Start looking for the positive. It just requires a change in attitude and a fresh perspective. You will find that there are many more positives.  And the natural consequence of noticing what is good, will be an increase in that type of behavior.   There is a quote by John E. Jones III that says it better.  “…What gets rewarded, gets repeated.”

SHARING POSITIVE FEEDBACK

The problem in a busy office is often the timing.  It’s difficult to find a moment when the employee and doctor are both free at the same time. But, waiting to give the compliment often means it gets forgotten and is never given.  

I have made a habit of writing down the relevant information (person, date, situation, etc.) so I don’t forget.  Then, I made it a priority to share this information with the person involved.  The sharing can be done daily, weekly or monthly. Find what works best for you.  But, don’t abandon it just because it may not be convenient to share the feedback at the moment the event happens. 

I love sharing unsolicited compliments from patients with the staff person involved. And there are so many other things that you can notice and comment on as well.  If you train yourself to look, you will see your staff do many wonderful things for you on a daily basis.  Some of these things include: handling irate or difficult patients, anticipating problems and intervening before they occur, helping a co-worker and just pitching in to help the office run well.  

It does require an effort to train yourself to make these observations, but it is so worth it. It helps the person involved, but it also makes you feel better when you share the compliment with them.  To know that you have helped someone, or made them feel better is a wonderful feeling.  And don’t downplay the difference it makes in the culture of the office as a whole.   When your staff knows that you see them and that you notice what they’re doing, they give you even more to see.

PROMOTING POSITIVE FEEDBACK

I also like to save a copy of these shared positive comments. Reviews are often skewed toward problems and deficits.  Looking at the compliments and all the times he/she has gone above and beyond the expected helps you to give a more balanced annual review.   Why not share all the good things and acknowledge the progress they’ve made along with the areas they need to work on?

One office I worked in had another great idea for sharing positive thoughts.  They had the entire staff participate by writing down any positive thing they saw a co-worker do.  It could be anything from how they worked with a patient, a good idea they shared, just being kind or going above and beyond what’s required.  The comments were placed in a basket and shared out loud at the next staff meeting.  It taught the staff to look for the good in their co-workers and created a more positive environment for the whole office.  A secondary benefit was that it encouraged this type of behavior in all other staff members.  Acknowledging good performance really does work.

I have also seen the use of a bulletin board located in a staff area for sharing positive feedback.  Employees are encouraged to post a note with a compliment for a co-worker on the board for everyone to see.  Either way achieves the same result. Teamwork and positive feedback become an important part of the culture of your office.

I suggest that you could take this system of praise a step further.  For every positive comment, points could be earned.  When they reach a certain number of points, the employee could pick from a list what type of reward they want.  It could be a financial bonus or time off.  They could earn an hour at a time and build it up or use it for an early end to the day, a longer lunch, or a late start to their day.  Of course, this would need to be arranged just as they do vacation time. Or the reward could be a gift certificate, flowers, a special lunch or anything else you can think of. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant.  The possibilities are endless. Ask your staff what rewards they would like. Giving your employees choices allows them to pick what is the most meaningful reward for them. 

WHAT ABOUT THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK?

We all know that there are times when negative criticism is needed. But, if you have negative criticism, deal with it privately.  Negative comments are often best handled when you have taken time to think about what you will say rather than in the heat of the moment. Words can hurt and are not forgotten.

Constant negativity creates a toxic environment that can infect everyone. It generates job insecurity and defeat. We will deal with the effects of negativity in a future blog.  

IS THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK WORTH IT?

Some would argue that there is no reason to reward someone for doing their job.  To those I would point out that there are a lot of ways to get a job done.  It can just meet the minimum standards or it can be done with extra enthusiasm, efforts and ingenuity.  Allow and encourage your staff, and yourself, to excel and be the best you can be.

Being grateful for a good and committed staff and then showing your appreciation frequently helps a practice grow.  It builds trust and connections with your staff.  As a result of that, it also evolves into a natural connection with your patients.  There is no down side that I can see to being appreciative, positive and kind. 

How do you promote excellence in your staff?  How do you show your appreciation on a daily basis?  Share what has worked in your office in the comments below.

Reading time 5:38

THE TOXIC OFFICE

I am posting this blog five days after Halloween. But in keeping with the Halloween theme, I decided to write a blog about something I find scary in a practice. Toxicity.  Not the obvious type of toxicity with drugs, but rather a toxic environment.

We are health care providers.  Though most of our efforts are on improving the health of our patients, it doesn’t mean we can ignore the mental health and well-being of our own staff.   And, for that matter, our own health. 

In my more than forty years of practice, I have worked in a large clinical setting and in a partnership private practice.  I have also been doing fill-in work for many different optometrists and opticians.  It has given me a unique perspective on the relationships between staff and doctors.  I am still confused on why anyone chooses to work in a toxic negative environment when they could make small changes and create a positive one.  It has never made any sense to me. And yet, I have seen it happen over and over.

LEADERSHIP AND TOXICITY

There are many factors that determine the environment and culture of an office.  In my experience, the strongest factor I have seen is the leadership of the practice. The leader sets the mood for the office. Leaders guide by example. They show us how to treat our fellow workers, as well as the patients who visit our offices. As a leader, we need to be aware of the example we set.

There is a hierarchy in most practices and it is necessary to some degree.  Someone has to be in charge and make the big decisions.  But their management style affects everyone who works with them.   Employees may try to counteract the undesirable aspects in an office, but it will fail unless the leadership gets on board.

CREATING A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

Every practice is different.  And every solution different.  But, there are some common elements in practices that have positive cultures.  One of the most important factors is how we treat our staff.  I’m not talking about salary, bonuses, vacation, and other benefits.  Those things make a difference, but they are not the most important factors in how an employee feels about their work and why they stay in a position.  Studies have shown that employees will stay in a job, even when the pay is lower, if some strong basic needs are being met.

These basic needs include:  being heard, being appreciated, and knowing that what they do makes a difference. If people feel these needs are being met, they will become a good and loyal team member.

I know meeting basic needs won’t solve every problem, but it is an excellent place to start.  Treating our employees with respect and valuing their contributions and their ideas has no bad side.  It’s a win-win for everyone involved- doctors, staff and patients.  It’s also a win for our families.  If we leave our office less stressed out and tired, we can bring a positive energy home to our family instead of a negative one.

DAMAGE ON A PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL

As I pointed out, I have worked in different settings.  When the office environment deteriorated, I did everything I could to make it better.  I put up with toxic environments for years trying to make them improve. But, one person alone can’t change a bad situation.

I stayed too long and felt myself become a different person.  I didn’t recognize myself anymore. I had no joy, no love for what I was doing.  No energy to even care anymore. Even my family noticed the changes and expressed concern for me. 

I love my career choice and taking care of people.  Fact is that I still do.  I am good at what I do. But I experienced first-hand what a lack of respect and trust can do a person- what it did to me.  Not being heard and not being valued stripped everything away from me. Being constantly bombarded with negativity damages a person at a basic level. Toxicity is detrimental to your practice on so many levels and not just in staff turnover.  And there is no reason for it.

There is no doubt in my mind that toxic environments change people in a negative way. The literature also supports these harmful effects.  It is well-documented that it is not only a psychological change, but also has many physical manifestations.  

SOME ADVICE TO CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

It is beyond the scope of this blog to identify all possible contributors to a toxic environment. Books are available that cover the topic better than I can.  But, as a start, I would like to share some of my observations on what I have seen.

• Never correct or criticize an employee in front of their co-workers and absolutely never in front of patients.  It is humiliating and robs a person of their dignity.  You have made it impossible for them to be effective in working with patients or fellow workers.
• If you are angry, take a moment before dealing with the problem.  Words can hurt and can’t be taken back.  Consider what you want to say and how to express yourself in a constructive manner rather than a destructive way.
• Don’t play favorites or compare one staff member to another. This is the antithesis of creating a team.  Appreciate every team member for their own unique skills and abilities.  When you start looking for the good traits in everyone, you may be very surprised at what you learn. And when you find those skills, you’ll see that they can complement and inspire those of other staff members.
• Do you notice all the good things your employees do?  The times they go above and beyond what is expected of them. Do you notice when they correct a behavior you asked them to change? If you only notice the shortcomings, the mistakes and never the things they do right, you will have a problem on your hands.  

POSITIVE VS.NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

Bosses who only use negative feedback don’t realize that it won’t get them what they want. No matter what your staff does, you will always find something wrong.  Soon staff members will just give up.  What’s the point if you only see the negative and always find something else to criticize?  

When you choose to lead with positive feedback and notice all the little good things, you will get more and more of that behavior.  We all will repeat a behavior that gives us positive feedback and a sense of being valued and appreciated. It’s a good feeling.

Constructive criticism is necessary, but there is a right and wrong way to do it.  Remember that even if you try and balance criticism with positive feedback, we only hear and remember the bad things.  Everyone knows this.  Think about all the positive reviews you’ve received and that one nasty one that you just can’t forget.  Our staff experiences the same response.  

Try and make the critique into a conversation.  Share your observations and the problems you’ve noted and then ask them if there is something you can do to help them bring up their performance.  Include them in the solution. Outline the changes that you expect and need.  Establish a time table to re-evaluate performance.

Distrust, micromanaging and not being consistent creates an apathetic and defeated staff. Training your staff, encouraging them to learn, fostering their skills and then empowering them to perform will give you a talented, motivated and happy staff.

AIM FOR A TOXIC FREE OFFICE

There is so much in our daily lives we can’t control, but creating a positive environment is something that is in our control.  It encourages each person to rise to their highest level. And it will be noticed and felt by every patient who enters your office.

Obviously, staff selection and training are also important to a cohesive work force and a positive environment.  But recognizing that part of the problem may be a toxic environment, allows you to begin to find the solutions.  Deciding to make a change is an important start.  Your life will be better for it.

What do you do to foster a positive office setting?  How do you interact with your employees to give them positive, as well as negative feedback?  Share your ideas on what has worked for you in your office.  Your comments and ideas may help someone else find a way to make their office environment more desirable.