like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong
I can’t begin to tell you how vital it is a practice owner/principal and Practice Manager have a strong, trusted, honest relationship.
The best practices I visit (and happiest) are those who have invested themselves in making it the best relationship in the practice.
I Should Be So lucky…
I am extremely lucky to have had that over the last 24 years. Steve Lomas opened The Old Surgery in Crewe, in 1998 and was looking for a Practice Manager to help him run his new practice. I wasn’t sure at first and made my then Manager promise that if I didn’t like it or him, I could return. (I occasionally threaten that still)
Our working relationship was born from mutual respect, having the same goals and understanding what we both needed from each other to reach those goals.
I have been encouraged, supported and we have grown together to lead a fantastic team of over 40.
We do not always agree and sometimes look at things from different points of view…but the vein of respect and value (both ways) has always remained. We have invested in business courses and coaches over the years but have a great belief in the use of Emotional Intelligence to help us run our practices and teams. If you both have the same goals, then it doesn’t so much matter how you get there but the fact that you do…. you can disagree, have opposing opinions, even sometimes tell each other “You are being an arse” but what remains is that the team feel they are led well.
One of the most valuable conversations that has stayed with me is some advice given to us from an ex Special Forces soldier, who as you know rely, heavily on emotional intelligence and having to work and make decisions under pressure.
A principal/PM relationship makes the perfect partnership in most cases due to the different ways of approaching a problem or situation.
Dentists have usually followed an educational route to their career pathway and had to depend on their Intellectual Intelligence. In turn this sometimes reduces their capacity for Emotional Intelligence. Often a PM has had more opportunity to allow their Emotional Intelligence to grow and find ways to problem solve and manage people from a different perspective.
Combined…these 2 different paths lead to a brilliant pairing and understanding how each other’s behaviours can help our teams and practice thrive is the key to success.
As a practice manager mentor to may practices, I find myself working alongside the owners and PMS and help them to work as a team and develop their understanding of EQ and IQ. It’s an absolute delight to see the relationships improve.
Hopelessly Devoted to You…
So, if you are a Practice owner and want a PM to be hopelessly devoted, then consider this, and get to it like Greased Lightening (sorry, I could stop myself)
