Developing mutual respect
By Susan Hoy

Throughout this year, this column has been devoted to CAs. This time, however, I’d like to “talk” directly to the CAs’ boss.

Successful practices usually have one thing in common — great leadership, based on respect. Respect breeds patient confidence and the feeling of being cared for.

How can you show and cultivate mutual respect? Here are a few ways.

• See value. A successful chiropractor rarely achieves success on his (or her) own. You have to depend on team members, who play an important role in your success — whether it is working with patients or working behind the scenes in billings and collections.

Each person is critical to the operation. Show your appreciation of each person and his or her job.

• Educate. Rarely do employees come to the practice with a thorough understanding of chiropractic, yet an understanding of chiropractic is necessary in order to help patients follow through with care.

Take time to educate your employees — about chiropractic and your philosophies of patient care.

• Train. For employees to have confidence and fulfill their duties, they must be adequately trained.

Provide training on job functions to build proficiency, which will allow employees to answer (and reassure) patients.

• Empower and encourage. The quarterback on a football team doesn’t try to play every other position; he trusts his teammates to do their jobs.

Educate and train your employees to do their jobs and then let go!

Your patients need to know that you respect your staff. Tell them, “I am in charge of your health; Susan is in charge of the money. Let her know your concerns, and she will be happy to work with you.” Or, “Diane is our scheduling guru; she will be happy to help you.”

• Set an example. If you expect your employees to fulfill their responsibilities, then fulfill your responsibilities also.

• Be a leader. Every team needs a competent leader who takes responsibility and leads by example.

• Be a team chiropractor. Respect your employees by taking care of them the way you take care of your patients.

• Communicate. The brain sends out and receives messages! One-way communication does not work. Open communication shows respect and goes a very long way in job satisfaction.

• Appreciate. Say “thank you” every day! When you respect your employees your patients will also. Write a short note of appreciation on a paycheck or give out paychecks personally with your personal note of thanks. Being appreciated is number one in job satisfaction.

• Compensate. Of course, compensation comes in many ways. Verbal thank-yous, paychecks, cash bonuses, and small gifts of appreciation are just some of the ways you can compensate your employees.

Never forget that your success depends on developing mutual respect.

Susan Hoy is an award-winning team trainer and consultant. She presents training seminars for teams throughout the country and is the author of two team training manuals. The newest is entitled, Systemize, Organize, Simplify. Susan can be reached at 215-674-0130, suzzhoy@aol.com or through her Web site at www.beefitup.net