"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We're going to experience some turbulence ahead. Please fasten your seat belts and remain seated until the seat belt sign is turned off. Flight attendants, please discontinue service and take your seats while we get through the storm."
Those of us who travel frequently have heard this message dozens of times and immediately thought, "This is going to be a bumpy ride." But as uncomfortable as turbulence can be, we always take comfort in knowing that the pilot and crew are aware of the situation, have a plan, and are doing everything they can to ensure a safe landing.
Now, imagine how passengers would would feel if they experienced this turbulence without warning, or if the captain chimed in too late to try to diffuse a scary situation. "This is your captain speaking. It looks like we've encountered some high winds, but rest assured your seat cushions can be used as flotation devices in the event of a water landing." This message could send shivers down the spines of the most experienced travelers.
I think we can all agree that we’re living through trying and turbulent times. As we move forward, every single practice is going to face unique challenges during the following months, maybe years. The worst part is that there is so much that is still unknown.
It's also a profoundly emotional and confusing time for all of us. We are inundated with emails from vendors, consultants, and other industry professionals who seem to have the answers for everything, or they sell the exact same whatchamajigs to keep us all safe. We are keeping busy watching webinars and grasping at every stitch of information that gives us any sense of calm.
The problem is that this never-ending stream of information and misinformation is creating panic, fear, disconnect, and confusion among our team members. It's also dramatically affecting our ability to make clear decisions as leaders.
The truth is that your team needs you right now. In this time of a crisis, your role as a leader is not to have all the answers, but to be a beacon of calm to help your team remain focused. More than ever, they rely on you to help them see past the turbulence. They need to understand your expectations clearly, know what your plan is, and visualize themselves as a part of the solution. So, how do you keep from feeling overwhelmed so you can focus on what needs to be done?
There are a few things we can do now as we navigate through uncharted territory and lead our teams through intense uncertainty.
Create a before-takeoff checklist
In his book, The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, Atul Gawande writes, "Under conditions of complexity, not only are checklists a help, they are required for success." Gawande stresses that checklists alone cannot fly a plane, but they can bring priorities into focus and prompt people to function better as a team. The very act of sitting down to create a checklist for reopening your office will help you think about many small details that will inevitably come up as you reopen so that you can create a smooth workflow and a plan for the unexpected. A well-written and concise checklist will help put every member of the team on the same page with regard to expectations, precautions, and potential concerns, from patients and employees alike.
Your checklist should address your plans to ensure proper personal protective equipment (PPE), patient care safety procedures, patient check-in and check-out processes, scheduling guidelines, and other workflows. Create a list of questions that you anticipate your patients will ask and develop effective scripts to communicate with them when answering these questions. Whether you’re planning a phased opening or hope to flip the switch, be sure you are clear about your expectations for each employee and what you hope to accomplish as you reopen.
Conduct a predeparture crew briefing
I hope that you've been in continuous contact with your team throughout this ordeal and have a pretty good assessment of what they’re thinking and feeling. If not, check in with your employees now. Zoom meetings are a great way to communicate and chat as a team, but, checking in with each individual can be more personal and effective. Ask them how they’re doing. Ask them about their families. With everything that's going on right now, many people feel isolated and scared. They need your support and reassurance now more than ever.
Share your reopening plans. Share what PPE you will provide and what protective measures you will take to help them feel safe and confident when they return to work. Most importantly, listen to their concerns. You might not have all the answers, and that's OK. After all, as we try to resuscitate the economy, we will encounter many things that none of us have had any experience with before. Be honest with them by admitting that the situation is fluid, and a lot might change as you roll out your plan. You might not be able to guarantee anything right now or answer any questions. Still, the more you communicate, the less likely it is that your team will fill the void with misinformation they hear on the news or social media. Whatever you say, keep it real. Your team doesn't expect you to be perfect, but they expect you to be authentic and human.
Invite your team to contribute their ideas to the plan. Not only will this put them into a problem-solving mode instead of a fight and flight mode, it will also help you come up with a plan that everyone can rally around. Remember, people support what they help create.
Clear your plane for take off
As you create your departure plans and communicate your checklists and enhanced safety procedures to the team, you might encounter issues that need attention. Ideally, plan to assemble your team in the office a day or two before resuming patient care. Go through your systems and address anything that doesn't work or make sense.
Although I anticipate that things will eventually return to normal, I expect many things to be different as we resume operations. Balancing safety with creating a welcoming, comfortable, and reassuring experience for patients will not be easy. You might have to change your check-in process by introducing curbside check-in or implement digital forms to minimize unnecessary contact. You might have to make changes to your schedule or reorganize your reception area to accommodate safe social distancing practices. You might need to evaluate your schedule to offer priority appointments to patients who are past due or have urgent care needs. You might have to introduce same-day dentistry and create a more stringent appointment reminder protocol to ensure that your precious appointment time does not go to waste.
With all of these changes, giving yourself and your team some time for a dry run to work out the nuances will go a long way toward creating a successful relaunch.
Address the exit row
On an airplane, everyone seated in an exit row is required to review the safety card and make a verbal commitment to assist the crew in the event of an emergency. Just like on a plane where some passengers are not up for the challenge, some employees in your practice may not be ready for a safe return to work. For a business owner, having an employee or several employees unable or unwilling to return to work for any reason presents a big problem.
For some, it will be a financial challenge, especially since the paycheck protection program (PPP) loan requires us to restore our teams to pre-COVID levels for the loan to be forgiven. For others, employees who refuse to return to work can threaten the practice culture and work ethic that the doctors diligently and painstakingly built. Hopefully, once you've outlined your expectations and showed the team you support them, most of your team members should be happy to get on board. So, go ahead and ask them for an exit row response and make the commitment to the safe return to work. If the answer is no, well, I'm sure you could reassign their seats. While it's important to be flexible and empathetic during a time of crisis, it’s critical to stay focused on protecting your team, practice, and the culture that you've worked hard to create.
Stow your luggage
"Ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Our sudden loss of altitude allows a unique closeup of the local terrain. Please enjoy your sightseeing experience." OK, maybe we’re not going to make this announcement, but we'll be particularly mindful when opening the overhead compartment bins because the contents may have shifted.
Luggage can be a metaphor for an obstacle toward success. What baggage have you accumulated in your practice through the years? During times like these, we have the opportunity to examine what we’re doing and make changes if necessary. Is it the right time to consolidate your automation subscriptions? Is this the right time to evaluate your insurance participation or introduce an in-house plan? Is it the time to finally switch from dinosaur software or phone system to a more robust, cost-effective system? Do you have some excess baggage on your team?
Nearly 30 years ago, American Airlines discovered eliminating one olive from each passenger's salad reduced costs by $40,000. The story made headlines because the cost of a superfluous garnish had a surprising impact on the bottom line. With potentially lean times ahead, finding and eliminating your olives will not only help you navigate the financial turbulence ahead but potentially help you improve your practice for the long haul.
I bet that by now you've had enough airline metaphors and clichés. I hope you agree that the principles that apply to commercial airline pilots taking responsibility for hundreds of lives 30,000 feet in the air apply to practice owners taking responsibility for the livelihood and wellbeing of their patients and team. Taking a proactive approach by communicating with team and patients and creating a plan in today's turbulent climate will help us weather this storm.
So, fasten your seat belts, it will be a bumpy flight. But if you lead with a plan and stay calm, you will reach your cruising altitude shortly.
For almost two decades, Gina Dorfman, DDS, has continually proven to be an innovative leader in the field of dentistry. As a multiple practice owner and entrepreneur, Dr. Dorfman has had the opportunity to engage with dental professionals across the country with the goal of helping them grow and thrive. She has presented at multiple local and national dental meetings and had the honor to join the faculty at the Dental Success Network. She’s a frequent contributor to several industry blogs and the host of Behind the Smiles podcast.
Editor's note: To view DentistryIQ's full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, including original news articles, video interviews, and downloadable forms, visit the DentistryIQ COVID-19 Resource Center.
