Often, I get a call or email from leaders of businesses who echo the same thought. “My staff is not up to par and our profits are down. We want you to come in and motivate our staff.” In other words, by the time I hear about it, the finger is already pointed! This is when I have to remind myself, and often the person inquiring, that transformation starts from the inside out and includes the team (not an infection-staph) and change happens from the outside in. Someone, usually an outside source tells you what should be done and neither the WHY nor the BENEFITS have been shared with the team or organization expected to fulfill or implement these new ideas or skills.
Sometimes I’m told, “I’ll send some of my key team members over to hear you at your seminar. If they feel that your content is good, then we will have you in.” I have always wondered what does the term “key team members” really mean? Are those the ones with the executive washroom keys? Are those the only members that management wants to keep or cares to invest in? I have never really understood making that distinction.
However, I do understand in a changing industry that the opportunities for large groups and DSO organizations to shut down a mother-ship to send everyone to a 2-day seminar is a thing of the past. Yet, there is still the need for this type of training. Training that takes us from transactional to transformational when we all participate at some level. Often, it’s the “experience” that moves someone to action. Actually, it’s often the same for your patients learning as it is for your team learning. It’s that experience that can light the fire of passion.
If long-term success is the goal, then everybody must play an important role in making that happen.
As I mentioned, for most groups or organizations, change happens from the outside in. The “key team member” might say. “Okay, this is how we are going to do things differently now that we heard this at a seminar.” Then the team members who were not invited to the seminar have had no exposure or any understanding of the reasons or benefits (for themselves or their patients) are often lost, confused, uncertain, and afraid. They often feel left out and expendable. It’s proven that investing in our human capital can save an organization many thousands often into the millions depending on size. Studies conducted by Cambeo Dental prove that human capital is the best investment you could have to increase the patient experience and the actual engagement of patients.
I recommend to management that they bring their entire team to my presentation when possible. If this is not an option (which happens often today with groups and DSOs) I suggest they consider our Year of Transformation program. Training designed with live (and live-streamed) regional events to allow everyone the experience and energetic enthusiasm for the content. At this same date, short training events for operations managers and/or team leads (train the trainers) can be done to learn how to execute the new online learning content and the systems to increase implementation.
ACTION ITEM: Think about your team. How do they learn best? Would small bites of information sink in better? Watch the video below to learn more about the Year of Transformation.
If long-term success is the goal, then everybody must play an important role in making that happen. You might say that by bringing the entire organization together by regions or live stream events for learning, management is making their commitment clear. By including everyone, change begins to happen from the inside out, not because of a seminar but because the team collectively looks toward improving their performance. When that happens, transformation is truly possible.
To learn more about a Year of Transformation and investing in your human capital, email me at joan@joanmajors.com. I’d love to hear from you!
See you on the road,
JoAn Majors
