In a busy dental practice, leadership can often be overlooked due to daily clinical tasks. With constant patient flow and other duties, there's hardly any time left for Principals to focus on leadership. Yet, good leadership is crucial for a practice's success and growth. But imagine if you could greatly improve your leadership skills with just one hour of dedicated training each week? Let's find out how this can be done.

What are the leadership skills for dental professionals?

Leadership in a dental practice is about more than administrative tasks or financial management. It's about motivating your team, satisfying patients, and setting a good example. Key leadership skills for dental professionals include clear communication, understanding others' feelings, effective delegation, and resolving disagreements. These abilities create a positive workplace, which leads to better patient care and improved performance of the practice.

When I first transitioned to a leadership role, I lost my hands-on duties, the very tasks where I had previously made my mark. I soon realised that leadership was more about my presence and how I supported the team than the specific tasks I performed. This was a significant change for someone who had always measured their worth by their work output.

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Jack Welch

What are the 4 Cs of leadership in your dental practice?

The 4 Cs of leadership that can be particularly transformative for dental practices are:

1. Communication: Clear and compassionate communication helps in building trust and understanding with both staff and patients.

2. Commitment: Being dedicated not only to the practice's success but also to the personal and professional growth of your team members.

3. Courage: The willingness to make difficult decisions and tackle challenges head-on.

4. Compassion: Understanding the needs and feelings of both your team and your patients, creating a caring and supportive environment.

Integrating these four Cs into your daily leadership approach can dramatically improve the dynamics of your dental practice.

How do you level up leadership skills?

Improving your leadership skills doesn't have to take up all your time. In fact, spending entire days on development courses isn't always the best approach, especially since they can be costly and leave you with a pile of work and a full inbox.

Dedicate one hour each week to leadership training or personal development. This could involve reading leadership books, attending webinars, or participating in online courses such as the Great Boss Bootcamp. Consistency in these small increments of learning and reflection can lead to significant improvements over time.

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. Ken Blanchard

How can I improve my dental skills alongside leadership?

Improving your dental skills goes hand in hand with enhancing your leadership capabilities. Seek out continuing education opportunities, stay updated with the latest dental technologies and practices, and apply the same principles of regular, dedicated time to both clinical and leadership skill enhancement. Remember, the better you become at leading, the more effectively you can drive your team towards excellence in dental care.