Your Team Can’t Grow the Business If They Don’t Know How

It's been almost 10 years since I left Tanzania to relocate to the UK, but even today, there’s a moment that sticks with me from years ago. I was visiting a multinational company in Tanzania - a massive operation with over 10,000 employees. On paper, it should have been chaos.

But it wasn’t. It was one of the most aligned, switched-on teams I’d ever seen.

Here’s what amazed me: no matter who you spoke to—whether it was a shift supervisor, an admin assistant, or a warehouse driver—they all knew three things:

• What the company was aiming for right now

• How things were going against that aim

• And what their job had to do with it

Every single person was connected to the bigger picture—financially, operationally, even reputationally.

And you could feel it. They owned their work. They moved with purpose. They knew why they mattered.

Now, compare that to what we see in most dental practices.

You’ve got good people. Dedicated, caring, busy.

But they’re not mind-readers.

Often, they’re working in the dark.

• They don’t know how many patients you need to break even.

• They don’t know whether last month was good or bad.

• They’re not sure what the plan is, beyond the day-to-day.

And when that happens, even the best team will just do the job in front of them. They won’t spot the extra 5% of opportunity that drives growth. They won’t challenge things that aren’t working. They won’t take ownership—because they don’t know what they’re owning.

Chris Barrow says it brilliantly: if you want your team to help grow the business, they have to understand the numbers.

Sharing the right information isn’t just a leadership skill—it’s a growth strategy.

Because information is power. But more importantly, it’s fuel. And without it, your team will stall.

Some leaders hold back because they’re nervous. They worry about sharing too much, or about being judged if the figures aren’t great.

But your team don’t need spreadsheets. They need clarity.

They need to know where you’re headed. How you’re tracking. And how they can help.

3 Practical Actions you can Take:

1. Paint the picture. Don’t just assume people know where the practice is going. Talk about your goals often—and explain why they matter.

2. Make the numbers human. Share simple, regular updates on things like new patients, treatment uptake, DNA rates, or referrals. Use visuals. Use stories. Help the team feel part of the result.

3. Show the link. Connect individual roles to the business impact. When a receptionist rebooks a cancellation, that’s not admin - that’s income. When a nurse builds rapport, that’s patient retention. Help people see the thread.

If a 10,000-person company can get every employee aligned with its goals, then your 10-person team absolutely can.

You don’t need fancy dashboards. You need trust, intention, and a bit of rhythm.

Because no-one taught you to be a great boss. But you can learn to become one—and this is a great place to start.

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