How to fight the culture of cliques within your dental team [VIDEO]

Throughout her illustrious and storied career as a dental practice management consultant, Linda Miles has seen a lot of things that can negatively impact a dental practice.

But perhaps none of them are as big or as costly as when members of the dental team form cliques or circles to keep things from other members of the dental team. Be it doctor versus team or team members versus team members, these vicious circles can have devastating impacts on the practice’s culture.

“As consultants, sometimes we run across the long-term employee who says a new hire may have too many new ideas or we like things just the way they are so we’re not going to listen to you,” Miles said.

“We’re not going to encourage them. We don’t like their enthusiasm. They consider themselves to be the inner circle and they’ll do everything they can to keep the new hire outside that circle.

“The new hires will walk around the inner circle and do everything they can to be a part of it, but the long-term employees will make sure to keep them out.”

If your practice has these circles now, Miles has a dire warning for you.

“If you think your patients don’t pick up on what is going on in the practice, they certainly do,” Miles said. “If you don’t think these circles and the effect they have on your patients and team won’t affect your bottom line, you’re badly mistaken.”

Watch the video below to see Miles talk discuss various examples of negative social circles and what your dental practice needs to do if you’re suffering from this problem.