I’ve read many articles over the last few years about recruiting and hiring staff. While these resources offer a great deal of valuable information, there is one critical missing link to long-term success: leadership. Dentists receive little to no leadership training in dental school, yet they are expected to know how to galvanize a dental team into an efficient, effective group capable of accomplishing everything it takes to run a successful practice. As a result, many dentists struggle with significant staffing issues and high turnover, often without knowing how to address them.

Leadership is the missing link

Dentists must invest some time in learning about leadership. The good news is that leadership is less complex than you might think. In fact, it can be distilled into a few key elements. Consider these five leadership strategies:

1. Define your character

Identify three to five traits you want to demonstrate every day. What do you want to stand for? How do you want your team to perceive you?

Examples include:

· Positivity

· Integrity

· Gratitude

· Enthusiasm

Most dental teams gradually take on the characteristics of the doctor. If you want certain attitudes and behaviors reflected throughout your practice, they must begin with you.

2. Don’t let team members play you

When you observe behaviors, attitudes, or situations that are harmful to the practice, address them immediately. As a leader, you should support your team in every possible way, but you should not tolerate violations of office protocols, core values, or expected behaviors.

The sooner you address negative behavior, the less likely team members are to believe they can create problems without consequences. For example, an employee who is not pulling his or her weight often becomes a source of resentment, leading other team members to complain, become disengaged, or even leave the practice.

Remember, you are not a leader who can be manipulated. You are a dentist with a mission to provide outstanding patient care and exceptional customer service, and everyone on the team is expected to contribute fully.

3. Be transparent

Many practice owners are hesitant to share business information with their team. In reality, most practice-related information does not need to be confidential. Whether you are planning to hire an associate, purchase new technology, take a vacation, or implement a policy change, transparency builds trust.

Stop worrying so much about how your team might react. Instead, be more concerned about how they will react when they discover they were kept in the dark until the last minute. Withholding information erodes trust and rebuilding that trust can be difficult. Your goal is for your team to trust that you are committed to making decisions that strengthen the practice.

4. Focus on staff longevity

One of your responsibilities as a leader is to retain your excellent team members. Achieving long-term retention requires more than simply managing the day-to-day operations of the practice. Ask yourself:

· Are your team members happy?

· What motivates each person on your team?

· Do you encourage everyone to speak up during staff meetings, so they feel heard and valued?

· Are you genuinely open to new ideas from your team?

5. Don’t be afraid of how your team will react to your decisions

Seeking input from your team is often a smart leadership strategy. However, making the final decision is the responsibility of the dentist as CEO of the practice. Dentists must be willing to make difficult decisions without allowing fear of upsetting a staff member to stand in the way.

For example, we recently worked with a client whose hygienist refused to use new technology and threatened to quit if the doctor purchased it. The doctor moved forward with the purchase—and the hygienist stayed.

In another practice, the staff opposed hiring an associate. The doctor hesitated because of their resistance. When team members openly rebel against important business decisions—or threaten to resign if they do not get their way—it often signals that leadership has not been firmly established.

Practice leaders cannot allow fear of staff reactions to dictate important decisions. Team members are certainly entitled to their opinions about adopting new technology, hiring an associate, relocating the office, dropping insurance plans, or changing the schedule. However, they must also recognize and respect the dentist's authority as the CEO of the practice.

Editor's note: This article originally appeared in The Bottom Line with Dental Economics, the newsletter that will elevate your inbox with practical and innovative practice management and clinical content from experts across the field. Subscribe here.