One of the most difficult aspects of hiring someone new is knowing how to effectively incorporate training. How long before you challenge a new hire?
Someone once said, “If you wait until you are sure you will never take off the training wheels.” It’s often difficult for dentists and their teams to give up control, to delegate certain tasks to new hires. You know how you like it done, you have certain standards you expect each and every time, and you know the new person will initially struggle. It’s the fear of the struggle that prevents delegation to new people.
As the quote implies, though, you have to be willing to remove a new team member’s training wheels sooner rather than later; otherwise you stunt the development of the team and the practice. Too many times new people are hired without a plan of action for training.
For example, a new assistant is hired without any thought to when the assistant will learn how to assist during comprehensive treatment or during sedation. No time is taken to assess the person’s skill set and which skills need refining. Then what naturally happens is you feel overwhelmed by what you need to teach the new person, and the new hire feels frustrated at the lack of progress.
It’s so much less stressful when you outline training goals for the first few months with deadlines and the steps needed to reach those deadlines. Sure it requires some time and effort, but few things that are beneficial come easily.
When you plan out how you will train someone new, it doesn’t feel like you’re removing training wheels; instead it feels like you are implementing a step-by-step plan that benefits the entire practice.
Learn more about how our dental practice consulting can help you effectively develop your team.