One of the best pieces of advice I ever received regarding communication came from a teacher who reminded us effective memos are never written; effective memos are rewritten. Great speeches are never delivered; great speeches are revised and then delivered.
Why is written or verbal communication improved with revision? The superfluous material is typically dumped overboard and the message is sharpened.
What points do you want to clearly communicate to your dental team? This is the starting point for all written and verbal communication. I often work with dentists who know they need to meet with their team, who know they have important points to communicate, but like most of us they struggle trying to define their message.
I have acted as the sounding board for many dentists who want help sharpening their communication prior to staff meetings, performance reviews, or individual coaching sessions, and it’s always rewarding to see how the doctors sharpen their key points. And their teams then respond much better to the meeting.
Consider your process for defining what you want to express, whether it’s written or verbal. Effective leadership does not occur on the fly; it requires thought and refinement. Who acts as your sounding board?
Just as we all perk up at the sight of a sunny day, your team will team will respond positively when you remove the cloudiness from what you’re trying to communicate. What do you want to say? Be sure to give it some thought.
Learn more about how our dental consulting helps improve communication and strengthen dental teams.