By Jan Keller

How many times have you hired someone to fill a seat on the bus only to be disappointed in their performance, or their failure to meet your expectations. If the answer is ‘often’, ask yourself… did you communicate to them what your expectations were? Did you place them in the correct seat to perform to the best of their abilities? Did you give them the tools and education necessary to help them help you achieve your goals? Did you listen to them when they warned you a detour might be coming and take the necessary action to avoid any potholes?

In order to deliver a smooth and enjoyable ride to your passengers, and to reach your ultimate destination – a profitable, enjoyable practice – you need your crew to be in the right seats, and to know not only where the bus is headed, but what their contribution will be to the journey.

Not surprisingly, this is the where many drivers lose their way. Chances are good they hopped on the bus, fresh out of dental school, and just started driving, without thinking about where they ultimately wanted to end up, or how to get there. After all, no one told them in dental school they needed any more than good ‘driving’ skills.

So, what type of people do you want in your crew?

• Someone who chats the entire trip regardless of whether or not it is distracting their neighbor?
• A capable person who jumps on board, but sits alone and doesn’t voluntarily interact with other crew members?
• The person who’ll temporarily switch seats if necessary, just to make the ride more comfortable?
• How about the person who is friendly, mindful of others, is on and off at rest stops to assist others?

Here’s a practical example. Early in my career, I was hired to be a dental assistant. My job duties included: setting up a mirror, explorer and cotton roll holder on the bracket tray, placing a bib on the patient, handing them a tissue, suctioning water and cleaning up the room after the patient left. We’ve come a long way since that time. A month or two into my career in this position, the doctor came to me and said he was disappointed that I did not tidy up the reception area before we stopped for lunch.

Of course not… I didn’t know that was part of my job. I didn’t have a written job description and he had not been clear about his expectations. What about your practice? Do you have written job descriptions? As the bus driver, it is your responsibility to communicate your expectations for the job.

• The job title. Be specific. If the person will handle multiple job duties, make sure the job title accurately describes those duties.
• A summary of the job stating the purpose for the position.
• Qualification and skill requirements. Again, be specific. If the person needs computer skills, be specific about what those skills are. "Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel", for instance. "Must be willing and able to learn (name of practice management software)", would be another example.
• Educational requirements.
• Physical demands of the position, ie "must see 8 patients a day", or "may be required to lift 25 pounds or more."
• Who the employee reports to. You? Your office manager first, then you?
• Job function and duties including the how, what and why of a task, and the frequency. This area includes what human resource specialists Bent Ericksen & Associates describes as ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ duties and responsibilities."
• Authority – what decisions are this person responsible for making?
• Any additional relevant information. Remember, you need to be clear on the destination, the route to be taken and what people you want in what seats on the bus to help cheer you on.

There is another responsibility that is unique to the bus driver as leader—making sure those who get on the bus don’t hijack it! When you hire someone to join the team, you must verify their references and/or perform background checks on them, especially if they will be ‘selling tickets’.

And finally, the bus driver must also consider how his or her own personality affects the journey, and the choice of crew. What characteristics complement your own? What traits do you need and want in an assistant, hygienist, receptionist, office manager, and/or financial coordinator to help you reach your destination? You may want to consider using one of the many professional selection tools available to you to help you select top performers.

Bottom line: what is your crew going to experience on your bus – calm or chaos? Where are they going to go – down a smooth road or up a long, bumpy gravel track? How long with they stay on the bus – as long as its on the road or just until the next stop? You, as the driver, are in charge of these decisions. Just remember, whatever you decide, you must have the right people sitting in the right seats on the bus to help you get there.