Building orthodontic teams require special skills. We often start with small practices and make efforts to cross-train everyone. Many offices search for employees from the dental profession and those interested in the orthodontic office. In other words, they are making sure the front office and the clinical team can perform the duties in the office. Treatment coordinators often have prior clinical or admin experience. It is natural to find team members from within ranks and the dental community. Although this can serve a practice well in many ways, a challenge comes from uniformity.
Build your winning team
It is realistic that we focus on and lean towards like-minded individuals. But I would encourage orthodontists to dive deeper into their personalities and abilities. Consider assembling a team aligned in vision and purpose but compliments each other in skill. Instead of hiring like a game of checkers where every piece is the same, great leaders bring in talent like a game of chess. Every piece ultimately has a special skill to contribute to the game. Therefore, orthodontists should hire team members like chess masters.
Hire for your weakness
Great teams analyze their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. When we realize our shortcomings, we should buffer those weaknesses with our new hires. Great leaders understand that an orthodontist can’t be a jack of all trades, and the team should complement the doctor. Yes, there should be alignment in vision and shared values, but differences in skills and abilities.
Some doctors are masterful clinicians but lack the strength in sales and marketing. Or maybe they lack business acumen and the savviness for increasing profits and business management. These doctors can hire amazing talent at marketing, sales, or business to complement their clinical skills. They can create an orthodontic practice that delivers incredible clinical results, grows in reach to the community, and is profitable. When you recognize your weaknesses and the areas of practice you dislike the most, you can build a stronger team as the diversity of talent grows your reach.
