Medesthetics

SEP-OCT 2013

MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.

Issue link: https://medesthetics.epubxp.com/i/156138

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you from moving forward? We all have deficiencies, and reality checks play an important role in effective leadership. Seek the advice of other leaders in your facility or industry, and try not to be defensive. Since your style and ideas may differ from those of previous management, it is a good idea to solicit feedback from key personnel. This allows owners and managers to effectively measure what may or may not be working, and solicit ideas on how they can modify or encourage others to adapt to the best practices of leadership. Some of these include providing performance reviews for all team members, encouraging employees of the clinical and administrative departments to delegate responsibilities, and allowing other employees choose their own team leaders. Always Have a Positive Attitude. The power of positive thinking and a good attitude play an important role in leadership. When your staff sees you behaving in a negative way, they will follow your lead. Your staff sees more than you think, and they depend on you to culture the positive and cure the negative situations. In show business, the adage is "never let them see you sweat." The same holds true in your practice. Strong leaders always refer to problems as opportunities, and you should not allow your employees to speak negatively of your patients. Patients are not an interruption to your business; they are your business. Negative behavior is extremely contagious. By practicing—and insisting on—the power of positive thinking, it becomes a normal way of life in time. Practice Time Management. Always try to be on time. As previously stated, leadership starts from the top. Even though you may have the liberty and freedom to be late, it may not be acceptable to the staff, even though they understand the pecking order. Employees are often left to bear the brunt of their 24 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 | MedEsthetics managers' ineffective time management skills, and—most importantly—it sets a poor example. When projects need to be completed on time, your subordinates are counting on you to get your part of the task done so they can carry on with their jobs. Delegate Effectively. A poor leader believes that a task will not be done correctly unless he does it himself. In the end, it is impossible for any practice owner or manager to do it all. The best leaders have good team members who will take on the responsibilities they are given and report back with their respective results. In terms of employee morale, staff members want to feel as if they have some liberty and authority to handle situations related to their direct responsibilities. Micromanaging and constantly having a watchful eye on employees makes them feel as if they aren't trusted to have your business' best interests at heart. Many times we feel that if we want something done right, we need to do it ourselves. This is the number one route to failure. The most successful people are those who know how to delegate their responsibilities to others. Take the time to train your staff and your supervisors. Create a system that clearly outlines how and when they need to report back to you with specific tasks that you have assigned them. Remember, what gets measured gets managed, and what gets managed, gets measured. Successful delegation is a constant work in progress, and it takes a strong leader to master it. You have what it takes, so let go of the minutiae and work on the important things. Offer Rewards and Recognition. This is one of the most important aspects of great leadership. You never want your employees to feel as if they are not appreciated, while you receive all the praise, glory and financial rewards for their efforts. Each person in your organization plays an essential role, and when you succeed, they should as well. There are many types of rewards, including verbal praise, written letters of appreciation, certificates, personal time off, group dinners, plaques and, of course, good old cash. I have always found praise of an employee in front of his or her peers to be very effective. Staff will respect your leadership style if they regularly see you recognizing the accomplishments of their fellow team members. continued on page 75 TOP: © ISTOCKPHOTO, BOTTOM: © THINKSTOCK BUSINESS CONSULT

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