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• Engage with your staff every day. Take an interest in the work they are doing, thank them for their work and "round" the offi ce once or twice each week. This will help you get to know your employees better—and vice versa. • Use emotional intelligence. All people have distinct personality traits and are motivated by different concerns and outcomes. When you recognize each person as an individual, you can interact with each member of your team in the way that makes him or her most comfortable. For example, when a problem arises some employees may need an arm around their shoulders and a private discussion, while others relish a challenging conversation. Knowing the difference is key. Addressing Problem Behaviors Once your practice has established an agreed-upon set of standards, the physician-leader must be the fi rst to exhibit these behaviors because staff members will be watching. They will also be watching to see if you tolerate actions that fall below the expected standards. Medical professionals have a tremendous capacity for empathy. Unfortunately, this can make them adverse to confrontation—a dangerous trait for a team leader. You may prefer that staff members work together and hope that diffi cult issues will simply go away. However, that will never be the case; these problems fester and ferment until they are addressed. The way—and the speed with which—you address employee behavior that falls short of the expectations will defi ne how well these new standards become ingrained into the culture of your practice. It is important to confront the issue immediately. Do not wait until tomorrow or next week. As soon as there is a free minute, take the employee aside for a private conver- sation. Explain the shortcoming that you have witnessed, and give the employee an opportunity to comment and/ or explain. A good example is when you hear someone being dis- respectful toward a coworker. Take that person aside and say "I need to speak with you about the way you talked to Mary. Why did you roll your eyes and why were you so dismissive of her concern?" After you have listened to the employee's response, help him or her understand why this behavior cannot continue and offer guidance on how to handle the situation in the future. For example, "How would you feel if I communicated with you in that way? In the future, if you are having a problem with someone, address it directly with them respectfully and in a private area." SETTING THE STANDARD It is important to confront the issue immediately. Do not wait until tomorrow or next week. 50 MAY/JUNE 2017 | MedEsthetics © GETTY IMAGES