#1 Mistake:
Failure to give adequate praise, thanks, recognition or appreciation to the team
Solution – You can build a team but you cannot buy one. Go to courses, plan surprises, have a bonus system, give constant thanks, praise – more than you think you ever need to know you cannot do it without them; take a pill and just do it!
Do It - it will pay you back 10 fold-happier team, less turnover/stress
#2 Mistake:
Failure to hire the “right” people
Solution – Create a place for a great person, have the team do interviewing and hiring,
be patient and wait - no desperate hiring allowed ,know personality traits and how to use them, use testing (IQ and/or personality), know how very expensive it is to hire wrong,
accept responsibility for doing wrong and fix it ASAP
#3 Mistake :
Keeping the “wrong” people on board too long
Solution – Decide early and move forward; do them a favor, terminate earlier rather than later, have a reality check, help them to leave and be happier free up their future,
know that energy suckers must go, learn from your mistakes, memorize this sentence:
“I don’t know how we are ever going to get along without you, but starting tomorrow, we are certainly going to try.”
#4 Mistake:
Failure to provide the team with goals, personal accountability, performance evaluations and feedback.
Solution – Do annual performance evaluations, train yourself first, and then train the team, have productive and regular effective staff meetings, involve the team in the practice goal setting process and hire someone to help you do this, reward great performance.
#5 Mistake:
Failure to delegate, think you can or should do it all
Solution – Hire the right people in the first place walk your talk, be specific with training and requests develop more trust, support them in front of others, reward great performance and praise them, train and then empower the team to do more
#6 Mistake:
Failure to establish an organized, effective Internal/External marketing plan
Solution – Have a marketing committee, meet regularly to discuss, plan and implement, go to meetings, and ask others so you learn more, hire others (consultants) to help you, develop the plan and then stick to it!, promote or perish!, turn your team loose.
#7 Mistake:
Failure to be the LEADER of the team
Solution - Pay attention to the practice goals, numbers and pulse, set a good example in all areas, read, go to courses, get a coach or mentor and ask others for feedback on how you are doing
#8 Mistake:
A poor or negative attitude/moodiness exhibited by the Manager
Solution - know that ego, arrogance get you nowhere, set a good example, admit your weaknesses to yourself and your team, ask your team for help, assistance, coaching, hire others to help you get better – you’ll be glad you did, read, take courses and be more grateful.
#9 Mistake:
Avoiding conflict or confronting of the team
Solution - Learn conflict resolution skills, talk openly about all things, be firm yet still be kind, do people a favor by being honest and real.
#10 Mistake:
Failure to hold regular, effective team meetings
Solution - Learn how to do it well, set the time and stick to it !, follow written agenda, stay on focus and on time, have complete notes taken and distributed, rotate the facilitator, don’t think you have to lead them yourself !
