Inspirational Leadership© point 4: Influence Others
Colgate recently worked with Alex Selwood, an inspiring personal development facilitator and coach, to develop a model on how leadership skills can be applied in the dental office.
You cannot, NOT, influence! Everything you do will influence your patients in some way, either positively or negatively. How can you ensure you are having a positive influence on your patients?
Remember! You will always influence your patients, one way, or another. For example, poor communication which does not engage your patients might influence them not to return! If you speak in technical terms, the patient may not understand. Result? No change in compliance. If you can take time to fully understand your patient’s needs (and their perception of those needs) before you explain what you would like them to do, you will be able to couch it in terms that are understood and in a context that is relevant to that individual in that moment. You’re therefore much more likely to see the change you both want to happen.
Tip for you in your role: Take time to fully understand your patient’s needs and what they want to achieve. Then explain what you would like them to do in a context that is relevant to that individual at that moment. For example, my hygienist knows that I like to achieve goals, so she gives me an oral health score at the end of each consultation, with clear actions for me to follow to improve my score at the next visit. I am always motivated to follow these and wait with baited breath as she updates my score. Consider me truly influenced!
Influencing other professionals is also an important part of being a leader for your dental community. Seek-out opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and exchange your experiences with other dental professionals whenever possible. For leaders, professional education isn’t a passive experience – but rather an opportunity to actively share their experiences, for the benefit of all.
Author – Alex Selwood
Other articles in this series:
b) Do dental professionals need to be emotionally intelligent?
c) How do you give your dental practice an authentic brand?
d) Getting this right is important for success with patients
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