How to Create a Healthier, Happier, & Higher Performing Culture

Episode #437 with Judy Kay Mausolf

People want to work where they're happy. And if your existing team looks stressed and miserable, how can you attract the kind of people you want — or anyone — to work in your practice? It all starts with leadership, and Kirk Behrendt brings in Judy Kay Mausolf, known as “the velvet hammer,” and owner and president of Practice Solutions, to share ways to create a healthier, happier, higher performing practice. Do you want a happy career in dentistry? To find out how to achieve it, listen to Episode 437 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Build your practice around your core values.

Hire people based on your core values.

Gel your existing and new team members.

Set realistic agreements on how to interact.

Talk about things before it becomes an issue.

Constant communication is key.

Quotes:

“If your existing team members are stressed and they're not happy where they're working, how are you going to bring somebody new into that situation and keep them?” (10:14—10:21)

“Everybody says — I don't care what state I'm in — they're like, ‘Oh my gosh, Judy Kay, you don't get it. You can't buy team members.’ It’s like, yeah, you can if you try. But you can't just run a little ad that says, ‘Wanted, 8:00 to 5:00.’ You have to be creative. Some of the best ways to find team members are on Facebook, with the team doing videos and talking about, ‘Come join our team! Hey, we’re really a fun place to work.’ And it might also mean that we’re investing outside the dental industry. We’ve kept the dental industry a secret. We haven't really shared what an amazing career it could be.” (10:22—11:00)

“[Your practice] has to be healthy. We have to be able to come to work and work in an environment where we feel safe, where we can trust leadership, where we feel respected, we feel appreciated. Those are conceptual words, so often, that aren't attached to actions. And that's one of the things that, in the Culture Camp, we define, ‘What does that look like? Don't just use the word. If we’re going to show each other respect, how do we show each other respect on a daily basis? What does that look like in measurable actions?’ And there's not a separate standard for the doctors. Everybody’s on the same page when it comes to this.” (22:31—23:15)

“What's the attitude? What's the energy we bring in the door when we step across the threshold? We’re responsible for that energy. And if we’re a doctor or manager, we are the leaders. We have to set the tone. We have to lead by example.” (23:16—23:27)

“We want to attract people that want to work in our practice. We want to have the best of the best in the industry. And if it’s a healthy place to work — people want to go where they're happy. I mean, it’s as simple as that.” (23:31—23:41)

“People think happy is fluff, but it’s not. And happy isn't just about — you can't just say, ‘Be happy, damn it!’ It doesn't work that way. You have to get rid of stress. You have to build respect and trust. And those are key in feeling happy in the practice.” (23:42—23:58)

“Happy is the attitude and the fun. We teach body patterns, changing body patterns when we’re stressed to positive body patterns. We talk about what are some things we can do for each other to lift each other up if we have interesting patients. And what do we do when the wheels do fall off? How do we not kick each other and support each other? Because the wheels are going to fall off.” (24:02—24:33)

“High performing is about the communication being everything. How do we keep each other in the loop, and what are things that we need to create as part of processes that happen consistently so that we don't get so busy that we don't take the time? Because that's what I hear all