The Importance of Management Support in a Healthcare Practice

Did you know that 77% of team failures are due to a lack of management support?

Being a successful manager in your healthcare practice can mean the difference between success or failure for your practice. Knowing how to effectively lead your team is vital.

The top things you can do to support your team are:

Brush up on Your Communication Skills. All good managers need to have strong communication skills that encourage open and honest communication. Making sure all your staff understands what the goals and expectations are.
Be Committed to Your Goal. A team leader should be totally committed to the goals of the practice and to clearly set these out for all team members so they know how to achieve the objectives they have been tasked with.
Give Verbal Recognition. Giving positive praise to your reception & clinical staff can raise their morale and motivation and also engenders a positivity that encourages a mutual support among team members.
A Team Leader Should Lead by Example. He or she should do this by not being afraid to jump into the ‘trenches’ and do some of the ‘grunt’ work himself and by negotiating resources for the team. He should also encourage team members to take risks and support them when they do. Being a hands-on manager will inspire and motivate the team to achieve greater things.
Invest in Staff Careers. A good manager sees all individuals as an asset to the practice and sees the value in investing in their futures by funding ongoing training and coaching programs for them. You should also make sure your own training is kept up-to-date with leadership development and management skills training.
Resolve Conflicts. Any conflicts with the team should be dealt with promptly by the manager and they should be equipped to handle disagreements and ease tensions that develop within the team in a sensitive and positive way.
Teach Adaptability. The effective team manager should teach adaptability and flexibility to all of his team members. Being able to change focus and have adaptability in learning and sharing information allows for better communication, a greater sense of empowerment among staff and a faster exchange of information.
Build Pride in Your Team. Positively communicating about any issues instead of threating harsh disciplinary action and giving verbal praise combined with non-monetary rewards are a proven way to keep staff motivation high and build pride in your team. Pride means that your staff will use their talents better, be flexible and have greater involvement in group work. It will also increase productivity.
Give Your Staff New Responsibilities. You can develop your staff as individuals by giving them new responsibilities and working with them so they can gain the new skills needed for the job. This increases pride and self-worth and a sense of achievement in the job, which will translate to harder working, more effective staff.
Find Opportunities for the Team. A good manager can source contacts to assist his team and open them up to new opportunities in the practice. He should focus on the things they have done well and be both positive and involved with his team so that they enjoy the work they do.