THE ADA PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LEADING AND MANAGING THE DENTAL TEAM 3 Chapter 1. Using Leadership to Avoid Drama in the Dental Office By Naomi Cooper It’s no secret that effective leadership practices are vitally important to the success of a dental practice, and much attention has been paid to the reasons why such strategies may not already be in place. Likewise, there are countless articles and books written pertaining to office drama, the reasons why it may be present and tips for how to avoid it. In fact, these two topics are closely related if there’s ever a reason to brush up on leadership skills, avoiding drama in the practice is a very salient one. Connecting the Relationship Between Leadership and Communication It goes without saying that the dentist should be seen as the leader within the practice. Or does it? While other team members may step up to manage certain day-to-day responsibilities, ultimately it is the dentist to whom the staff looks for guidance. However, leadership skills don’t come naturally to everyone, and they’re certainly not taught in dental school. For some, it takes practice and patience just as becoming a skilled dentist takes years of school, training and repetition, developing leadership skills will often follow the same path. Even those who feel comfortable within their leadership role must continually hone their abilities. Great leaders inspire others to do their jobs well. They understand that faith in a leader must be continually earned, and cannot be demanded. And successful leaders are not only effective communicators, but also great listeners. This type of two-way communication must be practiced from the top down, and ultimately ingrained into the culture of the dental practice. Learning Objectives • Explore the relationship between leadership and effective communication • Learn to diffuse drama with a collaborative leadership style • Understand the impact that leading by example has on office dynamics • Examine common scenarios where potential drama could likely erupt • Define four traits of successful leaders