Stop choosing confusion
Do you have a decision that you are finding difficult to
make?
Examples of decisions dentists find difficult to make,
Reprimanding
or dismissing a staff member- Leaving
a toxic practice
- Attending
non-clinical training over clinical training
- Focusing
on private over NHS
I have worked with many dentists who bring to the coaching
call decisions that they are finding difficult to make, they want the certainty
they are making the right decision.
They have done the research, collected facts and figures, canvassed
opinions, discussed options in many meetings and yet still are unable to make
the decision they know they must make.
In every case the dentist instinctively knows the decision
and action they must make, yet they procrastinate, and choosing confusion
rather than clarity.
Once the decision has been made everyone reports how much
lighter they feel and how much clearer their head is. Decision making is liberating.
Rather than making things
easier, avoiding making decisions creates burdens, people carry around baggage
of unmade decisions which weigh you down until they become over-bearing and you
crack.
When you do make difficult decisions you grow as a leader,
your team respects you more, not least because they are desperate for you to
take the difficult decision, more often than not, they agree with your
instinctive, unspoken, unmade decision.
Tips to make decision making easier
- Define
your vision and culture, evaluate your options through the lens of your values
and culture.
- Work
with a trusted coach who gives you time to time and keeps your thinking focused
as you bounce ideas.
- Acknowledge
you are making the best decision you can right now.
- Practice
making decisions
- Follow
up a decision with an irreversible action.
Reasons why people, like you, avoid making decisions and choose
to be confused.
- People
pleasing. You are never going to please 100% of people 100% of the time, and
you do need to make decisions for the benefit of the practice, team, patients.
and yourself.
- Worried
what stranger will say. Other people’s ,especially stranger’s, opinions don’t
matter. Those who are close to you love and respect you will support you when
you make tough decisions.
- Fear
of making the wrong decision. Acknowledge you are making the best decision that
you can right now with the information you have available. Situations may
change and with hindsight there may have been other options, that at the time aren’t
available now. You may handle the conversation less than perfectly, you can
learn and move on.
Not making a decision is actually making a decision; the
question is does this serve you or sabotage you?
Make your decisions conscious and make ones that serve you
Make decisions frequently, collect only enough data and
trust your instinct.
- If
you think a staff member needs remanding or dismissing, do it, lawfully
- If
you think you need to leave toxic practice, leave, find, or create a healthy
one.
- If
you think you need to develop the non-clinical skill of dentistry, join a course
- If
you want to focus on private over NHS, up-skill your communication, customer
service and clinical skills and do it
What is the decision that you have been putting off and must
make?
What decision can you take before the end of the day?
If you would like to discuss anything that has been raised
in this article, please contact Jane
Jane@IODB.co.uk
