- Start as you mean to go on – but be absolutely sure you are attuned with your core values so that your practice and your actions will reflect these.
- Clearly communicate your goals and plans for the practice so that the whole team can work to achieve these together.
- Listen to the concerns and ideas of the current team members; they can tell you more in an hour than any of the paperwork your solicitor, accountant and agent generated. Take the time to have a conversation individually with each of them and learn from what they have to say.
- Be diplomatic, patient, polite and firm. You are the boss, it’s your business, show them that you can lead. Don’t attempt to be best mates – it will backfire.
- Plan your changes, anticipate any resistance and objections, then deal with them as quickly as you can.
- Avoid criticism of the old owner – it’s negative and unproductive. If there are clinical issues then be straightforward and honest and they will soon see that you are putting the patients’ interests first and will follow accordingly. Your professionalism is contagious.
- Persevere – you are in this for the long haul, so take the long view and don’t get bogged down in micro-management. Leadership can be lonely sometimes – get used to it, the rewards make it worthwhile.
- Finally, enjoy every minute, learn the lessons, remember what you have learned and move on. Don’t bear grudges or take anything personally and mentally wipe your feet when you leave the building.
Top 8 Tips on Taking Over a New Team
February 15, 2016