BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC. 14998 W. 6th Avenue, Suite E-500 Golden, CO USA 80401 USA 1-800-937-3113 CANADA 1-800-461-0100 UNITED KINGDOM 44(0) 1202-534-986 AUSTRALIA 1-800-800-963 www.backtalksystems.com Team Tip #6 CREATING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM Previously I suggested making a contest out of your quest for success. Now that we know that all teams have rules to follow and each team member has a responsibility to the team and the management, let's examine what makes every day in your office challenging and fun. Playing the game - First, think of what you do as a game. That doesn't mean you don't take it seriously, but have fun doing it. Whether it's collecting from insurance companies, getting more new patients, educating patients, patient tracking, scheduling, no matter what you're doing, think of it as a game that you want to enjoy but you also want to win! Make sure you know the rules and know your boundaries. Also, know the outcome you want, set your goals, and plan to win. Every contest should be a team effort and everyone should have a stake in the reward. Essence of competition - A healthy spirit of competition is a very good thing. Competing against other team members is not advisable, however. You can compete against your previous statistics, i.e. compete against last month's new patients or last month's collections, etc. You can also have a friendly competition with other chiropractic offices. In any case, it's a lot more fun when you have a contest and have a reason to win. Element of team work - Any sports team knows that in order to win, they must work together in unison. When a team has a rivalry within it's own ranks, the result will be failure. Watch any winning team and you will be witnessing a group of people who help, encourage, and communicate with each other in order to achieve their objectiveäSuccess. Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision and goal. One for all and all for one. Strategies of the game plan - No team goes into the game without a game plan. No plan is a plan to lose! Whenever there is an objective, there must be a plan of attack. Every player must know and understand the game plan, must know their responsibility to the plan and stay on focus. The game plan should be simple and straightforward. Team Spirit - A positive attitude is a positive force and cannot be stopped. A negative team member will bring everyone down. The fruit of negativity is certain failure. Any team member who does not want to win should not be on the team. Any team member who creates dissension within the team will create negativity and ultimately failure. When a team recognizes this dissension, it is imperative to address the issue immediately. If someone on your team does not want to win, then release him to your competitor's team! Challenge of doing your best - Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. Confidence is what you get when you have successfully mastered a challenge. Success depends on confidence! Welcome challenge as if it is success because it will be. Sense of Adventure - The best team knows that every game is another adventure. On any given day the outcome can be different. Waking up every morning to a new adventure will make you work harder and look forward to the adventure of the day. View every new situation as an adventure, look at every new patient as an adventure. Your life and your practice will begin to change. Agony of Defeat - The best teams lose sometimes. The challenge is to not let losing make you feel like a loser! The only true failure is when you stop believing in your team. With every loss there should be a lesson and experience gained. Learn to see losing as a temporary setback to success. If you never lose, your challenges are just not hard enough! Go over, go under, go around, or go throughäBut never give up! Thrill of Victory - Every winning team knows that winning is great and they must savor the victory and the rewards of victory. But, then it's back to work for the next challenge and the next adventure. Each victory should be a springboard to the next level. I learned very early in my life that there's always someone better and there are always more hurdles to your destination. Your goal should be continual and never-ending improvement forever! Teamwork is the ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational success. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. The preceding information has been excerpted from The Chiropractic Team Training and Practice Management Manual written by Susan Hoy and available at Back Talk Systems. This manual contains over 200 pages of team training tips and practice management procedures and forms. Why not join the hundreds of chiropractors who have already made the commitment to organize and systemize their office. For more information contact Back Talk Systems at 800-937-3113 or visit their website at www.backtalksystems.com. Susan Hoy has managed a busy chiropractic office since 1989. Currently, Susan travels throughout the U.S. helping teams become more organized, systemized and energized. For information contact Susan Hoy at 215-674-0130 or log on to her website at www.beefitup.net.