The day turned out
well and the schedule ran rather smoothly. As I was
preparing to leave, I reflected on how I’d managed
to see 18 complete exams, and I realized that it
never could have happened without the staff’s
helping hands. I took the time to personally
introduce myself to each and every one staff member,
and then I thanked them for their hard work. As I
left the workplace that day, I got the distinct
impression that the staff was not accustomed to
hearing “thank you” from the optometrist.
A Successful
Combination
As I continued to work at this location, the staff
would come to me with questions to clarify
pre-testing procedures along with a variety of other
questions relating to their jobs. I was always
willing to answer their questions, but I discreetly
wondered why they would always ask me rather than
the full-time optometrist. Even though the full-time
O.D. would complain to me about the patients and the
staff, I never had the “issues” that he did with
patients or with staff. Staff members were always
eager to learn and were very quick to follow my
recommendations for patient care.
When I look back at my time served at that
commercial location, I have a much better
understanding of why I was so successful there. My
schedule was always busier than his, I was more
productive than him, and patients were requesting to
see me, even if that meant waiting a week or more.
Unfortunately, this O.D. couldn’t see “the forest
for the trees” enough to realize that that my
success at that location was a direct result of the
respect that I showed the staff.
The
Impact of Two Words
It wasn’t until several months later when one of the
employees was leaving secondary to relocating that I
realized the impact of “thank you” from the staff’s
perspective. She came to me as her shift was ending
and said, “Dr. Kerksick, I have really enjoyed
working with you. You are the first doctor that ever
made me feel respected, needed, valued and
appreciated. Thank you.” It was then that I realized
the power of that simple phrase, “thank you.” I’ve
found through my experience of working with a
variety of staff ranging in all ages that the
respect of the doctor is earned most easily by staff
when they are respected in return. After all,
respect is a two-way street.
|
|
Starting Strategies
Every
day before leaving your workplace, reflect back
on your staff and try to find one thing that
they did particularly well and compliment them
each personally. When staff hear your positive
praises regularly, they feel more comfortable,
confident and respected. In return, staff will
always be more receptive to your constructive
criticism when needed if they’re receiving
positive reinforcement from you about what
they’re doing well. -
Kelly Kerksick, OD
|
|
 |
|
