The Right System Won't Work Without the Right Communication

 Last week, I shared the story of a practice that discovered a software glitch after noticing their insurance claims aging over 90 days were growing.

The lesson was clear: you need systems in place that allow you to see what's happening in your practice and recognize when something needs your attention.

But having the right system is only part of the equation.

There's another system I want you to think about:

How you and your office manager communicate with each other.

You can put a recurring meeting on the calendar.

You can pull the reports.

You can review collections and your KPIs.

You can identify something that needs attention.

And you can still leave the meeting with two completely different understandings of what happens next.

“I Thought We Were Clear”

Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, That went well. We know exactly what we're doing.

Then a few days later, you realize the other person walked away with a very different understanding?

Maybe you thought you clearly communicated the big picture, but your office manager needed more detail.

Maybe your office manager gave you every piece of information she thought you needed, while you were waiting for the bottom line so you could make a decision.

Maybe you asked a direct question and didn't realize your delivery was perceived differently than you intended.

Neither person necessarily communicated poorly.

You may communicate differently.

And when you don't understand those differences, it's easy to make assumptions about the other person.

Why does she need so much information?

Why won't he give me a clear answer?

Why do I have to keep asking about this?

I thought we already decided this.

Over time, those small communication gaps can become leadership and accountability challenges.

Communication Is Part of Your System

We talk about systems all the time in dentistry.

You have systems for scheduling, collections, insurance, patient care and team meetings.

I want you to consider communication part of your leadership system, too.

When you and your office manager meet, you both need to leave with clarity around:

• What did we decide?
• What needs to happen next?
• Who owns it?
• What does the expected outcome look like?
• When are we following up?

But getting there isn't always about creating another checklist.

Sometimes it's about understanding how the person sitting across from you communicates and processes information.

This Is Where Forté Comes In

One of the tools I use with practices is the Forté Communication Style Survey.

Forté gives us insight into your primary communication style, how you're adapting and how your communication may be perceived by others.

That last piece can be especially valuable.

Because what you intend to communicate and what someone else experiences from your communication aren't always the same.

Forté gives us a shared language to begin talking about those differences.

Instead of making it personal—

“She's too detailed.”

“He's too direct.”

“She never gets to the point.”

We can become curious about what each person needs from the conversation.

Different Isn't Wrong

The goal isn't for a doctor and office manager to communicate exactly the same way.

In fact, your differences can bring valuable perspectives to the practice.

The goal is to better understand each other.

If your office manager needs more detail to move forward confidently, what information can you provide?

If you're a big-picture communicator who wants to get to the decision more quickly, how can your office manager organize the information so you can process it more effectively?

When you begin understanding those differences, you can become more intentional about how you communicate.

And that can create greater clarity around your numbers, your priorities, your team and your accountability.

Look at Your Own Leadership Communication

Before your next meeting with your office manager, pay attention to what happens when the conversation ends.

Don't only ask:

“Did we talk about it?”

Ask:

“Did we leave with the same understanding?”

Because the right meeting, the right KPI and the right process can only take you so far.

The people using those systems still need to understand each other.

And that starts with communication.