The $1M Hiring Mistake Most Leaders Make

I know that it is common for a lot of you. There are a lot of business owners here, practice owners in particular. Firstly, I want to talk about the essentials of personal and professional growth in the workplace. Self-awareness in particular. As I had mentioned, self-awareness was one key— a big issue that I had identified with a particular team member, and the lack of it, thereof, was the issue. And we know that self-awareness is the foundation upon which we build strong relationships, communication, healthy chatting, positive work cultures, all of that. It encompasses our understanding of language, behavior, work culture, beliefs, and values, both of the practice and of yourself. So our individual values and how they impact our interactions and overall effectiveness of of our work. So with this particular individual, I feel that they had not grasped— they themselves were not self-aware. I know for a fact because I'll tell you why at the end. So you'll have to wait to hear. I'm not a very good storyteller, but I'll tell you in the end what made me just 1 million percent realize that, even though I had identified it. So this person— if you're waiting for the right time, the right time is now. Applyformentorship.com. Now let's get back to the video. English was not a first language, which is fine, but they communicate communicated really well. Also, I thought, and I'll explain that as well. So I'm just trying to pick the points. So let me go through what the points that I had planned, and then I'll also add in the extras. So let's start with language. Language is very important. The words that we choose and how we communicate as part of a team, no matter your role, can have significant impact on the work environment. So when it's off, you can feel it. It's about identifying it. And being real. Don't just put up with things. And that's what I learned through the years of practice ownership. Do not put up with elephants in the room and things just being shoved under the carpet. We don't want that. Being aware of language we use helps us to convey our ideas. We know that. So it's about how you say it. It's to avoid misunderstandings as well, and to promote clear and respectful communication. And respect was another key thing with this. Individual. Respect for the time of the team members and also the time while at workplace and being at work. It's important when you do talk to be mindful of tone, choice of words, and I know you know all this, but it's nice to hear it all collectively and in context. Nonverbal cues, super important. I'm very aware of nonverbal cues. So someone might be saying something to me, but I'll be watching their body language and go, something's off here. How many times in the dental chair have you said, "Oh, you're feeling okay?" And the patient's like doing this and using their hands or tensing up, or I'm just tightening up or stopping to breathe. And that's fine. You're like, "No, it's not." So you just pause, take a breath, and then you obviously address, "So how can I make this more comfortable to you?" Or, "What are your fears? What is it that you need to get through this? What do you need from me?" And that's what I ask a lot of my patients anyway. So if you don't, it's really nice to take that moment to watch the patient. If you can't and you're a new grad or someone new in dentistry and you're just overwhelmed trying to do your dentistry, have your team member give you a nudge. So you're both in it together. You're there for the patient experience. We know about that tone and we know about the nonverbal cues. And by fostering a culture of inclusive and supportive language in your workplace, you can create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. So every morning we have morning huddles. I check in with everybody at least a couple of times a day. Very important. I just say, hey, how you going today? Or what do you need help with? I'll chip in if I'm finished my notes early. I'll chip in. Or if I see someone's overwhelmed, I'll be like to someone, hey, do you want to ask your team member, do they need help? Especially if they're sitting having a tea or coffee when it's their 5th or 6th one in that day. It happens. So be a team player, support your team no matter your role. I also want you to know that your behaviour plays a crucial role in the workplace because it sets the scene and it sets the tone for everyone in the workplace. Being self-aware of your behaviour allows you to understand how your actions impact others and your overall work environment. By reflecting on your behaviour, You can identify areas for improvement and make adjustments so that you can become more effective collaborators. Teamwork— a dental practice does not function without teamwork. And care for each other, that's really important. And the interactions when the patients are in front, even more important as well. So whatever you do behind closed doors, you've got to continue that same respect in front of the patients. You don't act in one setting or the other. Then that's being fake. Do you actively listen to your colleagues, to your boss, dentist, treating dentist, to your nurse? And are you demonstrating empathy and understanding? Cause we all have our off days, but if someone's consistently not performing, that's a different story. That has to be addressed in a different way. But you as an individual, you can be aware of your behavior and you can be in a place that is aligned with your behavior and with your value. Very important. If you aren't, then just think what's out of line, what feels off, and talk to someone. Okay, don't bottle it in, don't hold grudges. People don't know what's going on unless you tell them. You want positive work relationships at work because in our practices it is a very tight-knit community. I see my team mostly more than I see my family. Couldn't— who can vouch for that? Please send me a little me or a little hand up in the comments. You want to be in a harmonious place. So harmony for me is key, and you want to be productive at the same time. It's not just about being happy and la la and not actually getting jobs done. Very important. So let me tie that into this team member. So this team member, their behavior and their— if you're waiting for the right time, the right time is now. Applyformentorship.com. Now let's get back to the video. Unawareness of their lack of respect for everyone else just was absent. And I just thought that really strange. So what they would do, they would come back late from lunch or book appointments or do things during lunch and come back half an hour late. Of course, I addressed it first time, second time, happened a third time. Like, something's not right here. And then I had made my decision alongside that, um, Monday being a difficult day for me. It was a big test, I can tell you that. So I had a huge day, huge clinical cases, and the last case was a crown prep. And my— one of the team members was at reception, which was this team member having her like 5th tea of the day. Look, I love tea too, but you can't just sit around and lounge or go check your phones in the steri lockers or in the tea room all day. And all I could hear since this person started was our tea room door closing and them just sitting really, really quiet because, you know, as an owner, as a manager, your ears are open to everything. You hear and see everything. So when I have new team members, I ensure that I am training them myself for the start at least, and that I'm watching them like a hawk but nicely, so not, not in an uncomfortable way, because they're the opportunities to teach them things that they may have read because we've got our online training portal which I call our little vault. And everything's there, any pictures we take, any procedures, videos of doing things, they're all there so that we save time having to show them in practice, even though I still show them a few times at least in practice. But it gets people's minds channeling, especially if they're not from dental backgrounds, channeling into how the practice operates, what the values are, and just really specifies and clarifies everything. But even with that, There are so many tricks and tools, and it actually is really hard to hire these days. I find it challenging because the interviewee knows how to answer questions, but I don't ask questions that are your typical and predictable questions. My goal is to ask questions where I'm actually finding out about their personality, about their values. Someone's a good actor, all right? Someone seems very friendly, hardworking. And a team player. They might tell you what you want to hear because they know what they need in a workplace, but they may not actually have those characteristics. This person as well with language also did not respect the workplace nor the bosses, for example. And when I was giving instruction, instead of asking, "Hey Vicky, what did you mean by this?" Instead, they would pretend they knew everything and go, "Yes, yes." and then I'd see tasks not done and go, "Hey, did you understand?" "Yes, I did." Then I'd find out that I'd asked other team members and they were kind of sick of having to answer even basic questions because this person was just, again, not aware of the impact they were having on other people. Yes, we do promote asking, but I've always said, "I'm an open door. Come and get me. Ask me on the spot. If you need me to say it 10 times, I'll be very patient and say it 10 times because I want to ensure that the job gets done so that we have our flow. So talking about flow, my flow was disrupted by this person. So right at the end, and this rarely happens, I think this is the first time it's happened in 1.5 years here in the new practice, we ran out of Luxatim. So I thought, oh, I'm just gonna mill the crown and cement the crown. So within 40 minutes, I pushed myself. So this is where upskilling and training comes in, pushing yourself. And I was able to to design a crown on my Trios software and cement a gorgeous lithium disilicate crown or e.max. So this is where I was very grateful I had an alternative and I had upskilled. But in the same time, I had seen this team member because again, my eyes are everywhere too. I'm very focused on the patient, my phone goes away. So it's really important to those who think they can take calls with patients in the chair. No, no, no. That's a big no-no. That completely ruins the relationship between you and the patient. And it also does not look good on the business. And if anyone's family members or there's an urgent message, they just call the practice. Basics, right? Basic etiquette. So this team member I saw, it was before finishing time, 5-10 minutes before, and they were changed and walking out the door. I'm like, I've just asked this other team member to stay back 45 minutes to an hour to assist me with this crown cementation because of somebody not letting someone know that they'd taken the last packet of Luxatemp and put it in, and then it's run out. So if you're waiting for the right time, the right time is now. Applyformentorship.com. Now let's get back to the video. I think my message with that is do not get caught up in your emotions. Think about the solution and come up with solutions that work. And then communicate that with your team. If I got caught up on, oh, I don't have the Lux attempt, what am I going to do? I wanted to walk out the door, but you have to come up with solutions. And that comes with experience as well. So yeah, this team member walks out and I'm like, hey, change ready to go? Like, we have a lot to do. I've done the things from our daily checklist. And they go, I've done everything. I go, have you done this, this, this, and this? 'Even something basic like, have you mopped the other surgeries, the bathrooms, the reception area? Have you wiped down? Does it all look presentable? Have things been set up for tomorrow?' And they're like, 'I can't do that in like a few minutes.' I'm like, 'Well, you've been sitting at reception for an hour. You haven't had any other particular jobs to do. The stereo was in order. What have you been doing?' And I said, 'You're still 5 o'clock. Like, that's the time I'm paying you for. This is not your business.' and they were arguing with me. The patient wasn't there. This was the time I was milling the crown and the patient was there, but the other team heard. And I'll tell you what they said once they heard me chat with them. And I said, 'No, you stay till 5. You shouldn't be changed till 5 o'clock. Our business is open till 5.' Because we often get walk-ins, and let this be a lesson to everybody, you often get walk-ins at like 2 minutes to 5. New patients, you need to be open the time you're advertised on Google, on the internet, on everywhere. Do not shut your doors, be open. And so she left with an argument, did not understand, uh, the, the work culture, I guess, and the work ethics, even though in the interview and many times before and in the online training it is crystal clear, these are your work hours. The other question that came up, um, the morning when I spoke with them was, oh, I come in at 8:35 and you only pay me to 8:45. When I have been crystal clear many times and there's been no other problem with any other staff members and said to them, oh, when you come in, you come in anytime you like before your start time, grab a coffee, do what it takes, unwind. They just found it really odd that the moment they walked in the door wasn't the moment they were getting paid. It takes literally 30 seconds to change into your scrubs, right? You can do it at 8:45 and be ready at 8:45. Okay. If that was the problem., but this person's work culture and values were not aligned with my business. And that was like, you think they're little things, they're huge because they all add up. Then the other team members come to me and go, when were you going to realize all this? All this late lunch coming in. I go, and they said, oh, they keep asking me questions and, and they pretend to you that they know things and they think like they keep bothering me when I've been here similar time and I've learned stuff. So they weren't invested in the business and they weren't self-aware of the action. So they were just there, I guess, to get money, easy money they thought. But here is the thing, you cannot hide in a small business. You cannot fly under the radar. You may be able to in bigger corporations for a longer period of time, but if the managers and the bosses are very well aware they know that you are not doing a job or that your values are not aligned, and so the relationship is broken. Work culture is what you need to be very aware of. It encompasses a shared set of values, beliefs, norms, and things that define the atmosphere and the dynamics of your workplace, your organization. Self-awareness enables us to understand our own beliefs and values. So if you've never dive in to, um, looking at your values or your beliefs, then you will not be aware of anything you do or say. And that can be selfish, absolutely. I'm not saying be selfless, but be aware. By examining your own beliefs and values, you can identify potential conflicts or areas where you can contribute positively to your work culture. Or be in a place where you are connected and aligned with your work culture. Being aware of work culture helps us to navigate challenges, build stronger relationships, and actively contribute to a supportive and inclusive environment. Our beliefs and values shape our thoughts, actions, and decisions. Self-awareness prompts us to examine our beliefs and values and consider how they influence our behavior and interactions with others. It's essential to recognize any biases or assumptions or expectations we may hold and to challenge them to foster inclusivity and fairness. You've got to challenge yourself. You can't just plod along. Your heart has to be in your job. Your heart has to be in what your workplace offers— helping people. If you don't like helping people, you're in the wrong career. Understanding and aligning our values with our work allows us to to find greater fulfillment and purpose in our professional lives. Okay, how much of this is resonating with you? I don't know. So let's go to address now some of the attitudes that were unacceptable by this employee that I had for a very short time, and their behaviors as well, because there can be one bad apple that spoils the other apples, right? In a crop, in a crate, wherever it is. And we don't want that to happen with our team because our team can sense unfairness. Our team can sense everything. So what this team member did in front of me, in front of the other manager, in front of the patient, when they didn't like a direction that was being given, they swore under their breath in another language and they sort of signaled and kind of go, whatever they said. They basically said to piss off, um, in a worse way. So gesturing— no, you've got to keep your calm. It's about containing your emotions in front of your colleagues, in front of patients. Very important. Arguing— do not argue in front of patients. I know sometimes things can get heated and stressed. Keep calm, just like the cups Jonathan's books say keep calm. This person, as I said, also argued about their entitlement to leave early, not taking the initiative to help others, and coming back late from lunch consistently. Unacceptable. The attitudes and behaviors not only disrupt the work environment but also reflect a lack of respect, teamwork, and professionalism. So this person was not suited to my business. Self-awareness is critical. It's a skill. I know for me, I've always been very self-critical, maybe sometimes to a greater degree than I should be, because it's only that way that we can grow and to positively impact our workplace and our experiences. Be mindful of your language at work, your work culture beliefs, your values, and how do you create a more productive environment. And also, if you're a manager, how you communicate with your team, super important. I encourage each of you here to self-reflect and to see where maybe you can see one area you do really well and one area you can improve on and implement it in your next day of work or even your relationships. Absolutely important because together with your team, you can be in a workplace that helps everyone thrive and to achieve to their fullest potential. And there has to be that work ethic there. That work ethic is critical. Now with this person that evening, I was so uneasy and it wasn't that personal ego, was not my ego of how did they talk to me. It was more disbelief, I guess, that someone could be so unaware of their actions to many people, wasn't to me, to everyone. And patients are not silly. They see things. And I always ask for feedback from patients. Always, always welcome feedback. That's the way to grow. Okay, what we've got, we've got a feedback box. Like, if someone's not comfortable giving feedback, then we've got a beautiful box with a slit and some paper, and they can put some feedback in there anonymously if they want. But usually they're happy to tell me. Really important. I've got that relationship with all of our patients, even ones that I personally haven't treated, because I'm around, I'm present, and they see me. If you're waiting for the right time, the right time is now. Applyformentorship.com. Now let's get back to the video. And they know me and I do live upstairs, so that helps a lot. So yeah, that evening I spoke to the manager and said, look, this is not acceptable. It was the opportunity for the other team members to then come to me because they heard the argument in the hallway and they said, gee, Vicky, like, when are we going to see all this? I go, I've been seeing it, I've been addressing it. There's been no improvement. It's actually gotten worse. And so I have to have a chat with this person. So I messaged this person. They'd left, they'd gone home, and said, look, tomorrow we're having a meeting. I'd love to have a meeting. It's all right. I wrote, I love— I'd have a meeting with you tomorrow. And they go, sure, what time? I'm like, you're at work. This is really interesting. What time? You're at work all day, so it doesn't matter what time. But I said, look, first thing in the morning. So they came at 2 minutes to 8:45. So it's 8:43. And I go, "Come into the office." They didn't even change. They just were the type of person that believed, "If I'm gonna walk in the door, I'm gonna maximize my time not there and then leave before I should be leaving because I've finished everything." And so I chatted with them and said, "Look, let's have a chat. Let's talk about yesterday." And I was very friendly. I phrased it in a very direct but very a good way for them to hopefully understand. And I said, look, you came in, sort of, you came late a few times, you've been coming in and you've then left for lunch early, come back late, and team relies on you. We have appointments. The next person has to go to lunch. So this entitlement that you have, where is it coming from? They couldn't answer, like, well, that's what I believe. And this leaving early, and I said, you're arguing with me about basics. And it honestly felt like I was talking to a child at school. You know how the teachers used to say, "Don't pack up before 3 o'clock or 3:15. Your bags get packed when the bell goes." That's what it just reminded me of. It took me back to school and I thought, how does someone need to be taught those things? And what type of education have they had? And rules and boundaries. So it's all about boundaries. So my boundaries are fair. So I always am very fair to everybody. And during the conversation, this person was very unaware. And I said, look, I cannot give you the freedom that you are looking for in a workplace. This business and a dental practice relies on appointments and being on time. And we don't— we're not a type of practice that runs late. And we rely on teamwork and respect for each other. I said, yesterday, your conversation, everyone heard it. It was unacceptable. And your behavior is unacceptable. And there was no sorry, there was no remorse. So then that's like, okay, they're really, really unaware. So good luck. And I said a few other things, we'll leave it at that. And so I ushered them and I said, do you have anything to get? So they went in and I ushered them out the door. And on their way out, they're like, oh, Vicky Samios, so can I get you as a reference for other dental practices so I can work there? I go, no, I go, have you not heard any of this? I'm not comfortable recommending you. You've been here a week and I've told you why you're not suited to our work culture and why your work ethics and culture and beliefs do not align with my business. And that's for General Dental Practice. So there we go. There's a lot of detail in there. I'm just being a bit diplomatic here. Uh, this person was just not right. And I want you to be very aware of your workplace, if you're an owner or manager and you can't fix people's beliefs or values, they come with those, but it's important before you get them into your business to be able to find what they are. So I've got a little bit of work to do because yeah, it's a more prevalent problem now with hiring where people aren't what they seem. We even do a Zoom call and then we bring them in after that. Some, but unfortunately a lot of the time you've got to see them on the job. All eyes and ears open and do what's right for you and your business. Have a great day. Bye.