Dental Lab Products - April 2009 - (Page 50)

Edge }}}} BUSINESS STRATEGIES }}}} BY CHUCK YENKNER Chuck Yenkner COMPETITIVE The ne art of delegating Just because you can do the job, doesn’t mean you have to… or should. PHOTO: STOCKBYTE/GETTY IMAGES Most laboratory ownerstoday came up through the ranks. ey started at the bottom, pouring up models and doing just about anything else that had to be done. en, over time, they learned other aspects of the trade. Add some self-con dence and a bit of entrepreneurship, simmer for a few years, and, voila! We have a lab owner. Unfortunately, this process leaves some lab owners short of the managerial skills needed to e ectively grow and manage a laboratory to its true potential. Many compensate their managerial de ciency with long hours, put extra pressure on themselves, and don’t reach the goals they set for themselves or their business. contributes to sta turnover and a less-thanpositive work atmosphere. Let’s start with my de nition of management. I can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s so true: “Management is getting things done through others.” In other words, you know how to perform your job. So now your job, as a manager, is developing others to perform their jobs so you can devote time to tasks others truly can’t do. Performing too many tasks yourself limits your productivity. Having others working with you vastly increases your capacity to achieve. e next step is to review the tasks you perform on a regular basis to determine which you truly need to do and/or those you prefer to do. ose tasks that are left should be delegated. e more you can delegate to capable sta , the greater the potential for business growth, and the greater the potential for employee professional growth. Try to designate at least 50% of what you do for possible delegation. e opposite also bears equal attention. Just because “Judy” has a particular responsibility does not mean she can handle related tasks or increased levels of responsibility. TRAINING FOR SUCCESS Once you have decided who to delegate certain tasks to, be sure they have the understanding and training to do the job to your satisfaction. Work with them closely the rst few times to be sure they “get it,” and then set them free when you are con dent in their ability and understanding. Be sure to establish boundaries and to communicate how often you want to be consulted. For example, if you decide to delegate paying bills and writing checks, you might want to set a limit on the check size THE RIGHT PERSON Step three involves deciding who you can delegate to. We sometimes tend to have “frozen” thoughts about our sta . For example, “Bob” is a ceramist, and that’s how you think of him. You need to ask yourself what else he has the potential to do. Could he help with sales or marketing? How about handling technical calls from clinicians? MANAGING BY DELEGATING One of the chief skills that may be missing is the ability to delegate. Technician/owners, especially, tend to believe various degrees of, “no one does it as well as I do.” is leads to the logical conclusion of, “I have to do it myself.” In an effort to counteract this, overcompensation occurs, dumping tasks on unquali ed sta without training or supervision. is leads to poor performance and reinforces the original premise that, “I have to do it myself.” Lack of delegation sti es employee growth and development, which DELEGATION CHECKLIST employees can sign or have them provide you with a report every week or month. 1. Decide what tasks you can delegate. 2. Determine who can perform those tasks to your standards. 3. Train delegates to meet expectations. 4. Establish boundaries. 5. Check on progress. 6. Keep in touch. HANDS OFF, IN TOUCH Keep in mind that successful delegating does not mean being out of touch. Good mangers maintain involvement and a degree of control that does not bog them down in excessive detail. Delegation—it could be the secret to growth in your laboratory business! lab 50 dentallabproducts April dlpmagazine.com http://www.dlpmagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Dental Lab Products - April 2009

Dental Lab Products - April 2009 Contents From the Editor Product Watch New Face of Veneers Veneer Venue Chairside Metal Here and Now Seamless Integration Pressing Versatility Pinless Duplication The Fine Art of Delegating City of Big Ideas Spring Forward Industry News Easy Does It Art of Articulation Classifieds The Perfect Storm

Dental Lab Products - April 2009

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