Clear Expectations Pave the Road to Success

It is not possible to reach a destination when driving if the destination is not known.  A football game without end zones would be quite amusing to watch.  Too often, managers and leaders set their employees up for failure by not spelling out simple expectations.  Children behave best when they know what their parents expect, and in a sense this does not change as adults.

Communicating expectations to staff is most important during the training period for new employees but it does need to be a continuous process.  The expectations should be communicated in writing and verbally, presented in specific and simple terms.  An office meeting is an excellent venue to discuss general expectations of all employees.  This should also be done one-on-one.

Patient care can be enhanced by telling them “For you to achieve the best results, it is expected that you are to follow the treatment plan.”  This is especially important when performing surgery.  Many lawsuits are a result of expectations not being specifically and clearly told to the patient relating to post-op pain, limitations of activities, what the foot will ultimately look like, and length of time before they can return to their normal shoe gear.

You will find that the staff greatly appreciates understanding expectations and how they can be met.  Provide any tools your employees need to not just meet but also exceed the expectations set forth.  We have an assignment for both doctor and staff.  It is due ten days after reading this.  Doctors, write down 5 -10 expectations for your staff in general.  Assistants, write down 5  10 individual expectations for your doctors and managers in your practice.  Begin each one with “I expect…”.  The staff should also meet as a group and make a list of 5 -1O expectations beginning with “We expect…”.

When all is said and done, we expect that you will soon have clear and concise expectations communicated throughout your office!