Perhaps I am a bit of a contrarian, but when it comes to leadership today, I feel like I go against the grain – just a little!
To me, leadership is not about things like empathy, empowerment or emotional intelligence (the Three “E’s”). Instead, leadership is about performance. The role of a leader is to maximize the performance of the organization they lead.
Does that mean we throw away all the lessons you have learned about the Three E’s for the past few years? Absolutely NOT! The Three E’s are critical tools you need to use to drive performance. But the fact remains, leadership is about performance.
Right now, you are likely thinking “po-TAY-toe…po-TAH-toe”…if the Three E’s are still so essential, aren’t we just splitting hairs? The answer is, most emphatically, NO!
You see, when we live in a world where leadership is about the Three E’s, we assume the simple act of living by those Three E’s will magically result in having a team that will always be motivated to perform at the top level. You were so kind and nurturing, they will be compelled to give you their all, no questions asked.
Unfortunately, we know this is not always the case. Sometimes, we have to hold people accountable for their performance – or, more specifically, their lack thereof. I talk to way too many aspiring dental CEO’s who are terrified about holding their teams accountable.
“People will leave for another job if we do that,” they say. “No notice! No call! Nothing! One day, they just won’t show up for work if we start holding them accountable.”
My first thought is, if you are “doing accountability right,” losing team members who are afraid of being held accountable may be a blessing. But that begs the question…are you doing accountability right?
Doing accountability right starts with setting clear expectations. If expectations are not clear, it is unfair to expect top level performance. And even more unfair to hold them accountable to a standard you failed to establish.
You need to convey your expectations in language that is simple, clear, and precise. And you must get your team to agree to those expectations.
Then you have to provide an atmosphere that allows them to live up to those expectations. Your team needs the best tools and the best training to give their best performance. And they need to feel safe and valued, like they can ask any question without fear of judgement.
That is where the Three E’s come in!
The Three E’s are essential tools in your leadership tool-belt. When combined with clear expectations, proper use of the Three E’s makes discussions regarding accountability in the cace of performance issues so much easier. In fact, team members will probably understand this discussion is coming.
Now you can immediately ask, “What did we do wrong and how can we make sure it does not happen again?” Assigning blame is not what the Three E’s are about. You want to focus on the solution.
So make accountability about solving a problem…about improving the team.
Accountability still matters because performance matters. Leadership is about performance. Don’t be afraid to be honest about that aspect of your duties as a dental CEO. You have the right to expect something back from the nurturing you provide.
But stay true to being that leader that people really want to follow. Don’t make accountability seem arbitrary or punitive. Keep it consistent and apply it with kindness.
That is what a forward thinking, Dental CEO would do!
About the Author
Shawn Peers is the President of DentalPeers. DentalPeers is one of Canada’s oldest, continuous operating buying groups exclusively for dentists.
