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October 2009 | Modern Hygienist Put M.E.A.T. in your meetings And then taste the rewards. 
It’s unlikely that members of your team would plan to discuss their favorite movies, vacation pictures or the big sale at Nordstrom over the weekend. Yet these topics often become the main course for staff meetings, instead of the dessert. Putting more M.E.A.T. in your meetings will provide the nutrition needed in every dental practice, and yield the sweet taste of success. Staff meetings should create an environment in which team members can share necessary information; establish goals and action plans, implement systems for problem solving, and define accountability. Successful staff meetings result in participants leaving full and satisfied with stronger, more trusting relationships. Staff members and doctors will have more motivation to attend and participate in staff meetings when it’s time used well. Having specific agenda items to discuss will promote efficient time management. There are many types of meetings that involve the staff. Here, we’ll lay out a few examples. The general purpose for all of them is education. The Huddle. When working toward a better practice, success is achieved more readily when this meeting is held each morning. Objectives include:
The Numbers Meeting. Held once a month, this meeting provides opportunity to compare goals to actual accomplishments in regard to production, collections, new patients, and account receivables. Educating all on how to monitor these numbers and interpret the information is essential. The Training Meeting. Held twice a month, this is the ideal time to share knowledge gained at continuing education seminars, online courses, or articles found in dental periodicals. It’s also a time for team members to develop better verbal skills when negotiating payment arrangements, scheduling new patients, or asking for referrals. This can also serve as a forum for practicing clinical skills or cross-training. The Teamwork Meeting. Held once a month, this time is set apart for agenda items that don’t fit the other meeting types. This meeting is for discussing HR policies, updating job descriptions, recognizing achievements, or celebrating an event. Clear communication Having specific agenda items to discuss at each of these meetings ensures a more focused and productive meeting every time. Gone will be the days when you wonder what to talk about at your staff meetings. Motivation and education will make staff meetings more successful. Next is to implement the process with articulation. During the meeting, team members should be articulate in sharing ideas and solutions, as well as exhibit positive body language. Listening will foster a climate of respect and commitment by all to follow through with action items after the meeting. Everyone has a role The last bite of the M.E.A.T. acronym is triangulation. This term refers to three roles needed at each staff meeting:
Share and learn Practices must be open to discussing problems, finding the cause, and putting a plan in place to solve them. Be careful to avoid hurting feelings. Focus on changing behavior, not changing people. Practices that don’t have staff meetings are actually undermining their success. Efficiency, communication and profitability can all be increased when staff meetings are made a priority. Adding more M.E.A.T. to your meetings will give your practice the recommended daily allowance of achievement, and the sweet taste of success. Jackie Bailey is the founder and President of Emerald City Consulting. She is a speaker, writer and consultant who helps dental practices increase productivity and profitability. Jackie has helped practices increase collections by more than 20% in a few months. She has advised practices to use less money to market more successfully, and she teaches practices what steps are necessary to retain patients, even in this tough economy. Visit Emerald City Consulting on the Web at emeraldcityconsulting.com.
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