How to Find A-Player Staff for Your Office

A-Player staff can dramatically transform your dental office. Not only do they remove a lot of your headaches, but they build your practice for you. Here’s how to spot them a mile away with some insight from Steve Jobs

Using this information…you’ll be able to spot talent a mile away

Watch this video from Steve Jobs’ “lost interview” 1995 about A-players:

“A Players” can dramatically transform your office.  Not only do they remove a lot of your headaches, but they build your practice for you.  I’ve worked in offices with an “A Player” OM and a hygienist and the office flowed velvety smooth…all marketing efforts were multiplied.

I remember Dr. Howard Farran in one of his articles in Dental Town mentioning that he was tired of having to motivate lackluster people, and instead focus on getting the A Player right off the bat.  He’s right, if they are crap all the way down to their core, flush them down the toilet.  On the contrary, an “A Player” will self motivate and grow your practice.

Putting together some information from a Chet Holmes/Tony Robbins event combined with experience training dozens of staff members, here are 5 things to look for when hiring to make sure you get an A Player that will contribute to the growth of your practice:

1) Background in sales, retail experience or owned their own business: for hygiene, front desk, treatment co-ordinators – you NEED NEED someone with people interaction skills (not just technical knowledge).   One client of mine had a TC that was all technical and couldn’t get people to agree to treatment plans, so he hired someone that used to work as a waitress on top of being a CDA. She was moving three $15,000+ treatment plans per week.

2) Parents were farmers, or owned their own business: They were born into a solid work ethic and understand that a business needs work, profits and happy clients to run properly…it’s built into their nervous system.  Employees without this will complain and get frustrated at routine business specific things.

3) Over achieve in *some* area  of their life: This is a biggie.  An A player is an A player.  Were they expert chess players? Were they on the varsity sports team or get solid A’s in school on top of tutoring kids?  If they “over achieved” once, they can easily transfer that OCD to you and your office.

4) Ego strength: A bit pig headed and won’t back down easily.  You want that because they get things DONE.  Sure you may butt heads a few times, but they often exhibit ownership mentality which removes A LOT of your own work.

5) Empathy: Lastly, they need to exhibit empathy for patients. This one is obvious dealing with the nature of the business.

A few other key points about A player psychology:

* A Player Office Managers should have mild to moderate OCD

* They get bored and leave offices that don’t allow them freedom to grow and contribute

* It’s not always about the money, it’s about giving them room to play.

* They leave if the other staff in the office are D and E Players.  Use the A Player to seek out other A Players.

* Sometimes they are dusty at first, so reminding them who they are and who they can be allows them to shine.