Bad Day as a Manager? Eight Tips for How to Cope by Paul Edwards It’s one of those days when everything seems to go wrong. Your car is making that expensive-sounding noise again, you’re behind on a project you promised to your doctor, your front office is dangerously understaffed right now, and you stepped in a five-inch-deep puddle this morning. Or maybe it was another set of circumstances entirely. Either way, you may be the office manager, but you’re still entitled to a bad day every once in a while. According to workplace happiness consulting firm Woohoo Inc., two-thirds of North American workers experience at least one bad day at work per week. Hopefully it’s less frequent at your dental practice! As a manager, though, there’s a lot of pressure on you to “act like a duck,” letting raindrops roll right off your feathers, and looking placid above the surface of the pond no matter how frantically you’re kicking away. Here are some practical tips to make that easier when things just aren’t going according to plan. Go easy on yourself today (but be fair). Office managers are often perfectionists, and when you work with patients, you know all too well that every detail matters. Employees may sometimes feel you scrutinize them closely, but many managers are even harder on themselves. Try to be more understanding toward your own imperfections if your day isn’t going well, and take a little extra time when you need it. (And know that team members have off days, too: Don’t be harder on them than on yourself, or excuse behaviors in yourself that you wouldn’t empathize with or tolerate in others.) Practice your poker face. When your fuse is shorter than usual, or you have to spend the day doing something you’re not a fan of, take care not to let your attitude show up on your face. This can be harmful to the team’s mood or the doctor’s goals, and can cause more trouble for you later on. The last thing you need is a team in rebellion because they can see you’re not on board with the new production goals, either. Bring concerns, suggestions, or alternate strategies to the doctor privately, or plan some time to vent with a friend later, outside of the work environment. Re-visualize and recommunicate about stuck projects. When you’re not getting what you want from your team, it’s easy to get frustrated and critical of employees, but make sure both you and they can visualize what the results you need look like. Whether it’s a system or task that needs better instructions, or a project that needs a clarified goal, sometimes we forget there’s not a window on the side of our heads to show employees what we’re thinking. Take a few minutes to make sure others can see what “success” looks like to you in order to help everybody move forward. Plus, sometimes rethinking an intended outcome can help you come up with a better way of getting there. Don’t coach when you’re angry. This should go without saying, but it can be so tempting to deal with a person right at the moment when they’re getting on your nerves! Having a coaching or discipline conversation when you’re angry may just inflame a situation without solving anything. You’re more likely to issue an ultimatum you may not want to stick to later, and employees are more likely to get defensive (even if they know they’re in the wrong) if they feel like they’re being scolded or berated. Instead, jot down fact-based notes about the ongoing issue, and coach the employee using Progressive Corrective Coaching and the FIRR method once you’ve cooled down, or on a day you’re feeling better. Focus on what you’ve accomplished. Some days (or weeks, or months), all we can see is the never-ending task list and the deep pile of paperwork we’re currently buried in. When the path ahead feels too steep to climb, think back on your proudest accomplishments, or the most fulfilling activities you’ve participated in recently. These can be job-related—and it’s great if they are—but they don’t have to be. The point is to remind yourself you can do just about anything you set your mind to. Press the reset button. We can’t reset our attitudes if we never pause. Sometimes, when we’re stressed, overworked, or just plain cranky, it feels harder than ever to take a break or to change the way we’re approaching something. But consciously deciding to derail a train of thought and start over with a different attitude can sometimes make a real difference. Resetting what you’re doing helps, too. Even if you don’t have much time to spare, see if you can sneak in a quick walk, listen to a song you love, plan something fun to look forward to, or spend five minutes watching something that makes you laugh. Try to find a different angle of approach as you get back to work—one you’re not quite so fed up with. Talk it over—with the right person. Sometimes we all need work-related support, new suggestions, or a sounding board for ideas. Complaining to your team won’t do much, but your peers on the AADOM forum likely know just what you’re going through. And when a workplace, employee, or HR problem is complex enough that you could use some extra help figuring out the right approach, get in touch with an HR expert, such as a CEDR HR advisor, for guidance you can trust. Solve an easy problem. If you’ve been having a lot of bad days or you’re feeling overwhelmed lately, try picking an easy task that will give you a quick jolt of achievement. Maybe there’s something that’s been mildly bugging you for a long time, and solving it would streamline your day-to-day routine. Or maybe you really DO need to clean off your desk before you can think straight. Ask yourself if you’re wasting time and energy hating any small problems or inconveniences that you could simply clear up, instead. It’s amazing how good a simple solution can feel. Remember, everyone (even you!) has a bad day here and there that they need to deal with. With a solid set of stress-relief tools and strategies for turning things around, you’ll soon find yourself looking forward to what tomorrow might bring. Writer Bio: Paul Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of CEDR HR Solutions (www.cedrsolutions.com), which provides individually customized employee handbooks and HR solutions to dental offices of all sizes across the United States. He has over 20 years’ experience as a manager and owner, and specializes in helping dental offices solve employee issues. Paul is a featured writer for The Profitable Dentist and Dental Town Magazine, and speaks at employment education seminars, conferences, and CE courses across the country. He can be reached at paul@cedrsolutions.com.
|