In the professional world, proper communication counts big. Any manager or physician who wants to rise above the competition has to know communication etiquette, says Canadian etiquette consultant Jay Remer of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. People expect every doctor to know medicine. How they choose a doctor depends on whether they connect with the individual. And what makes the … [Read more...] about Telephone, email, v-mail, meeting new colleagues: how to look like a pro
Your career
How to make a mistake, survive the fallout, and keep the job
A mistake happens. It's serious. It's the manager's fault. Is it survivable? The best of managers make some of the worst mistakes, says Donna Flagg of the Krysalis Group, a New York management, marketing, sales, and training consulting firm. Flagg is also author of "Surviving Dreaded Conversations," a book on how to talk through unpleasant situations at work. Know how to … [Read more...] about How to make a mistake, survive the fallout, and keep the job
Personal vs. professional life: setting boundaries
"Boundary setting is really a huge part of time management," says world-renowned performance psychologist and author Jim Loehr. And, arguably, everyone needs to manage time, that precious commodity, in order to experience and enjoy life to the fullest. Yet, how do you set boundaries between your personal and professional life? In today's world of constant connectivity, is … [Read more...] about Personal vs. professional life: setting boundaries
3 guidelines for building your medical practice’s budget
By Nick Hernandez bio It is once again time for medical practices to be working on their operating budget for the next calendar year. Unfortunately, too few practices actually take the time to create a meaningful budget, instead seeing the endeavor as complex and time-consuming, and usually resulting in something that won’t be used. Creating and following a budget involves … [Read more...] about 3 guidelines for building your medical practice’s budget
‘Dressing for success’ at the office counts far more than you think
Whether the manager is speaking to a group, to the doctors, or to a new patient, looks count, says image consultant Sandy Dumont of The Image Architect in Norfolk, VA. And Dumont backs up her assertion with research – limited research, but research nonetheless. She recently sat in a courtroom "for hours predicting which attorneys would win based on how they looked." And each … [Read more...] about ‘Dressing for success’ at the office counts far more than you think
How to master the art of delegation
When it comes to delegating work to staff, managers rarely hit a happy medium. Instead, they tend to fall at the ends of the spectrum: those who do not delegate enough and those who delegate too much. But by far, it is the under-delegators who are greatest in number. And it is under-delegation that most causes employees to lose interest in their jobs. Lack of delegation is … [Read more...] about How to master the art of delegation
How one irritated patient can start a social media firefight
By Lynne Curry bio Here's the scenario: One of your physicians considers himself "a law unto himself." When an employee or patient protests how he treats them, he wastes no time telling the employee or patient why they are wrong or where to find the exit door. You've tried for years to get this physician to take it easier on people. No such luck. You've begged … [Read more...] about How one irritated patient can start a social media firefight
What we’re overlooking when it comes to time management
By Brady Wilson bio Many times, I've seen business leaders send their employees off to time management courses in the hopes that the training will help increase engagement and productivity. Many times, I've seen those same leaders show bewilderment when the training doesn't seem to have any impact—or worse yet, results in employees being less engaged and less … [Read more...] about What we’re overlooking when it comes to time management
Why your latest management decision failed
When making significant decisions, have you noticed how difficult it is to come to a rational decision, even with a mastery of facts and employing logical thinking? Have you noticed that at every step of the process, there are players who push back, so that even the most obvious decisions become tortured? What's going on here? Did you ignore the social space? According to … [Read more...] about Why your latest management decision failed
Just promoted to office manager? Follow these 9 critical rules to avoid problems managing former friends and colleagues
Getting promoted to office manager can be a mixed blessing. As a former staffer, the new manager comes into the job knowing the good performers, the bad performers, the shortcuts, the troublemakers—and a few secrets. But the former peers also know their new boss, including strengths, weaknesses, and what buttons to push. Along with that, they are wondering how their … [Read more...] about Just promoted to office manager? Follow these 9 critical rules to avoid problems managing former friends and colleagues