This month The Mindset Expert explores how to manage differing opinions amongst staff and patients.
Many dentists will admit that the most difficult aspect of their job is managing patient expectations, directing staff and working alongside individuals with different opinions.
When it goes right, it makes the job feel amazing and super rewarding. But when it goes wrong, it can create a very uncomfortable atmosphere.
The trick is to know the people around you well enough to adapt your behaviour around them. It’s also important to have the confidence to address any issues directly.
Friction in the practice
Say you are clashing with a colleague in practice and feel you have to avoid them to prevent conflict. Maybe you believe your principal is putting unrealistic demands on you. Or perhaps you feel that your dental nurse is not as dedicated as you to ensuring exceptional clinical standards.
If you are the business owner, you could also find yourself in a heated discussion with a staff member a little too often.
Alternatively, maybe you have patients that you find difficult to talk to and who you can’t seem to connect with.
We have all been there and some friction is also a fact of life. But on-going discord can make your life miserable.
We’ve all experienced the kind of tension that makes a room go awkwardly quiet… It doesn’t take much of this to then cause you to lose confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Sweeping issues under the rug and looking the other way is not an option.
There are enough stresses in life without adding strained relationships among peers or patients. There is therefore a better way.
Adapting your mindset
We can reduce a lot of this animosity simply by adapting your mindset.
If difficult relationships in the practice are holding you back, it’s time to remove the barriers. The goal is to spend 80% of your day in a positive mental state.
If your interactions with others are stopping this, there are ways to help you achieve this.
There are several models out there that attempt to categorise personalities according to specific traits. The idea is that we can characterise people by qualities like openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism etc.
In turn this suggests how they are likely to think and act.
There are sources out there suggesting that we can group 90% of the world population into four areas – optimistic, pessimistic, trusting and envious.
When I think about my own journey, I recognise a change from pessimistic to optimistic traits in myself. This is ultimately what I want to help others do too.
Taking a proactive approach
Everyone is on their own journey. So we have to be mindful that the difficult people in our lives are facing their own barriers.
As the adage goes, be the change you want to see in the world. Use this as an opportunity for personal growth and change your mindset.
This will then have a massive impact on relationships with the people around you.
Take a proactive approach. Look for practical solutions. Be confident but measured and you will find a solution.
Now, I appreciate that difficult people in your life are just one reason why you might be feeling down right now. But it’s still an important one to address.
Join me next month when we look at some other things that can impact your mental health.
Read previous Mindset Expert columns:
- Is growth in dentistry directly linked to happiness?
Find out more at www.mahmoodmawjee.com.
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