The other day I was speaking to my daughter on the phone and as I usually do, asked her what she was up to today. "LAUNDRY!" she blurted out, like it was a dirty word. When I asked her why her sister (who she lives with) was not helping her with this chore, she said, "Yea, right! She doesn't even know how to do it." My obvious response was, "well, teach her!"
It dawned on me that this is what happens many times in our offices. We end up doing things ourselves because we (doctors, managers AND co-workers) don't take the time to adequately "train" an employee, whether right at the onset when things are new to them, or later on to teach them something new. Why is that? Do we think we are the only ones that can do it right? Do we think the "process" of training takes too much time or is a waste of our time?
The idea is NOT to overwork ourselves, but to delegate the jobs, so that everyone has a fairly equal share of responsibilities. They can do it and they can do it well, but only if someone takes the time to teach them how! If the time is not available during patient hours, make time before or after hours.
Have your staff come in early one morning a week (WITH pay) and teach them how to do some duties that will make your jobs easier and allow the office to run more efficiently. If my daughter took the time to say to her sister, "Ok, it's time you learned how to do laundry" and took her by the hand and walked her through the process," she'd not be stressing over always having to do the job herself. So, do yourself a BIG favor and share the load. Delegate those duties that will take some of the pressure off you, so you're time can be spent doing more productive things or maybe even things you enjoy!
The proper way to train them?
- Demonstrate and Explain the procedure
- HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY you want it done a certain way
- Make them ask questions (and verbalize their understanding of procedure back to you)
- Observe them as they do it (and correct them where necessary, again explaining why)
- Once you are convinced they can do the job well, allow them to go solo; monitor (but don't micromanage) their work.
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