9 Things Your Team Wants To Hear From You

Ever feel like leading your team is a bit like herding cats during a thunderstorm? One minute you’re the confident captain at the helm, and the next you’re wondering if anyone even read your last group me message. Leadership in a dental practice isn’t about perfection — it’s about direction. Your team doesn’t need you to have all the answers; they need to know you have a plan (and that it’s not changing every five minutes).

This one’s for the leaders who want to stop putting out fires and start lighting a path. If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “Why can’t they just do it?” —  Let’s talk about what real leadership looks like when you mix a little clarity, a little courage, and a whole lot of consistency.

“Here’s What We’re Doing!” 

Yes, collaboration matters — but there’s a time to take a vote, and a time to grab the steering wheel. Your team needs direction, not a daily group therapy session about “how everyone feels” about the schedule.

If you’re indecisive, your team will smell it faster than leftover tuna in the breakroom. Be clear, be confident, and be ready to say no when something doesn’t line up with your core values or vision.

"This Is The Situation" 

Let’s be real — if you don’t tell your team what’s happening, they’ll make it up. And their version will include aliens, secret agendas, and “I heard from so-and-so…”

Keep your people in the loop. Even if you don’t have all the answers yet, be the kind of leader who communicates something. Silence creates anxiety (and gossip).

"What Do You Need From Me?"

Your team isn’t psychic. If you want them to win, you’ve got to ask what they need. This tells them two things:

1. You actually care about them as humans.

2. You want them to succeed — for real.

And when you’ve got a clear direction, you can better use everyone’s strengths. If someone isn’t performing, find out why instead of assuming they’re lazy. (Spoiler: they might just be stuck, not stubborn.)

"Tell Me More…" (No, Really)

Listening isn’t a “case acceptance trick.” It’s a leadership skill. Talk less. Listen more.
Your silence says, “I care about what you think.”

If your team hesitates to share ideas, invite them directly. Or better yet, pause awkwardly until someone does — works every time.

"Remember Our Core Values And Vision"

You’re the CRO — Chief Repeating Officer.
If your team forgets the vision, that’s on you. You can’t drop one inspiring quote in January and expect everyone to still feel it in March.

It takes about seven repetitions for a message to stick. So yes, you’ll sound like a broken record. That’s leadership.

"I Trust You" (Do You?)

If you don’t trust your team, ask yourself — is it their issue, or yours?
If you assume everyone’s trying to get one over on you, that’s not leadership — that’s paranoia.

You’ve got to trust their integrity, judgment, and heart. If someone truly breaks that trust? Cut the cord. Keeping them “because it’s hard to hire right now” costs way more than letting them go.

"You Can Count On Me"

Trust goes both ways. If your team can’t rely on you, why should they let you lead?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say.
Tell them you’ve got their back — and then prove it.

"We Can Do Better"

Here’s the tricky part: believing in your team even when they don’t believe in themselves.
Yes, celebrate the wins — but don’t sugarcoat it when someone’s underperforming. Hold them (and yourself) accountable.

Confidence is contagious. So is complacency. Choose wisely.

"Let’s Celebrate!" 🎉

Take time to recognize wins — big or small — without the usual caveats like:

• “Well, it was a good week, but…”

• “We only hit goal because of that big case…”

• “We did great, but we still have a long way to go…”

Nope. Just celebrate. Period.
And while you’re at it — cheer for personal milestones too. Life happens outside the practice, and great culture recognizes both.