I understand that it’s mid-February but I’d like to officially wish all the dedicated readers of Oral Health a Happy New Year! If you read the previous editorial in our January issue, we welcomed a new Editorial Advisory Board Member to our team, Dr. James Yacyshyn. I offered him the opportunity to write the first editorial of the new year to introduce himself to the Oral Health community. The team at Oral Health is extremely excited to work closely with Dr. Yacyshyn on all things related to practice management in dentistry. That being said, my first editorial of 2019 should express my excitement of a fresh start to a new year.
When thinking about starting a new year, resolutions come to mind. The year is coming to an end and we automatically convince ourselves to make resolutions that can positively improve our overall happiness. Warning: more than half of all resolutions fail. What we might sometimes forget is that resolutions need to be reasonable and attainable – not based on what someone else or society is telling you to change, or perhaps said failure is simply based on not having a realistic plan for achievement. Picking the right resolution gives us the best shot at successfully achieving our goals.
I’ll admit, my 2018 resolution failed hard. So, for 2019, my resolution is to focus on how to take initiative in the workplace and actually make it happen.
Think about this for a minute. Has an idea ever popped into your head while at work but you quickly second guessed it? I’ll admit that this has definitely happened to me during meetings, and I’m sure I’m not alone on this one. When you’re sitting among highly-educated, experienced and qualified peers who know just what to say and how to say it when pitching an idea, it can be a bit discouraging. And sometimes, when we take notice to such confidence, we begin to question our own. When we give in to the comparison game, we easily start to doubt who we are and what we are capable of.
My solution? When I have an idea that I believe can positively impact myself or my team, I immediately write it down in detail. Some of the greatest ideas could have been left lifeless because of neglecting to create a plan of execution. Of course, we have to do our homework and make sure the idea is feasible and beneficial, but it’s okay to ask for help or suggestions on figuring out what it takes to put the plan in action.
When you wear multiple hats at the office, you can easily feel the pressure to employ every skill set in order to accomplish goals. But remember, you don’t have to do it all. Learning to identify our own strengths and weaknesses is essential, and will ultimately assist in asking for help. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: one person’s weakness is another person’s strength. One step of this resolution for myself is to not be scared to express my ideas and be open to collaboration on the execution. Remember that there is strength in numbers.
Don’t let your ideas, or your employees’ ideas, fall between the cracks – they deserve to be heard. What if their ideas could evoke the change your office needs? The year is yours. Take action.
