Archives for December 2020

Manage well at work to have a harmonious day

Summer Lotus Dec 13th 4 min read

There are days that are just mad. The clients came together and they needed their solutions. Today was one such day. Whatever mood they came in with, as health providers, we should never lose our cool.

First patient A came with a denture that could not be used and it had been redone somewhere before. The fact that she had been deprived of food for a period of time did not put her in a good mood.

Meanwhile, another senior patient B trooped into the clinic on time and wanted to be seen immediately. A’s appointment time had cut into B’s and B was turned off by the fact that she had to fill in some digital form for registration records.

Patient C who was known to be impatient was on the way. Immediately we texted her to make her know that there will be some delay.

The dental assistants’ nerves were frayed by now as they felt the tensions arose.

All hell would break loose if things did not calm down. That was nothing serious but emotions were riding high.

As the dentist and leader, I needed to resolve the situation amicably.

We explained to patient A about the denture being not fitting in the first place so we did some adjustments as accurately as possible and sent her away for 25 minutes to test some food with the denture. She may not need a new one so she would save some money.

Patient B was immediately attended to and we took off the digital stress by registering for her and let her put her signature on the tablet. Subsequently, her most urgent problem which was the painful tooth was attended to without hesitation.

A comprehensive diagnosis with X-ray, medication, and treatment was instituted and she was also shown other potential problems which she needed to come again to have fixed and the problem reviewed. She went away happily.

Patient C, who was a stickler for time, was delayed for 10 minutes but was expectedly calm, apparently also helped by the soothing music of the clinic.

We duly apologized and treated her as well as presented a small toothpaste sample as a token of appreciation for her understanding and patience.

Patient A came back to say that the adjusted denture fared better but needed to redo.

Now, with time for an exact diagnosis and a clear mind, I explained to her why her situation was a difficult case – thin, sharp bony ridges that could not withstand masticatory forces, and undercuts that make relief necessary for the new denture.

She was pacified and was not angry with dentists anymore. Then, we proceeded to take impressions for a new denture with specific instructions to make relief for ridges to prevent over-compression.

The day may continue this way with subsequent patients and they are not uncommon on most days. But we always cope well.

Dental pain is one of the most excruciating pains to be experienced by the human body.

My Strategy for a smooth-running practice-

1 Stay calm. – Greet the customer with a smile as they have lost theirs. Settle them nicely and do what is most relevant first – Relieve pain, give anesthetic if necessary, prescribe medications. Only when pain is controlled are they open to discussion. A little wait would help to calm everyone down.

2 Good communication — -There are no shortcuts. It can allay any misunderstanding.

Explaining the causes, effects, treatment, and prognosis in the simplest manner and terms would make the patient more receptive and understanding of her condition. Then prognosis, options, costs, and consent should be made known succinctly.

3 Music is the balm to the soul. In the surgery, the selection of calming music has proven to not only relax the working staff but have put some patients to sleep with their mouths open!

4 Review as an after-service – This step tends to overlooked but it is very significant. Many patients expressed satisfaction that clinic staff would contact them following minor surgery, a procedure to relieve pain like a root canal, or any general complaint. This is the X factor that would stand one out from other clinics and is the last good impression that sticks!

A dental Clinic is the last place anyone wants to visit. Having a good strategy to manage the day to day challenges can make the dental career a fulfilling one.

In any case, the steps listed here – Stay calm, good communication, the use of appropriate soothing music, and after service follow-up are good tips that any business could deploy to make their business amiable for both customers and staff.

Working happily in thirty-plus years of private practice

Summer Lotus Dec 12th  4 min read

The aim of any business is not only about profitability but also a happy working environment. Having operated a dental surgery for more than 30 years, we would like to share what has worked for us in our group practice.

My views on running a smooth practice may be applied to any business.

The morning always starts with everyone greeting each other. The expectations are positive – it’s going to be another great day and the countenance on everyone’s face reflects this.

The following are some steps worth noting;

1. Pay your bills on time — This is based on the simple principle “ Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you” — Confucius.

We believe that cash flow is what keeps an organization going strong. Just as we do not like others to default or delay their payments, we should not delay payments to staff, suppliers, and other contractors.

This builds reliability and trust. When in need of some help urgently, you bet that they would be there for you in a jiffy. We have good relationships with dental suppliers and laboratories that stretch to thirty years and there has been a 99.5% satisfaction in the delivery of products and services.

Paying vendors asap is not only good practice but saves time as there is no need to post cheques or purchase stamps. Moreover, the look on the sales personnel‘s face who always lights up upon receipt of the payment on delivery is priceless.

The same applies to staff who should be paid by end of the month, period. Reward staff where it is justified regardless of the Covid-19 situation. It should be based on the performance of the business and not the economy that affects some sectors.

2 Never scold others — -There is a Chinese saying that goes “To others be forgiving, to self be strict”. No one is perfect and people are bound to make mistakes from which they can learn to do better.

When someone commits a mistake, he or she already feels embarrassed or even distressed. Pointing out the mistakes further would compound her bad feelings and highlight them to others would put a damper on the relationship. Instead focus immediately on what was the best way the situation could have been handled and let it pass.

Provide solutions not add to the problems. If everyone ‘forgives’ others for their mistakes and makes sure they themselves try not to commit any makes a very favorable working environment.

The leader of my assisting team is a compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, and experienced staff who makes the training of younger and new staff a pleasant experience.

Any small misunderstandings are often nipped in the buds and not allowed to fester.

3 Have a sense of humor —Smile always, laugh often. Life has many stresses and dental surgery is undoubtedly the last place any customer likes to come to. Watching the staff going about their job daily, brisk and blithe, connecting well with each other is the most pleasing sight to behold.

Extending a warm welcome, being gentle, understanding, and patient in handling customers give them reasons to choose us among the intense competition in the industry.

We aim to make sure every customer comes into the dental surgery relaxed and leaves feeling happy that he or she had made the right choice.

4 Good communication with colleagues — The role of each person is clear and teamwork is highly valued. We encourage each person to take pride in her job; catch her doing right and praise her. If she is wrong, then rectify gently.

Our culture of always saying thank you to each other and patients, apologizing where needed is a natural behavior. Of course, using “please” when requesting favors. The significance of these words is underrated but is the lubricant in the smooth running of the business.

Good communication when it comes to talking about work details as well as explaining to patients which involves diagnosis, treatment planning, consent, the prognosis of treatment as well as costs has served us well over the years.

In conclusion, the above steps taken have been proven to work in our practice and we feel strongly that the same principles and philosophy can be applied to other businesses.

Striving for harmony and happiness at the workplace is worth the effort and makes working life more meaningful and enjoyable.

This is the common denominator of successful people

Summer Lotus Dec 11 · 5 min read

It was Lao Tzu who said, ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Yet, that single step for some people is so difficult to embark on and I was one of them. Being out of the comfort zone is not the natural thing to do.

This is because I am very deterred by unfamiliar territory. Experience has told me that once this initial step is taken, you have overcome the first hurdle and would certainly meet more bumps along the way. The journey is never smooth but you need to persist to reach your goals.

How does one get started?

1. Set a goal — Know what you want to achieve. Be as specific as possible. Ask yourself what skill would you like to develop？What product would you like to sell? What job would you like to do? Is that what you are really passionate about?
2. Take action — You need to find out more about your goals through reading, asking questions, having a mentor. In today’s world, you have unlimited access to knowledge because of the internet. You may even learn on your own or get tutored online. Gather as much information as possible to find out if that is really what you want.

3 Dive into it — Make a commitment, tell a friend, or to everyone if you want to up your stress level a little because a vow is a powerful motivator to yourself. Put a down payment for the lesson, and show up for the learning.

4 Be enthusiastic — -You are upskilling yourself. Anything you do, you will excel in it with time. No one becomes proficient over a short period. Every new thing you learn is an eye-opener and if you do it well, it makes your life far more interesting. If you do not, don’t be disheartened. Look for alternatives and learn more about it from people better than you.

Once, I checked with a sushi chef and he said it took up to 7 years to become highly skilled. To major in anything can take up to 3 to 5 years. You have to start.

5 Expect difficulties — All things are difficult before they become easy. The road to success is paved with frustrations, criticisms, and obstacles. Yet along the way, the small successes are gratifying and encouraging. The peak seems to be in sight but be ready for more stumbling blocks which become easily surmountable due to practice.

I would like to draw from two personal experiences.

1 About Writing

I am interested in writing because it improves my language, thinking, and my business. I want to write good content because Content is king in today’s connected world and this will lead to an increase in business in the following ways;

1 Content informs the customers. An informed customer is more likely to be a paying one.

2 Good content increases your ranking with Google so that when customers search for information, your company is likely to be found.

3 It makes your company look very professional and even a leader in the industry.

4 It improves your communication skills.

5 Chance of a second career which is Covid-19 proof

It was very difficult when I first started. I stared at the blank paper for hours, went walking around the estate, break the silence with telephone conversations, or sip a coffee. I knew that the blank paper was brimming with potential.

I needed to get started. The first step was to mull an idea. Then I collected more ideas related to the first one and think of how it would benefit me. I also gathered evidence by listening to other people’s stories and did some research online.

Finally, I put them on paper. I wrote that first line then another and another. When I had a mass of words, I organized them like a speech.

We should use whatever we have learned at Toastmasters to apply them to writing. We are already equipped at Toastmasters in creating good content and language so writing should not be a problem.

When it is done, look through again and make sure that there is an important message to impart. Repeat and soon writing becomes a habit.

I still struggled with writing but I am glad to say that because I took that first step and started practicing, my fastest piece of the article was written in a day and I hope to keep it that way.

2 Developing website building skills.

This was another unchartered territory for me. Anything related to IT these days seems important. Websites and blogs are gaining popularity and I wanted a website to log my articles. Any blog may also be converted into an e-commerce site.

For a dentist familiar only with dentistry, it was a steep learning curve. I committed enthusiastically by signing up for a course.

The course turned out to be difficult for me but it seemed to be a breeze for my younger classmates. I documented every step on paper while they typed into their laptops. Most of them came up with beautiful and functional websites and e-commerce sites but I achieved none.

A few disparaging remarks did not deter me. The road to success is always paved with nails and I just needed to wear thicker boots. Painstakingly, I did my homework every session which saw my weekends burned several times.

Fortunately, there is a telegram chat group where we can post questions and receive technical support from instructors and fellow students. I finally completed my website though my e-commerce site left much to be desired. I manage to procure two clients where I created two simple corporate websites that met their needs and recouped my IT fees.

The feeling — elated, delighted, excited!

The learning would not stop there as we know challenges will surface again when society and the world changes. Hence, I need to step out again.

In summary, take that first step to achieve your goals.

Set your goal, take action, dive into it, be enthusiastic, and expect difficulties.

If it does not turn out, repeat. If it does, repeat.

Two important quotes come to my mind;

The secret of getting ahead is getting started — Mark Twain

‘Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall’— Confucius.

Don’t let every incident frazzles you.

Summer Lotus Dec 4 4 min read

What sustains me through some ups and downs that some people see as stress, I credit it to my ability to stay calm and logical.

Just a simple case in point. Today, I found that my wallet went missing. It contained all my credit cards, teller machine cards, cash, and other small items.

In the past, I used to go into a frenzy. Maybe, it is due to the wisdom acquired with age, I have clearer thinking. But I like to say that ever since I started writing, it has made my thoughts crystal clear. I ruminate, ponder, and analyze more these days. The Key is never to panic.

My rationale goes this way. I have set notifications on my mobile. If anyone used any of my credit cards, I would be notified immediately and I can call the banks to stop any further transactions.

Secondly, I had twice unknowingly locked the wallet in my office’s cabinet so it might be there again. There is no hurry to rush down to the office on a public holiday ( this is hard to come by)to know that there is a 99% chance of my wallet sitting safely in the cupboard.

Thirdly, as I would be home the whole day, there is no necessity to retrieve my wallet. It would be a good test of faith in my rational thinking, a test of my patience to sit out this small mental drama, and a chance to stop doing any unnecessary shopping.

Actually, the most essential test was that I wanted to see if I am able to remain peaceful throughout today till the next morning when I report for work. It is good training for me as I am not exactly a very relaxed person.

My goal is to make sure that nothing jitters me in life, not even death. Everything will be OK. If it is not Ok, then I shall deal with it as it comes.

Supposing that I could not find my wallet. My next step would be to inform the banks, suspend the cards, which is a troublesome thing to do but then it is necessary if I want to prevent any fraud. It would take up much time but that would teach me a lesson never to be mindless again.

Case 2

A family member had gotten so highly strung and I diagnosed it as Covid-19 related stress.

What does one expect if you are always keeping track of the infection cases and death rates most of your waking moments? One fear led to another. The election in the US has kept many in suspense around the world.

He fretted about both scenarios. Now that Donald Trump is clearly out, there was the fear of big riots by his die-hard supporters which is highly unlikely in the first world country.

If he wins, there would be fear of a really disastrous four years ahead. If Biden wins, there is a fear that his work would be made difficult by the Republicans and the economy would go down anyway.

He also voiced that the vaccine and possible effects despite the positive declaration. The world is going to the dogs.

This filters down to the people in the family because everyone has to bear with the negativity. It is pervasive through many families as I found out.

Meanwhile, I shall keep my cool. By sharing more animal memes to make everyone laugh. I also like to share jokes that make people laugh in chat groups.

By not forgetting the bliss that surrounds us every day and feeling grateful. By indulging in stuff good for the senses such as music and the arts and spreading these ideas around.

By rendering help in any small way we can to people who have been disadvantaged in this crisis.

But let us not lose our cool.

This is because many things are not in our control. We must do what we need to do to prevent the spread of the virus. To be encouraging and be supportive of others in their struggles. Meanwhile, time wheezed past and one would wonder what we could have done with the time that had gone by when the world becomes normal again and I believe that it would.

“ What consumes your mind, controls your life” — unknown quote.

Being mindful of this will improve your working relationships

Summer Lotus Dec 3 4 min read

Have you ever been caught in a situation where you rendered help and thought that you would be appreciated in some way? In the office, for instance, you preempt an event in which you felt that you have ‘saved’ your colleague or your boss from hassle or even embarrassment but it turns out that you have messed up their lives, so to speak.

There are no words coined for this manner of action, but basically, you have acted beyond your authority or you have poked your nose too far into the matter, ordinarily speaking.

A case in point

Let me raise an example but the names have been changed. Alice was an executive assistant in a media office. Her scope of work was defined for her and she knew that she was confined to administration, reports, and the handling of public relations.

Despite a flawless performance, she was expecting a promotion and instead received a rude shock when she was transferred to another department to a secondary role in another section of the company. It amounted to a demotion.

Alice was greatly demoralized and could not fathom how this had happened to her. She concluded it as a case of jealousy and sought to clarify the matter.

Apparently, she had treaded on unwelcome territory. She had gone beyond her work to take things into her hands giving the impression that she called the shots and that had displeased the leader who ranked above her.

In her enthusiasm to prove that she was an outstanding worker, she had overstepped the boundaries confusing the staff below her, who thought that the instructions came from the top. Being close to the ‘boss’ also made her privy to many classified matters and leaking them unintentionally was the most taboo thing to do.

This eagerness to ‘serve’ had made her a thorn in the side of those who had the authority to carry out. Not conferring what she wanted to do with her boss made it worse. Hence she was removed.

Lesson derived

There is a Chinese saying, “ Do not plant on other’s land and cut their crops”. By doing so, it is an intrusion on people’s private matters, a lack of respect to the person concerned, and is seen as an attempt to toot one’s horn. It is a sure way to displease and antagonize others. The outcome was a strained relationship and unhappiness though the intentions were noble from the start.

A subordinate must always be mindful not to overstep his boundary. He can excel in his scope of work but never overtake other’s duty especially the boss’ obligations! And without consultation to boot. It may even be labeled as ‘busybody’ in the Asian context.

The reverse scenario could happen. A leader has handed some tasks to his subordinate to carry out. I have heard of situations where the task was redelegated to someone else without giving the first person a chance. This showed a lack of trust and respect for the earlier subordinate and was discouraging and demoralizing.

It did not boost the subordinate’s morale and may even have broken his self-confidence. In some cases, resignation may follow and that reflected on his boss’s poor leadership skills.

Ways to deal with overstepping one’s authority.

1. Be aware of your role. Every corporation or organization has a hierarchy that may be clearly stated or blurred. The onus is on each to find out your specific roles and excel in them.
2. Open communication — Whether it is superior or subordinate, any form of trespass should be forgiven and an honest discussion should ensue. Sometimes, it is just an oversight or a misunderstanding. Do not let ill feelings fester.
3. Commend — As a superior, if a subordinate had gone beyond his authority, it could be seen as a pure, noble intention to do good. The superior could make it known that this is the one-off case and never allow such precedent to be set to confuse fellow colleagues about roles unless otherwise stated. If it is a good job done, he should be complemented but still not encourage to override again. It is best to seek consultation with the person in charge first.
4. Power-up — Should the subordinate often experience being bypassed for his task, it could be due to the insecurity of the superior regarding the delivery of his work. The subordinate should summon the courage to speak amicably to his superior and assure him of his commitment and responsibility. The expectation should be met.

Conclusion

Unpleasantness at the office will always be there. The bigger the organization, the more ‘trespassing’ is expected as people are all different. Some people are result-oriented and neglected the human aspect of getting a job done more efficiently. Office harmony boils down to faith, trust, humility, sensitivity, and mutual respect. Yes, it is a whole list of ‘to be’ for a harmonious working relationship but it works.

You can clinch that job or that deal!

Summer Lotus Dec 2  4 min read

We always hear the expression, “ First Impression Counts!” It is exactly this adage that we need to look into its credibility. In psychology, the first impression is the image a person gives to another interacting for the first time. It is very variable as it depends on the observer and the observed.

According to a Harvard study, it takes only seven seconds before you are being sized up by another person. People make quick decisions but we can overcome if we know how first impressions could impact us.

The first impression is important for the following reasons;

1. It may prejudice you against someone else narrowing the chance of wanting to know your or the other person further and depriving the former or latter of further interaction.
2. The impression is long-lasting and takes a long time to change. This is due to the primacy effect which means that when someone experiences something before others in a sequence, they are more likely to remember the first things. A positive one leads to social cohesion, a negative one leads to bias and prejudice.
3. It determines your success in your future dealings with the person concerned. It affects whether you get that job, clinch the deal, or successfully woo the person to be your business partner.

What factors help first impressions?

There is a wide range of characteristics based on physical appearance, race, culture, age, gender, language, accent, posture, voice, manner, etc. As we cannot control the preferences of the person who meets us and is in the position to determine our fate such as providing us employment or giving us their business or even agreeing to engage us further, the onus is on our attitude and how we conduct ourselves.

Be Cognizant of the points listed;

1 Be on time — The worst thing to happen at the first meeting is to arrive late and have to start the meeting by apologizing and giving your reasons. It only comes across as an excuse and shows that one is not reliable.

2 Physical appearance — One need not be decked out in a fine suit or expensive clothes but an appropriate outfit for the occasion that borders on semi-casual or more on the side of an office attire may be less distracting. The effect should be neat.

3 Demeanour — How you conduct yourself is paramount. A smile, a cheerful greeting, a good posture, and a firm handshake (not for the Covid-19 period) will immediately engage the other party. You exude confidence. A simple self-introduction followed by being invited to settle down for the chat is next.

Remain calm and collected as this will lead to a more natural conversation. Maintain eye-contact, not to the point of staring to show interest and listen carefully to the other party. Listening is more important than talking as that will help you decipher how you can meet the other party’s expectations. The person being listened to eventually would want to hear your story and this is when you should speak with clarity and relevance.

4 Do your homework — -If you are there for business matters, you should have gathered some knowledge about the company, its products, and services, and mulled over what you can offer them. Here is your scoring moment. Your knowledge, experience, and past contributions should be readily organized before the meeting.

5 Be aware of the other party’s non-verbal communication — — The person you are speaking to may have allotted a certain time frame for the meeting so be mindful of any signals that he or she may need to go. This shows consideration and acumen, a valuable trait in a negotiator.

6 Last Impression Counts! — -This is your last chance to make your good impression stick due to the recency effect where people tend to remember the last things (recency effect). So, before you leave, you may want to reinforce briefly what benefits you could bring to the company and reassure them of your commitment. A handshake, smile, and a sincere thank you would be a good parting.

7 Post-meeting follow-up

After the meeting, it would be very wise to send a message of thanks through the email which also serves as a reminder of your discussion. This seals the first impression as well as leaves a lasting impression one more time.

Conclusion

Never be discouraged. No news means that one has to work harder. Expect great competition in today’s world. Reflect on what could be improved so that you can move on to the next opportunity with more confidence. We can only get better with experience and practice!

*You may want to power-up your impressions by knowing about primacy