The Art of Promoting Leaders in Dentistry: Why Your Top Performers May Not Be Your Best Managers
In the dental field, as with many other professions, it's common to reward top performers with promotions. On the surface, this makes sense. After all, if someone is excellent at their current job, why wouldn't they excel in a role with more responsibility? However, the transition from an individual contributor, such as a dental hygienist, to a managerial role like a Hygiene Director isn't always smooth sailing. In this blog post, we'll delve into why your top individual contributors may not necessarily be the best choices for leadership positions and what you can do to make smarter promotion decisions.
The Star Performer Paradox
The first thing to note is the "Star Performer Paradox"—the assumption that top performers in one role will automatically succeed in another, more senior role. The skills required to excel as a dental hygienist—such as technical proficiency, attention to detail, and patient care—aren't the same as those needed to excel as a Hygiene Director, which may include skills like leadership, management, and strategic thinking.
Imagine a CEO telling a newly promoted Hygiene Director, "I want you to go out and create more of you." While the individual might have been stellar in their previous role, the competencies needed for successful leadership could be entirely different.
Define the Role First
Before even considering who to promote, you should have a clear understanding of the role you're looking to fill. Creating an "avatar" or profile of the ideal candidate can be a helpful exercise. Think through the tasks this person will handle and the skills required to execute them well. Skills might include:
Team Leadership
Communication
Conflict Resolution
Strategic Thinking
Financial Management
Qualities to Look for in a Leader
Leadership Skills: Can they inspire and guide a team? Leadership requires the ability to mobilize others towards a common goal, something not typically required in individual contributor roles.
Effective Communication: Good leaders must be able to clearly communicate ideas, give and receive feedback, and create an open dialogue with their team.
Adaptability: The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and develop new skills on the fly is crucial for any managerial role.
Conflict Resolution: Leaders often find themselves in the middle of conflicts—both professional and personal. The ability to manage these conflicts effectively is a must.
Empathy: Leadership requires a deep understanding of human behavior and emotions. Empathy can help a leader understand the nuances of team dynamics and individual performance.
Promoting someone to a leadership role is a significant step, one that should not be taken lightly. I speak from personal experience. I once promoted a top-performing dental hygienist into a leadership role, fully expecting them to thrive as they had in their clinical duties. However, the transition was anything but smooth. This individual struggled with the new set of responsibilities, and it had a cascading effect. Not only did their performance suffer, but their confidence took a hit, diminishing their overall enthusiasm and affecting the morale of the entire organization.
The experience served as a lesson in the complexities of promoting within. While it may be tempting to reward your top performers with promotions, it's crucial to consider whether they have the necessary skills to be effective in their new role. By clearly defining the role and carefully evaluating candidates based on the skills required, you can increase the likelihood of successful promotions, thereby strengthening your organization as a whole.