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977: Why Your Team Doesn't “Get It” and How to Fix That Fast – Jenni Poulos

You feel like your team just doesn't “get it”. But maybe it’s you, the leader, that isn't getting it! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Jenni Poulos, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to reveal the two skills you need to build an aligned and committed team. Saying something once isn't communication! To learn how to inspire your team just by being clear, listen to Episode 977 of The Best Practices Show!

 

 

Learn More About Jenni:

Learn More About ACT Dental:

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

Episode Resources:

Main Takeaways:

  • Alignment starts with the leader.
  • Get aligned on what alignment really means.
  • Create consistent communication rhythms to stay aligned.
  • Repeat, repeat, repeat. Repetition builds predictability and trust.
  • Telling your team something once doesn't count as communication.
  • Clear is kind. Focus on being clear — not being nice — with your team.
  • Stories are powerful. Use them, whenever possible, to spread your message.

Quotes:

“We oftentimes get so caught up in, ‘I want to be a good leader. I want to be a kind leader,’ and that can lead to us stepping away from constructive criticism or little bits of conflict or hard conversations. We think we're being nice by not having the important conversations that we need to have when, in reality, the nicest thing that you can do is to be completely upfront, honest, and clear with your team, because then you're setting the expectations that they can follow and you're creating an environment in which everyone can thrive.” (2:04—2:42) -Jenni

“We need everyone speaking the same language and telling the same story. We need to be rowing in the same direction. And alignment isn't something that's accidental. We breed alignment through clarity, through repetition, and through consistent leadership rhythms. It's how everybody understands the “why”. If we aren't aligned as leaders, we won't be aligned as a team, and we won't be moving in the same direction. Oftentimes, leaders tell me like, ‘We're aligned. It's the team that doesn't get it. They don't get it.’ I hear this over, and over, and over again. And I will often ask, ‘Who is the one common denominator in all of the “theys”?’ It's never the team members. It's always the leader. They are the common denominator. It's like, ‘They're not aligned with me.’ No — you're not creating clarity with your team and your leadership team in order to build that alignment where everyone understands what's expected and how to get there.” (3:38—4:40) -Jenni

“We're not looking for consensus, and you won't get it. It's not even really possible to get consensus outside of a few people in a room. I'll tell you, our team is just like your team. We have to work through things and struggle with them. A few team meetings ago, we actually went through an exercise where we said, ‘What does alignment mean to everyone? Let's get aligned on what the word “alignment” means so we can make sure that the language that we're using as we're trying to drive these common behaviors and beliefs, everyone is on the same page. And if you're using some language, ‘Are we aligned? Are we aligned? You need to get aligned,’ what does your team think that is?” (5:37—6:16) -Jenni

“If you're uncertain if people understand what you're saying, ask the question if they are. Am I clear? Are we on the same page? What did you hear? After a conversation, ‘Let me know what you heard. Let me know what you understood from that,’ because if they don't know or they can't give it back to you, now you have somewhere to build from and you can say, ‘Oh, gosh. I see now we're not speaking the same language. We don't think this means the same thing.’ So, one thing you can start doing today is say, ‘What did you hear?’ Ask the question if people understand.” (6:34—7:07) -Jenni

“Repetition is not boring — it's branding behavior. It's that drumbeat that you need where I'm consistently communicating the same thing over and over again because, really, what happens is it ends up fostering trust on your team. It creates predictability. I know what to expect. When days are unpredictable — it's hard for me to trust when I don't know what to expect, when I don't know what the rules are, and when I don't know what the boundaries are.” (8:42—9:11) -Jenni

“You have to remember, as a leader, telling your team once isn't communication. It might be an announcement. True communication is consistency, rhythm, and predictability. We actually have more respect for people that we know what to expect. That psychological safety is so incredibly important in a world that's incredibly dynamic.” (10:04—10:27) -Kirk

“There's a compounding effect to the repetition of your messaging. Over time, it's going to amplify them. So, we coach people often that when you see something good, you've got to compliment it. When you want something to happen, you've got to say it over, and over, and over again. Over time, that message that you're repeating is going to become embedded into your culture and it's going to create a ripple effect. Really, what you want is the story that you're telling, the words that you're using, to be repeated when you're not in the room. That's what we're going for. When you are so consistent and the team begins to have this trust that, ‘I can speak for my leader because I know the answer. I know what he believes. I know what we believe,’ you're winning.” (11:00—11:47) -Jenni

“Speaking of stories, stories are so impactful. When possible, use stories to spread your message. Use stories to communicate. Data tells us that story is 22 times more memorable than fact alone. So, as the chief repeating officer, as the leader, when you can, use storytelling to bring your visions to life. Share patient success stories. Reflect on your mission. Talk about these stories with your kids. Say like, ‘Paint the picture for me.’ When people can see it, hear it, and feel it, they'll remember it.” (13:32—14:06) -Jenni

“Remember, your team wants to get it. If you're hiring by core values, if you're doing all of these things, you're surrounded by people that want to get it. If they can't hear it, feel it, or see it, they can't get it. Alignment starts with you. Be the chief repeating officer with your leadership team. Be really clear on what is important to you and repeat it over, and over, and over. With clarity comes communication and accountability. Your team will transform. You will move from this compliant team to this committed and aligned team.” (18:02—18:36) -Jenni

“Something for you to do in your next team meeting: ask each person to describe in their own words, what does success look like for the practice? Find out if you're aligned on where you're going. If the answers don't align, you have a conversation to start. And think, nine different answers from nine different people. You don't have alignment, but you've got a lot of opportunity there because you know where you are.” (18:37—18:59) -Jenni

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:08 Why this is an important topic.

1:48 Clear is kind.

3:31 The importance of alignment.

8:32 Repetition builds trust and predictability.

10:46 Repetition amplifies influence.

13:08 Use stories to spread your message.

17:58 Final takeaways.

19:10 ACT’s BPA and resources.
ACT Dental Team

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