Don't Ride Practice Energy - Drive It!

You walk into your practice on Monday morning and, immediately, the energy feels off. Your front desk is stressed about the schedule. Your hygienist is grumbling about a difficult patient from Friday. The whole team seems to be operating at half-speed.

So, what do you do? Do you absorb that negative energy and let it dictate your day? Or do you actively shift the temperature? Are you the thermometer or the thermostat?

Reading vs. Setting the Temperature

Being a thermometer feels natural. You sense the team’s frustration after a difficult morning, so you get frustrated too. Your hygienist is stressed about a no-show, so you stress about it too. The receptionist is having a rough day, so you absorb that energy and carry it with you.

You’re reading the room perfectly—but you’re not changing anything. You’re just reflecting whatever temperature is already there.

Being a thermostat means you feel that same stress, that same frustration, but you don’t let it control the environment. Instead, you actively adjust. You bring calm to chaos. You offer solutions instead of matching problems. You set the tone instead of following it.

Sense the Temperature; Set the Tone

If your practice temperature isn’t where you want it, stop reading the thermometer and start adjusting the thermostat. Do things like:
• Set the tone. Your energy in the morning huddle becomes everyone’s energy for the day. Walk in with intention, not reaction.
• Address the temperature. Notice stress building? Call a quick team check-in. Energy feeling flat? Acknowledge it and shift gears.
• Don’t match the room—change it. When everyone’s frustrated, you become the calm. When everyone’s disengaged, you bring the energy.

The Thermostat Mindset

Great leaders understand that team culture doesn’t just happen—it’s set intentionally. You’re not at the mercy of Monday morning moods or Friday afternoon fatigue. You’re the one who decides what temperature your practice operates at. Stop being a thermometer; start being a thermostat!