Practicing leadership leads to greater freedom and personal satisfaction. Along with greater freedom and personal satisfaction comes greater responsibility. Key attributes involved with demonstrating leadership and self management in the dental workplace include:
- Maintaining high expectations of self and others.
- Modeling consistency and follow-through.
- Acknowledgement and correction of mistakes.
- Acting honestly and responsibly when dealing with issues and concerns.
- Accepting personal responsibility for ones conduct and influence on the workplace.
The acceptance of personal responsibility for ones conduct and influence on the workplace has a very real and very powerful impact on the overall success of a dental practice. This influence in and of itself can hold a practice back or propel a practice forward.
These attributes contribute value to the dental workplace and cannot be dictated as a condition of employment. They are learned and are most powerful when aspired to for their own intrinsic value.
"The most dangerous myth about leadership is that leaders are born. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born."
Warren Bennis