Julie H. Weir
President, Weir Dental Practice Management, Ltd.

Performance Reviews: How to Make Them Great!
Learn a powerful leadership tool to improve performance, teamwork and profits

When a dentist knows how to execute an employee performance review, it can become a powerful leadership tool for the dentist, as well as a learning experience for the employee. When delivered appropriately, the evaluation can be just as valuable as a day of training or a continuing education class.

The review creates the perfect setting to share verbal appreciation, to compliment the employee's unique strengths and to coach any behavior that the dentist would like to see changed. Employees want to hear this type of feedback because they like to feel that the dentist values their presence and that they are making a difference in the success of the practice.

Many dentists miss a potentially valuable opportunity to do employee performance reviews because they simply do not have a format to follow or because the process may feel confrontational. It is important to remember that a performance review is an important communications tool and should follow a definite format for success; it is not something that is done "off the cuff" and without preparation. By following the steps listed below, the performance review can become a positive learning experience for both the employee and the dentist.

Time & Place
A performance review should be done annually for employees who have been with the practice more than one year. New employees should be given feedback on their performance once a week for the first month, then at 60 days, 90 days and six months. When given frequent feedback, employees have the chance to become more successful in their job because what is working well and what still needs to be changed has been clearly defined.

Dentists need to treat the review like any other important meeting by setting a date and reserving at least 45 minutes of time. The review should not be put off or rescheduled since this is a significant event on the employee’s calendar.

The meeting itself should take place in a quiet and private room to avoid interruptions and to respect the privacy of the information that is being exchanged. To be less threatening, sit on the same side of a table as the employee during the meeting. Remember, employees who feel safe and relaxed will be more receptive to suggestions and are more likely to give useful feedback.

Have the Empoyees Review Themselves
Weeks before the review date, the dentist should give the employee a review form to evaluate his or hers own performance which is then returned to the dentist. This gives the dentist time to understand what level of performance the employee thinks he or she has demonstrated and how the dentist can best coach the employee in any necessary areas. By exchanging this information ahead of time, it removes the confrontation from the interview because the dentist walks into the meeting knowing exactly what needs to take place.

Taking Performance to the Next Level

By being prepared and knowing exactly what the employees need to do differently in their job performance, the dentist will be more successful with the performance review. Think of the performance review as a “positive coaching” session to help the employees be more successful in their jobs. Remember, the goal of the review is to improve things, not just to enumerate the problems.

Here is an example of what to say and what not to say:
Wrong way: "We’ve got a problem here."
Right way: "I want you to know that I am especially pleased with... Where I would like to see you concentrate for the next few months is...(be very specific on the changes that needs to take place). This is the next level I would like to see you take your performance to... I’m confident that you have the ability to do an outstanding job. Please let me know how I can help you achieve this goal."

When performance changes are requested of an employee, there are three questions that the dentist can ask to get insight into whether or not the employee will be successful. Ask: "Is this a change you want to make?", "Is this a change you think you can make?" and "What kind of help do you need to make this change?"

It may be helpful to set up follow-up meetings to review the progress the employee is making in taking his or her skills to the next level. On-going positive coaching is the best communication tool for helping employees become high performing members of the dental team.

Set Standards
Each job should have understandable benchmarks of acceptable performance and this must be made clear to the employees. For example, the person in charge of collections should be collecting 98+% of production with an accounts receivable to production ratio of 1:1, and not more than 18-25% of the accounts receivable should be over 90 days. If any one of these criteria are not being met, then the employee will know exactly where to concentrate his or her efforts in order to improve.

Documentation
The dentist should document dates, times and information exchanged at all meetings with employees when their job performance is discussed. It is important to refer back to these records in the event that an employee does not accomplish the requested performance improvements. It is also important to summarize the review, put it in writing, give a copy to the employee and have the employee sign off on it.

The review should be considered successful when both the dentist and employee leave the meeting believing that a new level of communication and trust has been established and that the employee’s performance will improve. The fundamental purpose of a performance review is to improve the employee’s performance, which will lead to a better functioning dental team, decreased stress and increased profits.