Some of my best memories of being an office manager involved morning meetings, otherwise known as a “huddle” – although I refer to this as a meeting as it better reflects the purpose. I was constantly thinking about ideas to spice things up and every day I was preparing for the next morning. I used to gulp coffee as soon as the alarm went off, listen to loud and fun music in the car, and rehearse important points I didn’t want to forget.

I am going to tell you the story of a colleague that made a serious professional mistake, one that almost cost her a career. Mistakes, errors, flubs, oversights, whatever word you use…. they happen everywhere, even in the dental office. We are imperfect and emotional human beings, and we have to remember that, if and when the time comes to face the music.

Standard Operating Procedures (aka SOPs) go far beyond your employee office manual and job descriptions. You need them to establish office guidelines and acceptable practices, and act as a permanent “to-do” list for everyone…

Turnover is inevitable. It is something that we have to accept as part of owning and running a business and no industry is immune. There are thousands of studies about the financial impact of having to replace employees, not to mention the stress it places on the team. I’ve put together a list of tips that will help you keep your sanity and increase your chances of finding the right person for the job.