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Professional News Articles : FRONT DESK by Mary M. Byers, CAE : Problem Solving 101

Problem Solving 101

February 27, 2007

The ability to solve problems is a highly valued job skill in today's economy. In a dental practice, troubleshooters earn the gratitude of patients and the appreciation of employers. Here's how to enhance your own problem-solving skills:

When a problem is presented, make sure you understand it fully. Consultant Peter Drucker notes that “there is nothing so useless as doing with great efficiency that which should not be done at all.” In other words, make sure you understand the problem before you try to solve it so that you know you're tackling the right thing. This saves times and makes it easier to determine what your next step should be.

Identify any additional information you need. Take a minute to ask yourself what you don't know about the problem that you need to know. Then, make a plan to secure the missing information. The more you know—or the more you know you don't know—the easier it will be to hone in on possible solutions.

Ask questions. If you're working with a patient who's unhappy, ask what he or she hopes to gain as a result of the resolution. You may assume the patient is expecting a refund when really all he or she wants is an apology. Questions help clarify a situation and enable you to get the information you need in order to solve a problem.

Brainstorm potential solutions. Come up with as many resolutions as possible. The more ideas you have, the more likely you'll find one that's satisfactory.

Rank the solutions. Ranking forces you to identify which solutions are the best—and which are not workable at all.

Confer. Once you've identified potential solutions, talk to others in your practice to get their feedback. Get the blessing of the office manager or the dentist you work for if necessary before deciding on a solution. If a patient is involved, get his or her feedback before finalizing your decision.

Identify policy or system weaknesses. If the problem you're solving is a recurring one, it may be time to create a new system or policy in order to prevent it from happening again in the future. Look for patterns in your troubleshooting. Are there similarities in the problems you're solving? Are they limited to one area of the practice? Or are all related to one person? Patterns will help alert you to policy, system, or staff weaknesses that need attention.

Communicate with other staff members. If you're giving a refund, put a note in the patient file and alert the office manager and other staff members who need to know. If you develop a new policy or system, be sure to let staff members know how it affects them and what changes they'll need to make in how they do things.

See problems as puzzles to be solved rather than irritations. Approaching a problem with a “can do” attitude increases the chance that you'll solve it efficiently and effectively. When you do, your stock as a problem solver will rise considerably—both in your own mind and that of your employer.

As they say, practice makes perfect. The more you practice the above, the better your troubleshooting skills will be.

CDS presents Front Desk, a column addressing problems dentists and staff members experience in the office. Front Desk is prepared by Mary M. Byers, CAE, a professional speaker and freelance writer. Ms. Byers may be reached at mbyers@marybyers.com or www.marybyers.com. Send suggestions for topics to be covered to review@cds.org.

Copyright 2007, Chicago Dental Society