Thinking about creating a leadership team for your practice? A leadership team allows individuals to play a greater role in shaping your practice’s growth and vision, while relieving stress for the practice owner by distributing leadership responsibilities. It also creates growth opportunities for clinicians and administrators to advance their skills and careers.
When creating a leadership team, keep in mind what roles need to be filled and how you can create growth opportunities tailored to each team member. Be sure to create roles that align with each person’s strengths and nurture their existing skills.
If this all seems overwhelming, don’t worry. Here are some tips to help you start building the leadership team of your dreams:
Be Clear With Job Titles
Job titles should be clear and descriptive from the start. This will help potential candidates understand what the job entails and if they have the skills and experience needed. Clear titles benefit both your practice and the individual leader by supporting their long-term career prospects. If a leader’s title doesn’t accurately reflect their responsibilities, it could hurt their future job prospects.
For example, if someone is responsible for client satisfaction, instead of calling them a “Director of Happiness and Success”, it would be better to use a more straightforward title such as “Director of Client Success”. When you are clear with job titles for your leadership team, it makes it easier for potential candidates to understand the role and responsibilities of the position. With the right job titles, you can attract the right candidates for each position.
Here are some common job titles within group practices:
- Supervisor/Clinical Lead: This role is responsible for overseeing the clinical operations of the practice. This includes supervising staff, offering clinical guidance, and ensuring compliance with applicable standards and regulations. The supervisor/clinical lead should have a strong understanding of the practice’s clinical protocols and be able to provide guidance and support to staff.
- Clinical Director: This role is responsible for setting the overall vision and direction of the practice. Clinical directors should have a deep understanding of the practice’s clinical protocols and be able to provide guidance and support to the supervisor/clinical lead. They should be able to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to ensure the practice is meeting its goals.
- Administrator: This role is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the practice. This includes managing staff, overseeing billing and payments, and ensuring compliance with regulations and standards. The administrator should have a strong understanding of the practice’s policies and procedures and be able to provide guidance and support to staff.
- Practice Manager: This role is responsible for overseeing the financial operations of the practice. This includes managing budgets, tracking expenses, and ensuring the financial health of the practice. The practice manager should have a strong understanding of the practice’s financials and be able to provide guidance and support to staff.
- Business Development Manager: This role is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with external partners and stakeholders. This includes identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, developing and executing marketing strategies, and building relationships with referral sources. The business development manager should have a strong understanding of the practice’s mission and be able to provide guidance and support to staff.
Clarify Leadership Roles Early
It is important to take the time to clarify leadership roles early on in the process. Make sure each leader’s title accurately reflects their responsibilities. This helps create a more efficient workflow and can help to prevent any misunderstandings or confusion. A well-defined leadership team fosters clearer communication and smoother operations.
If you already have a leadership team, take the time to evaluate your existing team and consider if any roles need to be redefined or clarified. This can prevent the team from becoming intermingled and stepping on each other’s toes.
Shift Roles When Needed
As your business grows, it’s important to recognize that leadership roles may need to evolve. Take time to evaluate your current structure and consider whether new positions are needed to fill any gaps or lighten the load.
This becomes especially important as your business grows, since leadership roles often need to evolve alongside that growth. For example, when a practice is small, the clinical lead may be responsible for all of the clinical and leadership tasks. However, as your practice scales, the role of the clinical lead may need to shift in order to focus on specific tasks, and additional leadership positions may need to be created to handle the increased workload. This helps ensure each responsibility gets the focused attention it deserves.
Overall, creating a leadership team can be a great way to grow your practice and take some stress off your plate as a group practice owner. It also creates growth opportunities for your team members and distributes decision-making, so you’re not carrying it all alone. With the right leadership team in place, you are on your way to building a successful practice with ease.
