The phrase, “Keep up your scan” as used in aviation refers to paying attention to what is all around you. Look out at the horizon, to your left and to your right, above you and below you. And don’t lose sight of your instrument panel!
Keeping up your scan speaks to a level of awareness that I believe is valuable in any work environment. Have you ever worked with someone who brings a gift of seeing what others don’t see? Who notices a need before being asked for help? Someone who always looks for ways to smooth things out? Someone who sees, and acts on, opportunities to make others more comfortable or to make someone’s work easier? (Click here to learn about “A Team Approach to Whole Health Dentistry”)
How would your practice be different if everyone was 10% better at keeping up their scan?
You may have experienced times when you have had a higher level of awareness, that ability to scan for what is needed. For example, I think of times when the office was closed but we were there to see an emergency. Knowing there was no one else around, I heard and saw things I ordinarily would not have noticed. The temperature in the room. The phone ringing. A door opening. The details of the follow up step needed for that patient. It was as if I had a more finely tuned antenna scanning my environment.
Systems in dental practices do not always support this high level of awareness. Compensation is often based on specific roles. Our schedules are designed in columns representing rooms for which a particular person is responsible. We have a front desk area separate from the clinical area. “Front” people often feel confined to that space, and “back” people may not feel comfortable invading that space, and vice versa.
Even when there is a willingness to support each other, it is sometimes difficult to ask for help. When it comes to stepping in and offering support, I sometimes hear a reluctance to “step on toes” when I work with teams. I often I hear, “Everyone has enough to do with their own job.” I may feel a heavy responsibility to get “my job” done, and I may also be willing to help you with “your job.” What is often missed is an awareness of the whole, an awareness of “our job.”
Keeping up your scan is not about working harder. It’s about making the day more enjoyable for everyone. Breaking free of longstanding habits and structures is not easy, but you can start by focusing on these four practices:
Attention.
The first level of change always starts with self. How self-aware are you? How do you pay attention to the impact of your words and actions on others? Most of us see ourselves as approachable and helpful. But are there any aspects of your behavior that might lead others to hesitate to offer help or ask for help? How is your attention to the needs of others demonstrated? How consciously is it modeled and promoted in your training of new employees? A simple gesture of offering unexpected help to someone on your team sends a powerful message to a new employee.
Acuity.
Visual acuity and auditory acuity refer to a sharpness of the senses. In those times when the office was closed that I referred to earlier I saw and heard things differently. But my experience went beyond my physical senses. I also felt a sharpening of perspective, a clarity about what was needed to interact with my surroundings. As with any sharp “instrument,” our acuity may need honing. Our sense can become dulled by the routine of our daily grind. What do you do as a team to hone your acuity? How do you sharpen your perception of the interconnectedness of what you do every day? One practice I know asks for a “shout out” at the morning meeting about anyone on the team they saw go above and beyond the day before.
Alignment.
Peter Senge in his book, “The Fifth Discipline” described alignment as a quality of individuals in an organization working “as one.” Alignment goes beyond shared purpose and good communication and refers to a sense of flow, a way of working together that transcends language. You may have experienced this sense of flow episodically in your work. Can you recall days when you were short handed but worked seamlessly together to accomplish more than you thought was possible? When no one even had to ask for help, it just showed up when needed? When you exceeded your expectations and went home tired but invigorated? (Click here for more on Alignment)
With intention, you can have more days when you operate in alignment with each other. Learning together is one of the most predictable ways of fostering that sense of alignment. Collaborative learning is not just sitting side by side in a lecture hall, but actively working together to set goals, develop strategies, and solve problems. That process reminds us of who we are as individuals and why we come together as a team. It broadens and sharpens our perspective on what it takes to get the job done. It helps us remember that each of us has our own needs, objectives, and challenges in accomplishing the goals we have set for ourselves.
Application.
Intention is important in this process, but it is not enough. Application refers to the practice of opening your eyes and ears, and your heart. It requires a spirit of generosity. You don’t have to wait for others to apply your learning. You can look around and become more aware of your surroundings. You can offer a patient a blanket, (even if it is not “your” patient.) You can clean up after another employee, close a cupboard door, pick up a piece of trash, or wait patiently, with a smile, for someone who is running behind. You can model doing the little things that have the potential to make a big difference in the culture of your organization.
Can you “keep up your scan?”
