S5 Episode 3: Correcting Without Criticizing — The Leadership Art of Coaching with Kindness

In this episode of Inside Dentistry Support, leaders learn the crucial skill of correcting behavior without criticizing. Addressing the balance between accountability and kindness, the episode emphasizes the importance of guidance over condemnation. Listeners are taught to identify early signs of issues and approach difficult conversations with empathy. The 'Three C Method'—Context, Clarity, and Collaboration—is introduced as a key framework for addressing performance issues. The episode stresses the significance of tone in communication and the impact of handling corrections on team culture and loyalty. Leaders are reminded to correct with care, aiming to be the kind of leader they would want to report to.

Transcript

   📍 Hey leaders. Welcome back to Inside Dentistry Support. You are listening to season five, episode three, and today we're talking about something. Every leader has to master how to correct without criticizing in our culture, accountability matters, but so does kindness. So, this episode is going to give you a framework for how to coach your team in a way that builds them instead of breaking them.

So, let's get right into it. Here's what we know. People don't respond well to shame. They shut down, they disappear, they disengage. But when people feel seen, understood, and supported, they grow. And that's what leadership at Dentistry Support is all about growth through guidance. So, you're gonna learn when to step in.

When you're leading, you're watching for missed metrics. You're watching for silent communication, meaning group chats are empty, people aren't really following up, they're not answering your questions, you're looking for late check-ins. You are looking for incomplete tasks. You're looking for poor attitude in our chats, you're looking for clients who aren't getting responded to, you are not waiting until it's a fire.

You're learning to step in when it's still a spark. So, I wanna talk about learning that leadership isn't just trying to catch somebody up, but these things I just mentioned are little signals, little flags that you can look for because they will spark into something much bigger if you don't watch for them while they are small.

Let's walk through what to say and what not to say. So instead of saying something like, why can't you get this right? You always do blank. We've been over this blank. Those are emotionally loaded phrases, and they create a defense. So instead, I want you to practice saying something like, hey, I noticed something is off.

Can we talk about it? Or let's look at what happened and figure out how to fix it together or help me understand what's been going on. This isn't your usual standard. These, open the door without putting up a wall. So here is some coaching framework for you. This is called the three C method. 

Use this Anytime you are correcting behavior or performance context. Start by setting a safe tone. I want to talk to you about this because I believe in your ability to succeed here. Now they don't think they're getting fired. They're not on the defense. They realize that you are here for them. Clarity, address the issue directly without fluff.

This is hard, especially in the cultures that I notice are here at Dentistry Support. We love our people, and we are so scared of offending, but we have to get to the point you were two hours late checking in. You were two hours late checking in three times this week, and we missed communication with the office as a result of this.

Or we are behind on working our aging reports. We have 400 claims that have not been worked and an entire month. This isn't your usual response. This isn't how I usually see you work, collaborate. Invite them to help solve the problem. What's been going on lately? How can I support you in getting back on track when they answer that question?

That's your time to make really smart goals. You're gonna learn about smart goals in other leadership episodes but learn to make things time bound and specific. What specifically do they need your support on? How do you have different accountability measures? How is it realistic?

How is it time bound in a virtual space? Your tone carries extra weight. Here's how to protect conversations. Never correct in a group chat. Go one-on-one. Use voice or video when tone matters. Don't rely on text. Don't just message someone and message someone and message someone. I have been guilty of this.

Document the conversation professionally but lead the conversation personally. Follow up with encouragement a quick, you did great fixing that today. That can shift the whole trajectory of how that team member views you. Remember when you are correct, you are shaping more than performance. You are shaping culture.

The way you handle those hard conversations either opens doors or closes hearts. It either creates loyalty or resentment. And here's what I want every leader at dentistry support to know you were chosen to lead, and not because you are perfect, but because you care deeply and you are willing to do the hard things the right way.

So, correct quickly, but always with care. Be the kind of leader you would want to report to. I'll 📍 see you guys on the next episode.