Anatomy of Team Meetings: How to Dance Differently to the Same Music

Learn how Dr. Farmer structures his team meetings.

Dr. Eric Farmer dives into the structure of his practice’s team meetings, exploring what works and what doesn’t.

by Dr. Eric Farmer

Learn how Dr. Farmer structures his team meetings.An Inside Look at My Practice’s Meetings

We have a morning huddle every morning. It’s short, sweet and to the point. During the meeting, we go over the schedule, specific patients’ needs and discuss good places to fit in emergencies.

I do not lead this meeting. I act as a casual observer or I don’t even attend at all. One approach I’ve found useful is ensuring there are agreements in place that this is a time for setting a tone for the day rather than “visiting.”

In addition to our morning huddles, we do a lunch type of meeting every month to 6 weeks to concentrate on one topic or to discuss things we need to dial in better.

Overall, one of the most effective methods we use is dividing up responsibilities between team members and delegating projects or idea solicitations from the team rather than me.

The Value of Dancing to the Same Music

The value of the team meeting is that we are all dancing to the same music.

There may be some who two-step, and some that tango, and it’s okay that we all have different styles so long as we are on the same verse of the song. My goal is to set my team free to accomplish what needs to be done in the best way that fits each individual team member’s talents.

If I schedule a meeting for corrective reasons I have found it really does not work with my skills. I can set protocols or go over a new policy, but if there is insufficient time for questions and answers then it tends to lead to small groups of the team getting together and amplifying a situation.

In light of this, I try to do some things as a team and then check in with folks individually as well.

How do you structure team meetings in your practice? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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