In this final installment of the Chaos Coordinator series, Sydney Robinson breaks down the art of building the ideal tribe—not just a team, but a group of like-minded, mission-driven people who work well together and fit the practice’s culture.
Sydney explains that a successful dental practice isn’t just about skillset—it’s about mindset and alignment. She walks through the key elements of finding, hiring, and retaining the right people by focusing on:
Mission, vision, and core values—Does everyone in your practice know them? Live by them?
Hiring for fit, not just experience—Are you asking the right questions to find the right people?
Job descriptions and operational systems—How clarity in roles creates accountability and efficiency.
Leadership presence and rapport-building—Why great teams start with great leaders who set the tone every day.
Recognition and rewards—Why appreciation is more than pizza Fridays and how to tailor motivation to each individual.
Sydney shares real-life experiences, hilarious hiring mishaps, and key leadership lessons to help office managers attract and retain the best people while fostering a positive, drama-free work culture.
Key Takeaways:
Know your mission, vision, and core values. If your team doesn’t understand the practice’s purpose, how can they align with it?
Hire for personality and values, not just skills. Ask the right questions—not just “What’s your experience?” but “What do you love? What do you value?”
Clarity creates confidence. Clear job descriptions, processes, and expectations empower employees to take initiative and own their roles.
Servant leadership builds trust. Lead with curiosity, empathy, and empowerment instead of micromanagement.
Stop trying to “pay” your team with pizza. People don’t stay for the snacks—they stay where they feel valued.
Recognition should match personality types. Learn your team’s love languages so that praise actually resonates.
Listener Challenge:
✔️ Ask every team member: What is our mission? Can they answer?
✔️ Review your hiring process. Are you attracting the right people, or just filling seats?
✔️ Evaluate your leadership presence. Are you inspiring confidence, or unintentionally causing chaos?
