The Importance of Goal Driven Job Checklists

Why don’t things get done in a chiropractic practice – or any professional practice?

It’s rarely laziness. It’s usually just a lack of clarity.

Last week we discussed Accountability — and how it helps grow and sustain a practice.

There is real science behind this, but it is sort of obvious. People perform better when they have something, or someone, giving them feedback!

Like a coach! (Hi! Call me! 🖐️😁)

But in order to be accountable for something, you kinda need to know what it is that you are being accountable for.

That’s where the work activities break down.

We say we want accountability — but we haven’t clearly defined responsibility.

That is why job descriptions matter.

Most of these, the ones I have seen, are so confusing as to be impractical.

A good job description defines what it is that you are responsible for…and why. It defines the purpose of the job, its specific duties, and its outcomes.

And those outcomes…? You can measure them.

With a good job description, a person knows what they are responsible for and they have the stats that shows them how they are doing.

They can be their own manager!

Now the CEO/Clinic Director doesn’t have to police. They get to coach and that’s the culture we want.

Here are the 4 parts of a Goal Driven job description, or what I call a Job Checklists:

1. Purpose of the job.
2. Duties of the job.
3. Outcomes of the job.
4. Statistics (metrics, Key Performance Indicators) of the job.

Here’s a fast example:

= = =

Chiropractic Front Desk Coordinator

Purpose

1. Ensure that patients complete their programs by keeping their appointments.
2. Keep the appointment book full, rescheduled appointments to a minimum, and ensure patient flow is smooth and efficient.

Duties

1. Always answered the phone with a smile.
2. Greeted every patient personally when they entered the office with a smile, by their first/last name, as appropriate.
3. Followed clinic and office policies as outlined in our office manual.
4. Confirmed appointments as necessary for the next day’s schedule.
5. Ensured that all patients had a treatment plan and set multiple schedules off them
6. Ensured that the flow of patients never got jammed or “plugged up.” Got help when needed to “unplug” the flow.
7. Never let patients wait more than 15 minutes.
8. Asked for patient referrals each day.
9. …

Outcomes

1. All patients are scheduled for their appointments
2. All patients keeping their appointments.

Performance Monitors

1. Percentage of Kept Appointments
2. Office Visits

This is a sample, but I am sure it comes close to what your front desk does… or should do.

= = =

Review your job checklist with your team monthly. Improve them and use them for training. You can co-coach each other!

But remember: responsibility comes before accountability.

Help others take responsibility for achieving their goals.

• Define it.
• Measure it.
• Coach it.

And stay Goal Driven.

Ed

P.S.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody

“There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.”

– Charles R. Swindoll