Nine Medical Practice Team-building Activities

Nine Medical Practice Team-building ActivitiesPublished on Physicians Practice (http://www.physicianspractice.com)Nine Medical Practice Team-building ActivitiesOctober 07, 2013 | Staff [1], Managers Administrators [2], Training [3]By Marisa Torrieri [4] andAubrey Westgate [5]Get your staff motivated to work hard and succeed with these great activities.Source: Physicians Practice1. Launch "game week." Love those old, classic board games like "Sorry!"? Healthcare consultantand former practice nurse Audrey "Christie" McLaughlin suggests having a "game week" where staffgets to play different games and set up tournament brackets. Play time can be at lunch breaks, andwinners can play each other on Friday for the championship. "This really gets people talking to eachother outside of their normal zone of interaction, creates bonding, and [fosters] healthycompetition," she says.2. Race together. Competition is exciting and can be fun, too. So why not gather a few brave soulsto compete in a local, athletic challenge? Some good ones include the Susan G. Komen Race forthe Cure (held in more than a dozen locations throughout the country), or the Warrior Dash, arace/obstacle course where teams wade through mud, trudge up hills, and even jump over fire tovictory (and there are free beers).3. Find neutral ground. Get outside and try something new, suggests P.J. Cloud-Moulds, owner ofconsulting firm Turnaround Medical AR Recovery. "For instance, living in San Diego, we take peopleout on our sailboat and put them to work," she says. "Staff can learn how to hoist the mainsheet bypointing the boat into the wind, steer the boat, tack or jibe the boat, and have an overall sense ofcontribution. Afterwards, we have some hors d'oeuvres and I have them help with that, too. It's a funday to relax and not be a front-office person, a physician, a nurse, [or] a biller."4. Engage in professional development seminars. Everyone has something they need or wantto work on, whether it's time management or improving social skills. Invite staff to participate in anonline seminar during their lunch hour, or attend a talk held by a great motivational speaker. Yourstaff will improve their own knowledge base — in addition to acquiring skills that could improveoperations.5. Volunteer. Close the office for a day and as a team, volunteer for disaster relief efforts, Habitatfor Humanity, a local soup kitchen, or similar type program, says human resource and practicemanagement expert Bob Levoy. "In addition to giving back to your community, volunteer activitiesoutside the office can help build teamwork, morale, and give employees the opportunity to feel goodabout themselves," he says. "They'll also think more of you."6. Establish an employee-recognition program. McLaughlin recommends instituting a "ShiningStar Award" or other form of recognition to get the goodwill flowing. "Get the staff vote on it viasecret ballot, and then award a star pin for the winning employee's name badge, a gift certificate tothe local coffee shop or a drink at the local drive-in restaurant, or even an up-close parking spot,"says McLaughlin. "The cost is far less important than the recognition."7. Get to know each other. Medical Group Management Association consultant Rosemarie Nelsonuses a simple tool to "humanize" interactions with groups. "I ask each person to write downsomething that no one else in the practice knows about themselves," says Nelson, adding thatwhatever they write down has to be about them, not their kids/spouse/etc. "Then I distribute eachpiece of paper to someone different in the group. I ask the group, 'Who thinks they have the mostunusual note?' I ask this a few times and each time each person shares the paper they received byreading it out loud, and the 'owners' reveal themselves. It generates a lot of 'I didn't know that aboutyou and helps the team appreciate other aspects of each other which fosters more interest in eachother and ... more teamwork."Page 1 of 2

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)Nine Medical Practice Team-building ActivitiesPublished on Physicians Practice (http://www.physicianspractice.com)8. Implement theme days. Have staff build team spirit by declaring certain days "theme days"(such as superhero day during which everyone dresses up in costume). "After the first theme week,have one theme day a month," says McLaughlin. "Staff and patients will smile at the interpretationsand staff will work together to plan and encourage each other."9. Hold meetings. If staff is kept in the loop about what's going on in your practice, it helps themrelax, and it helps eliminate petty jealousies and paranoia, says Carol Stryker, founder ofHouston-based medical practice consulting firm Symbiotic Solutions. In addition, when staff hearsabout the problems that other folks are facing during staff meetings, it builds empathy andunderstanding.Marisa Torrieri is an associate editor for Physicians Practice. She can be reached atmarisa.torrieri@ubm.com.Aubrey Westgate is an associate editor for Physicians Practice. She can be reached ataubrey.westgate@ubm.com.This article originally appeared in the October 2013 issue of Physicians Practice.Source URL: http://www.physicianspractice.com/staff/nine-medical-practice-team-building-activitiesLinks:[1] http://www.physicianspractice.com/staff[2] http://www.physicianspractice.com/managers-administrators[3] http://www.physicianspractice.com/training[4] http://www.physicianspractice.com/authors/marisa-torrieri[5] http://www.physicianspractice.com/authors/aubrey-westgatePage 2 of 2