Summer Fun = Summer Productivity

Bethany’s dad, Dr. Jones, is back!! In this episode, he and Bethany discuss the importance of recognizing that restless energy and even apathy that some team members experience in the summer months. It is hard to stay focused on work when we really want to play. Yet, the summer months can often be productive months for the practice IF we have a team that is focused and willing to work hard. Dr. Jones shares some of the small but significant things he has done with and for his team to create the feeling of fun. By incorporating small and simple moments of fun, team members can scratch the itch of summer fun while still being present and productive for the practice. If you need to have a productive summer, you can’t miss this episode!  

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting: 

Staying Motivated Thru 2024 

What to Do When I Just Don’t Care 

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Transcript

Are you looking for a podcast where you can hear from real people regarding
0:06
their real dental drama? If so, then you've come to the right place. Join
0:11
hosts Bethany Penny and Dr. Reena Kuba as we dive into the solutions we've
0:17
created and the mistakes we've made while managing dental drama. Let's get started. Welcome back,
0:25
Dad. Thanks for inviting me. back by not by popular demand this time, but by Kuba
0:31
threatening that if we do not record while you're here, then she's going to be off the show. So, that's a pretty
0:38
serious threat. Better honor that. It's so nice to have
0:44
be in your office as opposed to a car or your closet. Yeah, we actually have nice comfy chairs
0:50
and and hopefully some rain will come through uh on the mic because it sounds
0:55
beautiful up here. So, right. So, I've got a topic for you today. The monthly
1:01
digest is out and um in it I talk about this feeling that we kind of get in
1:09
summertime where we're just kind of it's a restless energy. We want to be out
1:14
doing stuff, going, vacationing. I get this a lot with team members when I'm in
1:20
offices like they're just their mind isn't necessarily in the office like they they're thinking about other
1:26
things. And so I feel like you've always done such a good job of incorporating
1:31
fun into the practice in various ways, just little bitty things and big things,
1:37
too. So, I thought I'm going to pick your brain on what can practices or teams do to still keep that fun kind of
1:45
going through the summer, maybe even in a different way so that it still feels exciting to come to work and then when
1:52
we're at home, we're thinking about vacations and water parks and all of that. So, tell me your initial thoughts
1:57
on this. Well, I think when you asked me this, I thought I'm probably not the
2:03
right person any longer to be asking that question. U because the older I've gotten and and
2:10
it's all perspective too because I'm thinking we're having fun. Yeah. Maybe
2:15
they're like I'll be glad when this day is is over. So I think it's a matter of perspective too. But I think one of in
2:24
thinking about that most of our fun at our office resol revolves around food.
2:30
Food. I was thinking the same thing. We are she's uh your mother will say every
2:38
month as she looks through the bills, how many times are you guys eaten this month? How many times have you been to
2:45
Walmart to buy stuff for these women? So for us a lot of times um like some
2:51
mornings I will make parfets for them. Yeah. And so that is kind of a a fun thing.
2:59
And but then it does revolve around food a lot. Like it may be a corn dog day
3:05
from Sonic. It doesn't doesn't have to be big. But I'm fortunate now that the
3:12
team we're with, the team that we have now, they all really like each other.
3:18
Yeah. So for us, I think it's a fun day for them. Yeah.
3:24
cuz we're not too serious. And um and they just enjoy being together and they
3:30
plan stuff or know this is very productive. If we're like have a slack period. Yeah.
3:37
Maybe one of our ladies likes to do eyelashes. Yeah. So they'll if we've got
3:44
15 minutes, she'll go in there and put in some eyelashes on one of one of them. Yes. Even one of them pierced ears the
3:52
other day. Uhuh. Huh. So everything is, you know, every team has a different
3:58
dynamic. It's easy when everybody likes each other. Yeah. And this this is the first
4:04
time that I've really had a team that really they all like each other and and we may have spoken about this. They
4:10
enjoy spending time together away from the office, which I've never had before. It's like, you know, I don't want to see
4:17
you again once we leave at 5:00. So for us it's easy, but for a team that's not
4:27
you're not that that lucky, I'm open to some ideas because really I
4:33
think as I've aged I I think less less about fun. Yeah. Well, and it could be
4:40
too that you're naturally it's happening without you having to foster it, so to
4:46
speak. Yeah. We have a We just have a few people that really have fun laughs.
4:53
Yeah. Um so Caitlyn over in hygiene, one of the hygieneists, you can just hear her laughing all day. And we'll just if
5:00
I'm with one of the assistants and we're we'll just look up at each other and just smile. Yeah. Don't you just love
5:05
that? Cuz it is just just brightens the day. Oh my gosh. It's fun. Yeah. So, it's
5:12
having it's allowing the people on your team that already have that fun, vibrant personality, giving them the freedom to
5:19
have laughter and intermittent little, you know, the the challenge is um it it
5:27
I'm just fortunate enough uh to not take myself seriously and I
5:34
was just born with this kind of lighthearted. Yeah. But if you're not born that way, like when I went to work
5:42
for my uncle and we talked about this, you know, my personality drove him crazy, so he fired me, you know. So,
5:50
it's just it's just that I was lucky to born be born with this, but if you aren't born with that,
5:58
it's going to be a challenge and drive you crazy. So you have to you have to
6:03
weigh the the lightheartedness. What's the value for a
6:09
practice? How does it help us all feel? I think it releases a lot
6:15
of chemicals that just that make it easier to work. Yeah. But if you're not
6:22
wired that way, it's going to you have to almost fight for it. Yeah. Because
6:27
you feel like, oh, we're not being productive, right? It's like that's a that's a takes away from the
6:33
productivity. Yeah. When I feel like and I feel confident that you would say yes
6:38
to this that you feel like that's actually enhanced the productivity through the years. I think so too and
6:44
and just releases the uh or reduces some of the stress our patients feel. Yeah.
6:50
Because it's not so serious. And so I don't know. I think it's just
6:57
been a benefit. But again, that's just a lucky thing that I was born that way and
7:04
and other my personality attracted those people or I was just fortunate enough to
7:09
get people that are kind of the right mix. The right mix. Yeah. But the
7:14
challenge for your listeners is if you're if you're not wired that way, can
7:19
I see the value in Yeah. having some fun? Yeah. Well, and it and it may just
7:25
be a a mental mindset like I have to choose to see that fun is a part of
7:31
productivity that it doesn't take away from it. Now, there's always a line like
7:36
if we're if the whole day is spent doing eyelashes, okay, that's, you know, that's not productive. But a 15-minute
7:44
downtime when we've had a really great morning and allowing your team to have a little bit of fun with that um to me is
7:52
it adds to the ability to continue through the end of the day. But I'll be honest. I mean, I I have to even though
8:00
I I'm bit that way, I still have to rein myself in
8:06
because they're doing this and I'm and and I'm thinking, could you not be doing
8:12
something else? Could you like be on the phone and call some of our patients? And
8:19
so there is a I still have that struggle. Yeah, it's a and occasionally it gets surfaces, you know, and then I'm
8:28
sorry because I'm a juror. So, I understand I understand that.
8:34
Yeah. But fortunately, we pretty much stay on uh production our production
8:40
goals. But if if we're a little behind, that's when you feel it. I'm less fun.
8:47
And they will tell you that I'm less fun. because I will um we have headsets,
8:53
you know, so we but on those days where I'm like feeling like we need to be more
8:59
productive, I'm up at the front all the time saying, "Hey, y'all call, you know, what about this? What about I drive them
9:06
crazy." So, so it behooves them to have a busy schedule. Yeah. Yeah. So, so they
9:12
know that that I can I'm fun and I like for them to have fun, but underlying it
9:19
all is we've got to be productive. Yeah. And if we're behind production for the
9:25
month Yeah. I get there's a different tone. Oh, yeah. But I feel like that's fair, too. It's almost like when the job
9:32
is done, let's have fun. When the job is not done, then we have a job to do.
9:37
I feel like that's a fair expectation. You gota have a balance in in there.
9:43
Yeah. So, no, as I'm sitting here thinking, no, I'm I'm not all fun and I'm not always okay with it. It just
9:51
depends on where we are. Yeah. How productive we are,
9:56
what that specific day looks like. And that's a dayby-day thing. Yeah. Um, one
10:02
of the things that I was chuckling about as I was thinking about this topic is you and the team were on a waffle kick
10:09
for a while. Is that what y'all are making? Waffles every morning. Breakfast for them every morning. Pancakes or
10:16
waffles? I haven't done that. It seems like I kind of wore that out. They were
10:21
tired of the pancakes and waffles. So now they are on, believe it or not. Um,
10:27
great value breakfast meals. You get Walmart. They're like a buck something, you know,
10:34
it's an egg, sausage, or whatever. So they they go through phases phases,
10:40
which is probably good because you probably go through phases. There's only so many waffles and pancakes you can make till you're tired of it. I want a
10:46
cereal kick for a while, so I had cereal for them. So I like to get them started on a sugar
10:53
high in the morning. But again, I think it's it sounds, you
10:59
know, extreme to some. You're like, "Oh my gosh, breakfast every morning." But also, it does have the element of fun.
11:05
Yeah. because it's like something to look forward to. You don't have to think about breakfast. We're able to snack
11:10
during the morning huddle and kind of make it feel more social because there's a breakfast that's been provided. So, it
11:17
is that little element of fun. And I think you've got the personality that can handle that level of fun throughout
11:23
the whole year. We've got our other plenty of dentists out there that are like, "Oh my gosh, I might be able to do
11:29
that a week." Yeah. And but still, right? Yeah. Even if that's just, hey, the Fourth of July week, we work three
11:35
days and I'm going to feed y'all breakfast those three days. That's a little something extra for teams to look
11:41
forward to. It doesn't have to be as extreme as I'm doing. And I'm at a
11:48
different phase, too, you know. Yeah. 70 be 74 this year.
11:54
So, your younger guys can't imagine Yeah. this young. Yes. What is wrong
12:01
with you? You've just lost it, man. But I Your wife your mother feels that way.
12:08
She's like, "What's wrong with you? What are you doing with these women? You're spoiling them." But again, that creates an environment
12:14
that you have now, which is fun there. There's enough social in it that they've gotten to know each other in that way
12:20
and they enjoy that. So, I do think there's a benefit to it. sustainability for somebody that's not your personality
12:27
type or in your phase of life. It may not be the the case, but that's a great way to Yeah. And I like to like with the
12:34
what I liked about the waffle and pancake thing and the parfets is there is an element of service in that as
12:41
well. You know, you're about to enter into a day where they're serving you and trying to help you um you know, take
12:48
care of these patients. And so it almost like starts the day on a I'm going to take care of you first. And so I'm in
12:55
there early at the office whipping up waffles and pancakes. Um Dr. Coop and I
13:02
chat about this some because she's very much a fantastic gift person. She's so
13:09
thoughtful and just I'm always like, how did she think of that? just one little thing that she's heard heard and
13:16
listened and and so she's very much very intentional with what she does with her
13:21
team and she says the same thing. They do little parties throughout the year, a
13:27
Valentine's, you know, potluck or something like that. And so she was talking with her associate and
13:34
encouraged him to bring something. He's like, "Oh yeah, I'll pick up some cookies." She's like,
13:39
"No, you make those cookies." Because there's something about my doctor put in
13:46
this effort. And same thing goes with the waffles and pancakes. My doctor's here early
13:51
whipping up these waffles and pancakes, even if it's just for a week. Yeah. It's like that's speaks beyond fun. It's
13:59
service as well, which I think is a good way to start the day. So, yeah, they
14:04
they seem to to like it. Yeah. not expect it. That's the problem. That's
14:09
why maybe making it short term is Yeah. Like maybe for your guys maybe one day a week or once a month or
14:18
um can you think of So food is kind of the central for you guys. Um I know
14:23
y'all do things outside of the office as well. Can you give us a few things that
14:29
y'all have done? So, um, like we have a a good water park at our little town.
14:36
So, go to the water park as an office. Yeah.
14:42
Um, most of it has been we'll do restaurants. Yeah. I don't know why it
14:48
is. It's food. It's food. The crazy thing is it's food, but like
14:54
three or four of our our ladies are on the shot for weight loss.
15:00
And they're like, "Doc, you're not helping me at all. You're
15:06
counterproductive." Like, "I'm sorry, but not sorry." Yeah. So, so really I
15:12
am. Well, and y'all had lost. This spring y'all did some or maybe it was
15:18
summer or something at the farm. Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. We did have um a big
15:24
cookout. Yeah. And a really big cookout. And I forgot the
15:29
reasoning, but I can't remember what it was. We came out and we cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for them. That's
15:35
right. Yeah. Which that was again something that it was it was I think
15:42
relatively simple. It's off, you know, it's away from the practice. Uh y'all have some land that's about 15 minutes
15:49
from the practice, little farm. And so getting the team away from the office,
15:54
out in nature with their mates. We get to see their husbands and their kids that we don't normally. So, yeah, that
16:02
was fun. And then this fall, I'm sending them off to some concert. Oh, cool. They
16:07
all wanted to go to a concert and I said, "Well, let me just buy it for you." Yeah. So, they talked about that
16:13
for a month. Oh, we're so glad. You know, Yeah. Yeah. So, just little little
16:19
things. So, if you can just find out what they like, like most of our office
16:24
really likes music and concerts. Yeah. Not something I would go to, right? At
16:31
all. But I'm glad to send to send them. Yeah. So, like Dr. Kuba does, if you can
16:37
just find what's special to them. Right. Right. And then even thinking about that
16:44
because again I think there's this restlessness with summer where teams team members at the end of the day if
16:51
they could just be off all summer and play that's what they would choose to do is honestly what I gather as I'm
16:58
talking. We're programmed that way from school because we were off all summer.
17:04
Yeah. So it I think our memories those are some of their fondest memories now.
17:10
So, if we could just be off all summer, I'd be a kid again. Yeah. And then we think about, you know, a lot of our team
17:18
members are parents have kids, their kids are off for the summer, so they're,
17:23
you know, planning stuff for their kids and trying to keep their kids entertained. And so, I I do think it's a
17:28
difficult time for team members to be focused focused and energetic. That
17:35
energy is going towards other things during summer. And so to me, it's like,
17:41
how can we just do a little things to make work feel fun? And it could be breakfast. It could be we plan this
17:48
cookout and we're thinking about that or we've heard of something that the team
17:53
wanted to do or is interested in and we're planning that. Um, sometimes if the doctor himself or
18:00
herself is not naturally good at social gift giving, things like that,
18:07
they may have to lean into a team member that's good at it and go, "Hey, how can we incorporate some fun this summer? You
18:14
you've got great ideas. Give me a few." Um, and even help having that point
18:19
person be the executor of that because a lot of times if they can't even think of a good idea, they're not good
18:26
implementers of that good idea. Um, so it may just be tagging in a team member.
18:32
Well, and now that you mentioned that, Amanda is really great at that because
18:40
all of a sudden she's just really good at there will be gifts. Yeah.
18:46
that she just purchased on Amazon. Yeah. And it's something
18:51
like recently it was a a little battery pack that would attach to your phone to
18:58
give you extra power. So, she's just coming up with stuff like that or Bed Bath and Beyond.
19:06
Yeah. So, not expensive stuff, but it's just the little treat that they seem so
19:12
excited about. So, it doesn't take much and doesn't take a lot of lot of money. Yeah. To just make that person, I'm
19:19
thinking about you. Yeah. I think that's the key thing. And and even something simple like that. I love that idea
19:26
because it's she's thinking of little things that would benefit everybody. But maybe it's the dog days of summer gifts,
19:34
you know, that you've got three or four little gifts that you sprinkle throughout the summer. They come into
19:40
morning huddle and it's in a cute little gift bag on the table. So, I think the
19:47
art of gift giving is really something I'm just terrible at. I'm terrible at
19:52
it. I'm so grateful that Amanda does it. Yes. Well, and Amanda I don't even know she we don't discuss it. She just she
19:58
just does it. Yeah. And Amanda, just for listeners, is his office manager, just so y'all know. Yeah. She just She's
20:06
always She's gifted at that. this comes up. Yeah, she Yeah, I wish I could
20:12
remember, but it's it's often. It's probably maybe once a month she comes up with something like that. Yeah. And to
20:20
me, again, that's if if a doctor can't think of what a team might enjoy, asking
20:26
a a key person on the team like, "Hey, if I got a gift for everybody that was, you know, 2530 bucks, what would it what
20:34
would you think would make everybody happy?" Um, and again, I would do that
20:39
as an element of surprise. I I don't think they should know that that's happening or I think just the surprise
20:47
gift means a lot more. And then there's the the actual So, I'm terrible at gifts
20:53
cuz I'm not creative at like wrapping it. I just throw it in a gift bag. Here you go. Um, but there's actually a uh
21:01
psychology behind gift giving. So, I think I've mentioned this author to you before. I talk about him all the time,
21:06
but Robert Chaldini is the science of persuasion. Yeah. And he uh talks about
21:13
reciprocity is one of the key elements of persuasion. And basically he says
21:21
there's this um inclination to give back to somebody that's given to you. So I've
21:27
got a friend that every year I'm terrible at Christmas. I tear all gifts, but she every year she has a creative
21:35
little Christmas gift for me. And so we'll meet up with them and she's like, "Oh, and here's your Christmas gift."
21:40
And I'm like, "Oh, I feel like a chump. I haven't thought about her. I haven't thought about gifts and here I'm
21:45
receiving this gift." And so there's this guilt you feel when you've received something, you're like, "Oh Lord, I need
21:52
to pay it back in some way." And so, um, gift giving when we do it in a way
21:58
that's the key. what Child Annie would say is it's personalized, customized, and then it's
22:05
the how you give it. So, it's not just, you know, throw in the gift bag. It's
22:10
like, okay, so I've really been thinking about you and I thought you'd really enjoy. And there's this
22:18
it sounds, you know, it's persuasion, but he says, don't diminish the gift. If
22:24
you've put a lot of thought into that, then when the way you give it should also feel thoughtful. Yes. And so, you
22:33
know, Amanda hearing, "Oh, my battery's dead. My battery's dead." And she goes and thinks, "I can solve this with a
22:39
little gift." Then again, making sure that that's communicated. I thought about you guys with this little gift.
22:47
And so, yeah, it could be something as simple as little gifts. Yeah. I think the big thing is just knowing that
22:54
summer's a challenge and just trying to be creative
23:00
or using someone on your team that can do that for you. Yeah. And that could
23:07
even be if there if you don't have somebody on the team that's kind of that trustworthy um person, it could even be
23:13
just running it past your spouse to go Oh, yeah. What are some ideas that you
23:19
have? The main thing is to keep the age of your team in mind because if let's
23:25
say you've got a, you know, 50some year old doc and his wife that are coming up with ideas for their 20some team, it may
23:34
not Yeah. So if you're not in the same age group as your team, you may want to
23:39
find a resource, talk to one of your kids, you know, if you've got a kid in that age range to try to figure out
23:45
Yeah, that's smart. Yeah. you know, last thing you want to give is something they're like, "What is this?"
23:50
Yeah. Well, it was helpful back in the 80s. So, thought it'd be helpful. Yeah.
23:57
Um I've got some clients that have done like a book club through the summertime. Wow. Yeah. Now, we tried We have We're
24:06
terrible. So, Amanda has um tried to get us to all read the same book.
24:14
Like I think the last one was The Energy Bus. Yeah, great book. They do not read.
24:22
They do not read because I think I don't know why.
24:28
Maybe they're just not readers or they're like, I don't have time. Give me
24:34
time at the office and I'll read. Yeah. But when they get home, they have lives.
24:40
Yes. And kids. Um, so we've tried that and it failed miserably. Well, and I
24:46
think that's too like reading, as awful as this sounds, like we're sitting in my
24:52
office with books everywhere. I love books, but I'm also 44 years old and we
24:58
didn't read books on audio or on the internet or like we we picked up books
25:05
when and when I was growing up, when you were growing up. So, it could be that it's kind of the lost art too of actual
25:12
books. Um, but it could also be a um podcast that y'all decide to listen to
25:20
together. That's a good idea. I think we'll probably do that. Yeah. And it doesn't even have to be workrelated. It
25:25
can be fun. There's so many fun podcasts out there, mysteries.
25:32
Um, there's a biographical ones that I've really enjoyed listening to where
25:38
you're learning about a true life character. Um, so it it doesn't have to
25:44
be productivity or workrelated. It can be, hey, let's just listen to a podcast
25:49
together this summer, which can be fun. It gives the team something to talk about. Yeah. So, that's a good idea. Or
25:56
really good a series to watch even on TV. Uh, one of the suggestions that I
26:02
make in the digest this month is to have under the team building is to have the team watch this certain movie that I
26:10
thought was so inspiring. And so it could just be let's pick a movie of the
26:15
month. A movie of the month that we're going to watch and then we'll have something to talk about. And um, so I
26:21
think there's just little ways to incorporate fun. Well, and we're in such
26:27
a technology now and you can just say um don't use AI and say give me some ideas.
26:36
So true. I can't it's so many of my clients are whizzes with this AI. I'm still Manny's
26:43
good with it as well. Manny is and but the things they they'll ask me like hey
26:48
are you using you know chat GBT or whatever. I'm like no not really. And then they'll look up something and I'm
26:54
like, "That's remarkable." Or they'll put together an email that chat GBT put together. So you could just say, "Hey,
27:02
give me some ideas for my team." Fun summer ideas for the team. It will come
27:08
up with some ideas, but pages of ideas.
27:13
You have nuts. Yeah. You don't have to be creative anymore. Just
27:18
let AI do it. So, I'm thinking now we might just have a bathing suit day. Yes,
27:24
we all wear bathing suits. Oh, good lord. Yes. Work.
27:31
I don't know. Think that you'd have a really busy schedule that day. Yeah.
27:36
Full of men. Oh, yeah. They'd be willing to get any treatment done.
27:44
We got a bunch of old toothless men that come in the
27:49
office. Yeah.
27:55
So, but and and I don't know um I don't know that we're really doing anything.
28:00
We always have a a ba monthly basket giveaway. So, you know, the summer
28:05
months, um, I think this this month we're giving away like a ice cream maker and stuff
28:13
like that. So, as far as our patients, I think that's the fun thing that we do. Yeah. Uh, we do have music going on all
28:22
the time that we try to make it fun music. Yeah. Um, we just added
28:29
um a cury coffee machine for them out front and a little refriidge for water
28:36
waters. So, as far as the patients, that's, you know, trying to keep it fun for the
28:42
patients, too. Well, and I think that's part of it, too. We've talked a lot about the team, but also if we have fun
28:47
stuff going on for the patients, then that keeps the energy up as well. And I,
28:54
you know, you might just reach out to your team and say, "Hey, what would be fun? What what can we do to make summer?
29:01
We know how you're feeling. We know it's a difficult time for all of us that we'd
29:07
rather be outside playing, but what can we do? Give us some ideas." Yeah. Yeah.
29:13
That what we can do to make it better for you during the summer. And I think also just that
29:19
awareness that team members are feeling torn in the summer. It, you know, even
29:26
if they don't have kids, I think it goes back to we were trained to get to summer and it's break time, right? And so it
29:33
really is requiring some power through energy from our team. And so
29:39
just knowing that again being a leader in the practice, you're like, I got to bring the energy. I've got I can't I
29:46
can't also demonstrate that I'm torn, right? Or that I'm not wanting to be
29:52
here. You know, we can't come in with, oh gosh, here we go. It's Monday. Yeah.
29:58
Yeah. Good luck. I hope we make it. Cuz that just the team is already
30:04
struggling and if their leader comes in not wanting to be at work, it's not going to go
30:09
well. It's going to be a vicious downward cycle. So, it may take some some theatrics, you
30:16
know, to put on that happy face. And I'm so glad to be rev it up.
30:23
I love it. I mean, we could And if that's not the dentist status quo, like
30:29
again, get a team member that you assign for the summer. Hey, bring a joke to Morning Huddle. That's a great idea.
30:35
I've got a team that does this and it is so fun. Um it's one of my orthodontic
30:40
clients and they they're they have a team member that leads Huddle every morning. They lead for the week and um
30:48
they have a daily gratitude. Everybody's got uh one person gives their daily
30:53
gratitude for that day and they know in advance who's on the schedule to give daily gratitude and then one person is
30:58
responsible for a joke. That's great. And the joke can be a lot of times it's a YouTube video. It's like a little
31:05
funny, you know, 30 second, you know, a cat attacking something or and it really
31:12
they end on the joke. That is a great idea. And it is it just sets this little
31:18
fun like you leave the huddle laughing. Yeah. Which what better way to start
31:24
your day than that. Going to do that. That's a great idea. Yeah. It's the gratitude thing. And the gratitude. Wow.
31:30
Yeah. Yeah. And for your team to know what their day is. so that they're thinking about that. It's not that
31:35
awkward moment of, "Okay, Amanda, it's your gratitude today." And she's like, "Oh gosh, I'm grateful for the doctor."
31:43
Is that the correct answer? Was Jesus Jesus? Was Jesus the answer?
31:49
Just always say Jesus, you'll be right. Yeah. So, if they know in advance, then
31:54
they're prepared. And it flows in this one team. It flows smoothly. They know
32:00
the order of their huddle. They know somebody's already prepared their gratitude. The jokes's already pulled
32:05
up, you know, on YouTube ready to go. It's very smooth, but it's also fun. So,
32:11
start the day right. That's a really great idea. And then you throw in some parfets and I mean, you just
32:18
How can you not have a good day after that? Lunch, you know, the afternoon just flies by.
32:24
I I there's I've had some teams that end the day with some shots of something.
32:29
Yeah. If that's what gets you through the day, then I know we got shots at 5:00 pm.
32:38
So, and and I we laugh about that, but I do have a team that Thursday is their
32:43
last day of the week. Yeah. And um I think the first Thursday of every month
32:49
is they go to happy hour and yeah, they look as a team that's what they look
32:54
forward to that gets them through. So again, something so simple, the doctor doesn't even have to be there. Oh, no.
33:00
They'd probably prefer the doctor not the doctor doesn't go. Yeah. Yeah. It's just them, you know, creating that on
33:08
their own. So again, it may be if that doesn't exist on your team, tag in your
33:14
super excited person and go, "Hey, can you think you can coordinate like some kind of Thursday after social or
33:20
something?" And just let them take it and run with it. So, they just don't have Don't feel the pressure that you
33:25
have to figure it all out. No, no. Like, we're going next week to um a
33:32
communications class. Oh, cool. And the whole office is going and they ask me,
33:39
"Are you going to go to the beach with us?" And I said, "Absolutely not."
33:45
Because they already know beach is is not my thing. And I'm thinking they'll
33:51
have so much more fun without me. Yes, they've gotten better and maybe I've
33:58
just relaxed, but they know that your mom and I don't drink. Yeah, we we just
34:03
don't drink, you know, it's just the way that we were raised. Plus, we don't like the taste of it. So, we just don't
34:09
drink. So, then they felt a little awkward drinking in front of us, right?
34:16
And so, finally, I think they're they understand, I don't care. Yeah, this is
34:22
just me. This is my personal choice. You can drink in front of me. Yeah, I do not
34:28
care. Right. But still, I think there's a little hesitation there of I can't really be myself in front of the doc.
34:36
Right. Right. And I think that's true for a lot of team members. Yeah. Even if
34:41
they've got a great relationship like you have with the team there there's a
34:47
professionalism there that most people have that they're going to rain it in. I prefer that the doc not see me this way.
34:54
Yeah. Totally out of control. Yeah. So anyway, so there some things that
35:01
it's probably better that the doc is not involved because they'll have a lot more fun. Yeah. But then you're blessing it
35:07
in a way going, you know, have fun. Yeah. But I'm not going to be there for that.
35:15
Um, we just are coming off of the AAPD conference a couple weeks ago and uh,
35:22
Dr. Kuba took her team out there and they went and did the first day went and did white water rafting. She wasn't
35:27
there, but the whole team went and did it together. And again, the doctor
35:33
doesn't have to be there for everything for the team to have fun, I So, and so I think that's a good takeaway too is fun
35:41
can happen without you, but it may it may require your encouragement to happen or roping in a team member
35:48
that's good at it. So, well, awesome. Hopefully, we've given at least a few ideas, but chat GBT is going to totally
35:54
slaughter us. So, just go ask
36:00
and just know that you need to incorporate it this summer. That's what your team needs to kind of get through
36:06
the the dog days of summer. So, okay. I think I think just ask your team what
36:11
what would make what what can we do to make life better? life better this
36:16
summer. Yeah. Yeah. And most practices Yeah. within reason. Yeah. It's not work
36:23
till noon every day. The whole afternoon's off this summer. Yeah.
36:28
Which would be some of the suggestions. Can we Can we just go part time? Yeah. No. No, no. Because it is summer months
36:35
are what I call feast months. They usually are busy. Yeah. There's there's a few small little subset cities that
36:42
are very affluent that they travel a lot in the summer. So, those might be lighter months for them, but for most
36:48
demographics, it's a very busy time. So, we do need our team firing on all cylinders. And so it it behooves us to
36:56
put energy into this fun side of things so that we get the most out of summer.
37:03
And that's not cutting hours. That's that's working. I agree. Don't lengthen
37:09
the hours, but awesome. Hey, thanks for chatting with me. Thanks for joining the conversation
37:16
today. We hope that you are comforted in knowing that you are not alone, but we
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