Minnie and Maxine (Office Management‪)‬

I'm sure many of you are familiar with "Goofus and Gallant" from the popular magazine Highlights for Children. In dental offices I think we have similar characters, whom I will call "Minnie and Maxine" (my apologies to any real characters who just happen to have those names). Minnie just tries to get by with the least she can do, and has no team spirit. Maxine tries to do everything she can to get the job done, while helping others in the office as much as possible. She has a great team spirit. Doctors, hygienists, assistants (treatment coordinators), business administrators, hygiene coordinators, and any other auxiliary personnel, can be a Minnie or a Maxine. In fact, we all have some of both characters in us, but our goal should be to become more like Maxine and less like Minnie. That would make the office atmosphere better, the work would get done, the patients would get better care, and I think everyone would feel better about what was accomplished, knowing that we did it as a team. Maxine truly believes that our motivation should be "to do the right thing for every patient." She also believes in the Guiding Principle of "Countless unseen details are often the only difference between the mediocre and the magnificent." Maxine understands that our purpose is to put patient care first! And to provide quality care and excellence in a caring professional atmosphere. She believes that she has a part in offering a supportive pleasant environment, and contributes to being very profitable and making a difference. She also understands that working together will create more profit to share, and will feel that she has truly earned her part. Minnie has heard all those things, but does not really understand the concepts and how she contributes to them. She wants to just come in and "do HER job" and collect her share of the profits.