Learn how early-stage private practices can boost productivity and prevent burnout by building strong leadership, flexible roles, and communication that creates real team buy-in.
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Episode 33
A 2023 Gallup study found that small teams of five or fewer with engaged leaders see 21% higher productivity. For private practices in their early stages, leadership isn't a luxury — it's the difference between scaling and stagnating.
Small teams can't afford rigid job descriptions. Everyone must wear multiple hats, and that's not a flaw — it's a feature, when managed well. Define each role's core functions and accountability metrics, then communicate explicitly that flexibility is expected. The reason employees from large institutions often struggle in small practices: they're trained for repetition, not executive function. Small business requires multitasking, sequencing, and rapid adaptation.
Brandon's challenge with the 'we're a family' framing: it creates expectations that don't match employment realities. A better frame: 'we are a group that cares for each other, and everyone carries responsibility.' Communicate why you do what you do. Make clear what's in it for the employee and what's expected in return. And remember — your own communication style sets the tone. How you walk into a room matters as much as what you say.
The greatest trap for small practice owners: wanting to be seen as a leader without doing the work of one. Leadership is daily. It's open-door availability, honest accountability, and showing up the same way you expect your team to show up. But it also means knowing what to delegate — and doing so clearly, with defined expectations and initial support. As Steve Jobs said: great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people.
