A practice is as successful as each of its members is interested in contributing to its success. Also, an individual is as successful as he or she actually contributes to the success of his or her group. So we can safely assume that, in order to expand, succeed and thrive in today’s crazy, overly competitive environment, we all need to abide by agreed upon principles of group attitude.
Usually, such principles are contained in a “code of conduct” for a practice.
“Code of conduct: A set of conventional principles and expectations that are considered binding on any person who is a member of a particular group.” (from: dictionary.com).
The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to clearly define what is expected from every one in the practice, in their relationship with each other and in relation to the patients/clients, suppliers and the public at large. It will make it easier and more fun to work together and get the show on the road.
Here are a couple of sample points to get you started in the right direction. (If you want a copy of our Practice Code of Conduct, please email your request to info@dhawebdev.com and we will send you a copy.)
Code of Conduct:
- Who does it apply to? This code applies to everyone – every executive and every employee alike, without discrimination. None is waived from it and everyone is equally responsible to ensure full compliance to it.
- Honesty. The first quality required of all in our practice is honesty. There is nothing that can hurt a group and its members more than dishonesty. Lies, false reports and improper interpretation of actual facts can be extremely damaging to any practice. It is expected that everyone in our group be honest, straightforward and accountable. Only then can we have fun and get things done.
- Basic concept of relationship. Definition of Golden Rule: “A general rule for how to behave that says you should treat people the way you would like other people to treat you.” (From Merriam-Webster dictionary). It is thus expected that everyone in our group applies this Golden Rule.
- Office Politics. Our group holds a “zero tolerance” policy in regards to office politics. If you hear anyone saying negative or derogatory things about a fellow group member, you should remind that person of this code of conduct and invite her to directly talk with the concerned group member.
- Willingness to learn. One of the most important qualities one should possess is one’s willingness to learn more, to improve and to reach higher levels of competence. In our group we want to do all we can to improve people and to allow each group member to develop skills and competence. If we are to remain competitive we need to constantly improve – individually and as a group.
There are many more points that can be included that are specific to your practice. Have fun working them out as a team!
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