One mistake is easy to coach. A pattern requires a different conversation.
When something happens once, the conversation is usually simple. Maybe someone forgot a checklist, showed up late, or missed a step in a system. You address what happened, clarify the expectation, and move on. The challenge is recognizing when that same issue is no longer a one-time mistake.
That is when CPR can help you identify the conversation you actually need to have:
- Content
Talk about what happened today. Keep it timely, calm, and focused on what was expected. - Pattern
If the same issue keeps happening, stop treating it like a one-time mistake. Talk about the pattern you're seeing, not just today's incident. - Relationship
If the pattern continues, the real issue becomes trust. Now the conversation is about whether the rest of the team can count on that person to follow through.
The mistake I see leaders make is having the same content conversation over and over when the real issue has already become a pattern, or even a trust problem. Good leadership means recognizing when the conversation needs to change and addressing the issue at the right level.
The quality of your culture often depends on having the right conversation at the right time. Explore this idea further in the conversation below:
P.S. Small problems that become patterns often turn into hidden production leaks. That is exactly what I'll be addressing in less than one week during my free webinar, The Hidden Production Leaks Costing Your Practice $50K–$250K a Year, on Wednesday, August 12 at 7 PM Central. RSVP now in the DPH app under Virtual Events > Free Webinars, or login to www.dentalpracticeheroes.com and click on Community Meetups.
