Imagine eating your favorite snack, enjoying a bag of honey wheat pretzels, when suddenly you’re in excruciating
pain and realize you’ve broken your tooth! OUCH! I’m sure many of you can relate – going to the dentist rates pretty low on our to-do list, but it is something we must do if we want to maintain a nice smile. Now don’t get me wrong, my family and I have been seeing the same dentist for nearly two decades and we love our dentist and those who work for him at the office, but I would much rather run into him at a restaurant than be sitting in his chair.
Since I was in so much pain I needed to book an emergency visit. My regular dentist was out of town so I had no choice but to see one of his partners. With apprehension rising, I opened wide and let the dentist go to work. Despite the unpleasant sounds and sensations of my root canal, I was somehow able to shift my thinking and actually had a revelation of the importance of teamwork and how it relates to the construction industry (and it had nothing to do with drilling).
I noted the roles everyone in their office played – the receptionist, dental hygienist, the dentist and myself included. Everyone had specific roles and knew what they were responsible for. My role as the patient (or client/owner) was to arrive on time, be clear about my needs and allow the dentist (the expert) to do what he does best – fix my aching tooth. The receptionist (project manager) was there to greet me when I arrived, inform her team of my arrival and make sure all my documentation was given to her team so they knew exactly what I was there for. The hygienist (production manager) was responsible for prepping for the job, getting all the dentistry tools ready for the procedure (project) so that the dentist had everything he needed. The dentist himself (engineer/contractor) was responsible for executing the project (fixing my tooth). He prepped me by explaining what he was going to be doing, then proceeded to get to work.
Observing the interaction between the dentist and his assistant was actually admirable – it was like watching long-time dancing partners float across the floor effortlessly. They worked so well together, like a well-paired manager and contractor should. Fortunately for me, their project was a success – my tooth was fixed and I left very relieved (although drooling a bit).
This was a great reminder of the importance of a company’s internal and external procedures running smoothly. In the transportation and construction industry, each individual member of a team must know their roles and responsibilities in order to achieve the client’s goals successfully. Every individual—the sales reps, project managers, production staff, administrative assistants, etc. – must fully understand their roles and responsibilities to the best of their abilities to ensure a successful and lasting project. Now hopefully I won’t go breaking any more teeth and ensure a lasting smile on my face!
Thanks for reading,
-Patty Egan (Director of Business Development)
PS: Do you have a funny story to share with me, or perhaps you want to discuss the importance of having a strong support team in your arsenal (like our full-service marketing agency) … whatever it may be, please give me a call anytime at 609-859-8400. I look forward to talking with you soon!
