Leading Through Nurturing

Dentists who own their own practices have to become more than dentists; they have to learn to become leaders. Managing their staff and bringing everyone in the practice to the same page can be challenging. Ensuring that their team feels valued and appreciated can add another layer of complexity to running a dental practice, but solid leadership is an essential skill that anyone running a business needs to learn.

That’s why I’m delighted to introduce you to Chief Joseph Fox. Joe is a retired three-star Chief with the NYPD, with an impressive career spanning the decades from 1981 to 2018. For six years, Joe was in charge of the NYPD Transit Bureau where he led a team of more than 2,600 men and women to secure the safety of the New York City Transit System. Since retiring from public service, Joseph is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for SilverSEAL Corporation, a full-service global security firm based in New York and London. Joseph also provides speaking engagements, executive leadership coaching, and personal development services that utilize his extensive leadership experience.

During our conversation, Chief Joe discussed the long course of his career and the critical leadership lessons he learned. He shared strategies for making the people around you feel genuinely appreciated, not just on special occasions but every day of the year. And he shared his key time management strategies for making the most of each day and keeping track of each important event.

Lessons on Leadership

Chief Joe said that he spent 25-30 years of his career questioning when he would become a leader, what books he would need to read and experiences he would need to have to learn to lead. However, he eventually realized that leadership isn’t about reading the right books or getting the right titles; it’s about nurturing others and addressing their needs and concerns. It’s about gratitude for the people around you.

This tremendous sense of nurturing was the key to Chief Joe’s success as a leader. He learned that a “good” boss will wish you a happy Thanksgiving and tell you you’re doing a great job, but a great boss will acknowledge your hard work on a random day in August. It’s these unprompted displays of appreciation and care, this sense of nurturing, that inspires those around you to do their best work.

The Secret to Better Time Management

Managing so many people can lead to a truly hectic schedule, and it can be easy to let things slip by the wayside. Chief Joe says his favorite time management tool is the calendar app on his phone, and particularly the “all day event” function. If he has a great idea for a way to show gratitude to his team, he will immediately put it into his calendar to remind himself to do it later, when the time is right.

Chief Joe also discussed why it is important to him to clear his calendar of reminders every single night, whether there is one item or 50 remaining. By using this helpful time management resource, he is able to ensure that nothing gets forgotten and all of the things needing his attention are taken care of.

Chief Joe Fox is an inspiring leader who genuinely cares about the people he leads, and that makes all the difference. If you’d like to learn more about Chief Joe or would like to connect with him, you can visit his website at //joefoxalliance.com/. And, as always, I encourage you to visit www.theprogressivedentist.com for more informative podcast episodes with other remarkable guests who can help you make and keep more money.