Episode 52- Can You Fix a Toxic Team Member When They Are Also Your Top Performer?

Episode 52- Can You Fix a Toxic Team Member When They Are Also Your Top Performer?

What do you do when your top performer is also the person creating tension, drama, or negativity inside your practice? Because high production does not always equal high value. In this episode of Back in 10, we’re tackling one of the hardest leadership situations in dentistry: how to handle a toxic team member when they’re also one of your strongest producers. We talk about: • Why avoiding the conversation only reinforces the behavior • The difference between a high producer and a high-value team member • How toxic behavior impacts the rest of your team • Why leaders often wait too long to address it • How to approach the conversation with compassion and clarity • When to coach… and when it may be time to let someone go Because protecting one toxic top performer can cost you your best people. And leadership means being willing to have the courageous conversations before it’s too late. ----more---- Special thanks to our recording partner Chris "The Wizard" Stone of Rock Solid Media! ----more---- More ways to stay in touch! Watch the episode on youtube: @backin10pod [https://www.youtube.com/@backin10pod] Follow on Instagram: @backin10pod [https://instagram.com/backin10pod] Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/ [https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/]

Episode 51: New to Dental Leadership? Start Here

Stepping into dental leadership can feel like one day you were just doing the job… and the next day everyone was looking at you for answers. No playbook. No warning. Just vibes, responsibility, and a whole lot of “wait, how did I get here?” In this episode of Back in 10, we’re talking about where to actually start when you’re new to dental admin leadership, whether you’re a new office manager, lead admin, lead assistant, lead hygienist, or stepping into a bigger role inside the practice. We break down: • Why leadership starts with understanding your people • How community can accelerate your growth • Why foundational dental knowledge matters, even if you’re not doing every role • How to identify what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs your attention first • Why listening to your team is one of the smartest leadership moves you can make • The importance of finding mentors, peers, and people who get it Because leadership doesn’t start with proving yourself. It starts with listening, learning, and finding your people.   ----more---- Special thanks to our recording partner Chris "The Wizard" Stone of Rock Solid Media! ----more---- More ways to stay in touch! Watch the episode on youtube: @backin10pod [https://www.youtube.com/@backin10pod] Follow on Instagram: @backin10pod [https://instagram.com/backin10pod] Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/ [https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/]

50 Episodes Later and Still Figuring It Out: One Year of Back in 10

One year. Fifty episodes. Countless laughs, a few tears, some questionable language choices… and somehow, we’re still figuring it out. In this special anniversary episode of Back in 10, we’re reflecting on what it’s really been like building this podcast over the last year, from sitting in a Boston coffee shop brainstorming logos to recording live in front of packed rooms of dental professionals. We talk about: • How Back in 10 actually started • The fears we had before launching the podcast • What we’ve learned about authenticity, leadership, and vulnerability • Why friendship has been the foundation of this entire journey • The biggest surprises, wins, and emotional moments from year one • What’s coming in year two This episode is messy, emotional, funny, grateful, and very us. And honestly? That’s probably the whole point. To everyone who has listened, supported us, laughed with us, cried with us, or stopped us at an event to say “I just heard your episode”… Thank you. Here’s to year two. 💙   ----more---- Special thanks to our recording partner Chris "The Wizard" Stone of Rock Solid Media! ----more---- More ways to stay in touch! Watch the episode on youtube: @backin10pod [https://www.youtube.com/@backin10pod] Follow on Instagram: @backin10pod [https://instagram.com/backin10pod] Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/ [https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/]

Episode 49: AI Is Not Replacing Your Team. Calm Down.

AI in dentistry is everywhere right now… and honestly? Some people are spiraling. In this episode of Back in 10, we’re having a real conversation about what AI actually means inside a dental practice and why it should support your team, not replace them. Because AI is not magic. It’s not a replacement for leadership, empathy, clinical judgment, or human connection. We talk about: • How to identify where AI can actually help your practice • Why buying technology without a strategy is a mistake • The difference between automation and replacement • Clinical AI, admin AI, and where each one fits • Why your team’s pain points should guide your tech decisions • How to build an AI tech stack that actually works together And yes… we also talk about the reality that some “all-in-one” solutions don’t actually do everything well. If AI has felt overwhelming, confusing, or overhyped, this episode will help you think about it differently. Because the goal isn’t to replace your people. It’s to support them better. ----more---- Special thanks to our recording partner Chris "The Wizard" Stone of Rock Solid Media! ----more---- More ways to stay in touch! Watch the episode on youtube: @backin10pod [https://www.youtube.com/@backin10pod] Follow on Instagram: @backin10pod [https://instagram.com/backin10pod] Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/ [https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/]

Episode 48: "I’ll Just Do It Myself” Is the Problem: Let’s Talk Delegation

“I’ll just do it myself.” We’ve all said it… and it might be the exact reason you feel overwhelmed. In this episode of Back in 10, we’re talking about delegation, time, and the trap so many leaders fall into when they try to do everything on their own. Because the problem usually isn’t your workload. It’s how you’re leading it. We break down: • Why “I’ll just do it myself” is actually hurting your team • The difference between building a team and building dependency • A simple framework to decide what to keep, coach, and cut • Why delegation isn’t dumping (and how to do it right) • How to create growth opportunities for your team through delegation Because if everything depends on you… you don’t really have a team. You have a bottleneck. ----more---- Special thanks to our recording partner Chris "The Wizard" Stone of Rock Solid Media! ----more---- More ways to stay in touch! Watch the episode on youtube: @backin10pod [https://www.youtube.com/@backin10pod] Follow on Instagram: @backin10pod [https://instagram.com/backin10pod] Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/ [https://www.facebook.com/backin10pod/]