The One Thing Most Doctors Don’t Get Trained For

One of the things I hear a lot—especially from doctors—is something along the lines of:

“I love what I do. I’m really good at it.
But… there’s this one piece I just can’t quite figure out—how to really manage people.”

Sound familiar?

Honestly, this is so common that I could write a whole book about it (don’t worry, I won’t… yet). You’ve spent years learning your craft, building a practice, delivering exceptional care. But nowhere along the way was there a class called “How to Lead a Team Without Wanting to Hide in the Breakroom.”

Which brings me to Dr. Jacquee Schieck.

When I first met her, she was about seven or eight years into her orthodontic practice. She was sharp, driven, and totally dedicated to her team and patients. But she was in the middle of one of those inevitable team transitions—you know the kind: people leaving, personalities shifting, and that strange fog of “Why can’t they all just enjoy this as much as I do?”

Spoiler: because they’re not you.

But here’s the thing that really stood out about Dr. Jacquee—she cared. Deeply. Not just about outcomes or metrics, but about the people. She wanted her team to know that she saw them, valued them, and respected their lives outside the office walls. (I mean, I’d hire her just to run the HR department of the universe.)

We worked together to get everyone aligned, on board, and reminded that while yes, this is a business and certain standards must be upheld (a.k.a. no more half-hour coffee breaks), it’s also a human business. One where people matter.

 Want to see what this kind of transformation actually looks like?
Check out this short video where Dr. Jacquee shares her experience working with me—and how it impacted her team, her practice, and her leadership:

What happened next was big: Dr. Jacquee decided to partner with an OSO—Smile Doctors. That’s a big move. And one that, if I’m honest, usually means consultants like me get gracefully shown the door.

But not this time.

What I didn’t know until later was that when Dr. Jacquee was negotiating her agreement, she had one request: to continue to work with me for six months after the transition to help guide her team through the change.

I was floored. Touched. And truthfully? Deeply honored.

Because she understood something that most people in her position don’t: leadership is not about making decisions for people, it’s about walking with them through change.

Corporate transitions can be scary. Uncertainty creeps in. The culture shifts. People worry. And Dr. Jacquee didn’t brush any of that under the rug. Instead, she doubled down on care and communication.

And I got to be part of that process. A process rooted in trust, clarity, and emotional intelligence.

If you’re facing a shift in your team—or just know something feels “off” but can’t quite put your finger on it—reach out.

Let’s talk about what it would look like to build a team that’s aligned, loyal, and ready for what’s next.

 Schedule a time to chat with me here.

Proactive, Productive and Profitable,

Dino