At the beginning of the year, we all spend time thinking about our goals and priorities for the months ahead.

By the middle of the year, most practice owners have a fairly good sense of how things are tracking. The team has settled into its rhythm, patient demand has either met expectations or created new challenges, and the systems and processes that looked good on paper at the beginning of the year have now been tested by the reality of day-to-day practice life. The first six months often reveal things that are difficult to see when you are focused on goals, plans, and intentions alone....

At the beginning of the year, leaders usually have good intentions when it comes to their team... There are often goals around communication, leadership, development, and creating a healthier, more connected team culture. Usually, there is genuine motivation to invest more intentionally in people throughout the year, not just operationally, but professionally and personally as well. Then the year moves forward. And gradually, many team conversations become almost entirely focused on...