Why your team doesn’t need more training – they need a breakthrough

by Daleen Kupsch. Originally posted in Bite Magazine

Daleen Kupsch and Louise Howlett Coaches, Consultants and Trainers at Prime Practice

I’ve walked into dozens of practices where the energy is off, even if no one’s saying it out loud.

Sometimes it shows up in small ways—frosty silence between rooms, eye rolls in meetings, or people just doing the bare minimum. Other times, it’s more obvious: a frustrated Practice Manager trying to lead without support, a Practice Owner stretched between treating patients and running the business, or a team burning out from a lack of clarity and connection.

What I’ve learnt is this: most of the time, it’s not a skills gap. It’s a people gap. And people gaps don’t get fixed with more Continuing Professional Development (CPD) slides.

Real, lasting change comes from experiences that reconnect people—not by talking at them, but by involving them shoulder to shoulder.

The Owner who thought they had to hold it all together

Many Practice Owners never planned to be leaders—they just wanted to help patients. But along the way, they became the manager, the decision-maker, even the unofficial therapist.

One Practice Owner told me they felt like they were “carrying the whole thing on their back.” And to be completely honest, they were.

They needed clarity, boundaries, and a team that could stand on its own.Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning to ask the right questions and growing without burning out.

They found support through Prime’s Leadership Series—a simple way to build confidence and clarity in leading their team and practice.

The team that hadn’t laughed together in months

At one practice I visited, the tension was almost physical. Everyone was polite but disconnected. A few dominated conversations; the rest stayed silent.

We started with LEGO® Serious Play™, an unexpectedly powerful tool that brings every voice to the table. When hands are busy building, defences drop, and people express thoughts and feelings they might not otherwise share.

By the end of that session, the team was laughing—not at the models (though some were hilarious), but at how much they’d missed working together as a team. One person, who hadn’t spoken in meetings for over a year, ended up suggesting a brand-new way of running morning huddles. She just needed a different way to find her voice.

Real change feels like momentum

When I visit a practice after we’ve done the work, I can usually feel it straight away – something’s shifted.

The front desk flows more smoothly. People talk to each other instead of about each other. There’s less drama, more direction. Systems work. Staff stay. And the Owner can finally breathe.

Every day brings new energy and forward movement, guided by clear purpose.

If you’re ready to take the next step in a thriving and happy practice the team at Prime Practice would like to help.

Book one of our upcoming workshops, a complimentary consultation or a Practice Observation Visit today. Let’s design the right training to support your team, your business, and your goals.

This article originally appeared in Bite Magazine. You can see the article here.