Most of us love our teams and want to hold onto them forever. We want stability and love the status quo. But the truth is, we don’t keep great team members by holding onto them, we keep great team members by investing in them.
I get what you’re thinking. “If we develop them, train them up, teach them too much then they might leave me for more money from a dentist down the street.” However, that doesn’t happen if we truly develop people with the right intentions.
Employees want to feel seen, supported, and developed as humans and teammates. When this happens, they stay longer and contribute more deeply. This camaraderie helps keep teams together. Even when their journey eventually leads them somewhere else, they leave as better versions of themselves and become some of our strongest advocates. I’ve had multiple former team members recommend amazing new hires to us because of the growth culture they experienced here.
This week, I received a simple note that hit me right in the heart. It shared how one of our team members has been focusing on improving herself (not because it would help her at work) because I wanted her to grow personally. She wrote that she’s been reading her Bible more consistently than she has in months, and how building good habits is helping her mature in ways that matter far beyond the workplace. That is exactly the kind of personal development we want to encourage here: the type that strengthens character, mindset, and resilience. When team members grow personally, the business also grows.
John Maxwell said something powerful: “Talented performers flock to the best and brightest leaders, and these leaders in turn lift the lids off their people and uncork the latent talent inside of them.” So growing really talented team members, attracts even more talent and growth.
Even more importantly, he emphasizes that it’s far more harmful to keep employees and not grow them. Stagnation is dangerous. When we fail to help someone grow we limit both their future and our own. Growth is protection. Growth is empowerment. Growth is our responsibility.
That’s why at Dental Success Network we created books, CE courses, systems and resources that help develop ourselves and our team members. When someone learns new skills, strengthens their habits, or improves their mindset, the entire office benefits.
So today, take a minute to reflect on the growth of people in your organization. What habit, skill, or mindset are you strengthening right now? What’s one step you can take this week to invest in yourself and in someone around you? Our goal isn’t just to run a great dental practice. Our goal is to build great people.
Be well and do well,
PS: Need to find a community to help you grow in 2026? Join DSN, a community of real dentists that share and help each other with their experiences! Apply now to get a 7-day free trial!
