190: Ramblings with Jason and Dr. Nacho: Are You Setting Your Office Manager Up to Fail?

Promoting someone to office manager doesn’t automatically make them a leader. And if you give them more responsibility without the training, clarity, or time to actually do the job, you may be setting them up to fail.

In this episode of Ramblings with Jason and Dr. Nacho, Dr. Jason sits down with Dr. Paul Goodman to talk about one of the most important and often overlooked roles in a dental practice: the office manager. They unpack why simply giving someone a new title isn’t enough and how unclear expectations can leave office managers juggling patient-facing tasks while the leadership, accountability, and team development responsibilities they were promoted to handle fall through the cracks.

Jason and Paul discuss what an office manager should actually be responsible for, the difference between managing systems and leading people, and how the role should evolve as a practice grows. They also explore why great team members often default to the work they’re already comfortable doing instead of tackling difficult conversations, coaching, and accountability.

Most importantly, they challenge practice owners to look at the capacity they’re giving their leaders. If you’re adding five to ten hours of leadership responsibilities without taking anything else off their plate, something has to give. From creating dedicated “emergency operations” time to getting clearer about roles and expectations, this conversation offers practical ways to help your office manager lead successfully instead of simply survive the position.