6 tips for identifying go-getters for your practice

Author(s):

Neil Baum, MD

Key Takeaways

Go-getters are proactive, self-motivated, and reliable, making them ideal team members who drive success.
Gunnas often procrastinate, require constant supervision, and can negatively impact team morale.
Identifying and hiring go-getters can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency within a practice.
Prioritizing go-getters over gunnas is vital for achieving organizational goals.

Who do you want on your team, the go-getters or the gunnas?

There are two types of employees: the go-getters and the gunnas. The go-getters are those who have a clear vision of setting out to do something, giving it their all, and accomplishing it. They don’t need to be monitored. They are the first to arrive for a meeting or at work and the last to leave at the end of the day. They are self-starters and serve as role models for others. They are the ones when given a task who declare that they will do it and not going to try to get it done. The go-getters are the ones you want to hire and have on your team or in your practice.

On the other hand, the gunnas are the ones who are gunna get around to doing what you ask of them. They are the ones that have excuses and reasons why they didn’t do what is expected. They are the ones who declare that they will try and do what is asked or expected of them. The gunnas must be led by the hand and they constantly need to be reminded of task completion and deadlines. They are a drag on morale in the office and you constantly ask, “Why did I hire this person?”

Who do you want on your team, the go-getters or the gunnas? This blog will provide you with suggestions for identifying the go-getters and how to include them in your practice or on your team.

Bottom Line: Good employees are hard to find especially in this sellers’ marketplace. Ideally, you would like to have an entire staff of go-getters. By using a few of these suggestions, I think you can identify the go-getters. Remember, go-getters will get you to the top; gunna’s will drag you down. So go for the go-getters and avoid at all costs gunnas.

Neil Baum, MD, a Professor of Clinical Urology at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Baum is the author of several books, including the best-selling book, Marketing Your Medical Practice-Ethically, Effectively, and Economically, which has sold over 225,000 copies and has been translated into Spanish. He contributes a weekly video for Medical Economics on practical ideas to enhance productivity and efficiency in medical practices.