What we can learn from the way that franchises train their people

1. Academy - when you join Hilton, L'Oreal, Toni & Guy, you will spend time at their Academy, taking a residential course to learn the specific role for which you have been recruited;

2. Apprenticeship - having graduated from an Academy (even McDonald's have a Hamburger University for those who buy franchises), you will then serve an apprenticeship, during which you will shadow an experienced team member;

3. Appointment - only after you have graduated and satisfied your line manager that your apprenticeship has been successful, will you be allowed to fly solo and take up your own position;

4. Appraisal - following appointment you will be regularly appraised, using an A.S.K. formula - how is your Attitude, what are you doing to develop your Skill and increase your Knowledge.

Perhaps it is no wonder that, in the absence of the steps, the alternative is Attrition - a.k.a. kissing a lot of frogs and either failing fast or building a frog pond.

Dental Principals and Managers would do well to follow the franchise example and think more carefully about their onboarding and induction systems.

I have a vision for The Extreme Business Academy - that we could become a one-stop solution for onboarding all new team members and helping others to increase/improve their skill and knowledge.