“My office manager is drowning.”
Most practice owners don’t say this lightly. When they do, it’s rarely because one thing went wrong. It’s because the day-to-day weight of the practice feels heavier than it should, and they can see it landing on one person.
This article is for practice owners who care deeply about their teams and for office managers who feel like they’re holding everything together. Because when an office manager is drowning, it’s not a failure of effort, attitude, or competence. It’s almost always a leadership and clarity issue.
Office managers who are drowning don’t always look like they’re struggling. In fact, many of them are highly capable, respected, and trusted. They show up early, stay late, and are the person everyone turns to when something goes wrong.
But if you aren't paying attention, you could be missing these red flags:
From the outside, it can look like they’re “handling it.” On the inside, it often feels like barely keeping their head above water.
Most office managers were never formally trained to lead. They were promoted because they were reliable, organized, or good with people, and then expected to figure out leadership, communication, and systems on the fly. Over time, responsibilities pile up:
Without clear boundaries and support, the role quietly becomes unsustainable. This isn’t because the office manager isn’t capable. It’s because they’re carrying too much alone.
When an office manager is overwhelmed, the entire practice feels it! Production numbers can still look strong, but the team can feel the stress and tension throughout the office
.Over time, practices often experience:
If the office manager leaves, the impact can be immediate and disruptive. And yet, many practices wait until that breaking point to address the underlying issues.
Well-intentioned advice like “delegate more” or “just take time off” often misses the mark. What office managers and practices actually need is clarity and support.
That includes:
Strong leadership doesn’t mean adding more rules or micromanaging. It means creating a structure that allows people to do their jobs without carrying unnecessary stress.
Caring about your office manager doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers. Sometimes the most supportive thing an owner can do is pause, step back, and look at the practice through a different lens. An outside perspective can help identify:
Often, one honest conversation is enough to change the direction things are heading.
I work with dental practices when the office manager is overwhelmed, and the practice feels heavier than it should. Through my Practice Leadership & Office Manager Support Session, I help practices slow things down, identify what’s truly creating stress, and create a clear, realistic plan to stabilize leadership and systems. This is not about overhauling everything. It’s about support, and creating a foundation that allows the team — and the office manager — to breathe again.
If this article sounds familiar and you’re not sure where to start, you’re not alone. Sometimes, one focused conversation is enough to bring relief.
If you’d like to talk through what’s happening in your practice, you can reach out to me directly.