I see a recurring theme amongst Teams that is worthy of much more discussion than just this memo. Actually, most themes recur because after all we are dealing with people… and getting them motivated to show up everyday and make magic happen. The challenges we face and the obstacles we have to overcome are not different from team-to-team or practice-to-practice. There are uniqueness’s absolutely but not differences in terms the most fundamental things that are at the center of every teams focus.
Today, I’d like for you to stop and pause everything (including your thoughts just for a moment) to answer this question:
How do you define success of your day; both for you and each of your Team Members? What is a victory for you at the end of every single day?
Most Teams for one, do not have an answer, for two, they have the wrong answer, and for three, there is no measurable way to win even if they do have an answer.
Example, in the very best case scenario you will say: to produce a certain amount of dentistry, make all of our patients happy, have a smooth flowing day and ideally end with some referrals and maybe a bigger case, and live to fight another day.
Reality is, many start with that last statement and never get beyond it into anything of real significance. “Live to fight another day” is not a goal and it is the surest way to be certain you will struggle to just do that, at best.
When team members show up to talk through their schedules in the morning, you have already set the tone that ‘making it through the day’ is all that matters, at least that’s what matters the most.
Instead of setting a real expectation of results – results that we define in 3 ways:
1. Helping patients get healthy, today, means creating dentistry and treatment plans that result in case acceptance because of educated, influenced and motivated patients who have made a commitment to their treatments and some investment towards their plan.
2. Effectively schedule treatment in a way that results in amazing value, driven by well-balanced days that put you ahead of the schedule and your production goals for weeks into the future, by aligning your flow of dentistry and patients in ways that are conducive to repeat both 1 and 2; again by having time with patients and a team that can be fully focused and not stressed to rush or push through the day but facilitate the number one objective listed above.
3. Patients, team members, and the doctor leaving the day organized, energized, fulfilled with a sense of accomplishment; both in feeling and in reality through the life changing dentistry that was provided with a seamless experience that wowed your patients and created a conducive environment and culture that would result in someone wanting to refer their friends, family and circle of influence to you; and that every team member was supported in working to their strengths and cohesively together in a way that makes priorities 1 and 2 possible all over again – tomorrow .
Here’s what I know, whether you admit it or not, what I have just outlined for 99.9% of all practice is a dream not a reality; is a fantasy most have not even attempted to imagine but if so you believe is impossible.
It’s not. It shouldn’t be. It’s just not what you focus on therefore you have much lower expectations and you get exactly that – what you focus on and what you accept based on your expectations as results and outcomes of any given day.
It’s not suppose to be this way.
Before you do anything else, start with priorities, define them together as a team, make sure everyone understands what the expectations are and how they are tied directly to your goals in order to be as successful as you feel your potential is.
Every team member must know how they fit into this and how they directly and specifically contribute to these 1, 2, and 3 items.
The smartest people who are serious about doing this will respect, appreciate, and seek out my assistance in order to have a clear assessment of where you are today and where you prefer it to be for yourself, your team, and your patients tomorrow.
You will live and die by your daily flow, your daily operations, your daily results, your daily outcomes, your daily expectations – you are either set up for it now or you are not – there is only one way to find out.
Click Here to Receive My Help >>>
