Over the past several weeks I have unpacked the key Threats facing Private Practice Dentistry. I have gone over the economic external factors and the industry specific internal factors.
I even presented a special Whiteboard Strategy Session on proactively protecting, preparing, and most of all prospering from these Threats.
What most see as disadvantages, inevitable negative things waiting to happen to them; the best Doctors (those here reading this) who take a real entrepreneurial approach to Private Practice know that all of these can become opportunities, strengths, and advantages to achieve breakthroughs in every possible way.
If you haven’t watched my Whiteboard Training you can watch the replay here…
Ultimately though, as I pointed out in the training, there is only one type of threat that will actually do you irreparable damage because of its intrinsic nature. It is most certainly the kind we let happen inside of you, your team, and your patients.
Alternatively, if applied, used, and maximized properly, it too can become your greatest leverage point to realize your potential, achieve your goals, create independence, and enjoy the practice ownership lifestyle.
That requires your complete control over your FOCUS. This is what serves as your compass, predicting your future destination all based on where it is pointed.
Where it goes, you go. And there begets your results… small minded amateurs fixate on the outcome after the fact; while open minded pros direct their focus in advance to engineer, create, and produce the results they want.
Losers wait for results and then ask themselves why.
Winners start with results and ask themselves how.
Slight different – profound implications. Minor adjustment – substantial consequences.
Today, I thought it would be fun to showcase some of the whack-a-mole habits, bright shiny objection syndrome, and glaring distractions that trip up even the best. Here are just a few examples of where poor focus costs opportunity and where it should be instead… let’s take it 360 degrees full circle.
On a phone call, often the focus goes to patient questions or more specifically insurance instead of about the person calling, their motivation for an appointment, and what they actually want to accomplish.
Our focus determines the patient’s focus, not the other way around. We can guide the conversation, expand the mind, and increase the value of every person calling. Therefore, we have greater control over the process which allows us to create better patients… who are well prepared, properly screened, visit pre-framed, and effectively scheduled.
Often, we talk a big game about relationships and yet the intake process both from phone to front door as well as reception area and beyond is either focused too much on clinical information (think health history forms) and/or too much on us versus them. It should be a genuine effort to get to know patients, build trust, establish rapport, and initiate a relationship around goals and expectations – the human element of it all.
When we keep our focus on the emotional connection, we can tip the scales towards our differentiating aspects of relationship and personality.
Then we have some particularly significant issues that are not so obvious but become part of the daily fabric of the schedule, our morning huddles, our meetings, and even the culture as a whole. Things like… cancellations and no-shows.
Well, we can focus on those and attempt to solve them (put out fires in other words), or we can focus on preventing them with the type of tactics I just shared with you.
If we are focusing on the cancellations, that means we are not focusing on (at the very least, as much as we could be) all the other patients.
To begin with, every day should be focused on the patients who are showing up versus the ones that aren’t. This doesn’t mean be negligent or ignore it – it does mean what you focus on you get more of.
The exact same thing goes for the problem patient, the one bad review, the people who leave or we lose… there might be lessons learned, but it’s vital to focus on all the good you are achieving. Don’t let the few get in the way of helping the many.
One more focus that is either enhancing or detracting from my four points of leverage is the focus we give patients by how we diagnosis, present, collect, schedule, and ultimately get the dentistry done. This goes all the way back to the discussion before they ever open their mouths through the diagnostic approach in engaging with photography and the involvement devices you use and ends with completed procedure.
As I say… if the patients are made to be problem focused – directly correlated to how you do x-rays, pictures, discussion, oral exam, treatment plans, etc – then they will decide based on problem dentistry.
Rather, if the focus is on vision (not visits) and outcomes (not teeth, prices, procedures) by moving patients from problems to prevention to possibilities then this is exactly how they will decide, invest, and complete dentistry on their pathway to health.
Not only is your focus a magnet for what you attract, it also determines (perhaps even more importantly) the integrity of everything you do, all you stand for, and what you want to achieve.
Ultimately, where your focus goes so goes the patient’s. Unfortunately, most practices, doctors, and teams blame their patients’ actions on the patients’ focus. Instead, we create patient actions and results by our focus leading, guiding, and determining theirs.
You might be asking how to better train your focus and take more control over results. Well, it starts with self-imposed discipline and relentless follow-through.
I refer to this as: forced progress. It’s the only kind that condenses time, accelerates goals, elevates outcomes, and ensures you maintain your state of ideal.
We’ll continue with that as our premise as we evolve into the ‘how’ of focus and super-charging your magnet for attracting everything you truly desire for and aspire to in your life and practice.
Plus, I’ll have more examples to share in the coming weeks. Think focus of meetings, triangles of trust, treatment planning, etc.
What we covered today should be enough to get you thinking, reprioritize your focus, set some actions plans, and rebalance your goals. Now, engage in productive discussions, decisions, and directions with your team.
If you missed my Practice Success Whiteboard Session and are committed to making the rest of the year the best of your year, you can get my battle plan for greater independence, fulfillment and prosperity…
Watch the On-Demand Replay of the Practice Success Whiteboard Session
