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<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I don\u2019t know any winner that is okay with ever losing. That\u2019s what they call a \u201cwriter-downer\u201d and something worth remembering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It really is a fact of life. If you allow losing to be an acceptable outcome then you will justify and make excuses every time things don\u2019t go your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, what is required is a relentless vigor towards results and an unwavering desire to succeed because of the good you are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I ask our good doctors: are you really okay with the idea that someone else is going to do the dentistry that you just diagnosed because you didn\u2019t encourage the patient to do it here, to stay within your practice? Worse than that, are you really okay with a patient not getting healthy? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh sure, you can say it\u2019s their health, their mouth, their problem, this is true \u2013 but \u2013 they are also your patient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, I\u2019m being a little dramatic in order to prove the point that the real underlying factor to the Huddles we\u2019ve been having together over the past few weeks are about not giving in to yourself or to your patients. Instead of accepting excuses, you are finding ways to get out ahead of case acceptance by building up the value, elevating the patients\u2019 desire and deserve levels, having them participate fully in the creation of the vision, and together deciding the outcomes you are asking them to invest in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, the real issue here is you deciding and committing to what the idea of \u201cwinning\u201d for your patients looks like and eliminating all of the missteps that lose patients\u2019 progress along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing a new patient over the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing on an incomplete treatment plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing by not following up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing by giving up too easily.\u2028Losing by not having a lab case ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing by insurance or money getting in the way of your patients\u2019 health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nobody wants to talk about losing \u2013 but it\u2019s not enough to just say you want to win \u2013 you have defined how not to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could call it offense and defense. Yes, you have to focus on scoring points but you also must minimize the mistakes that give up too many points as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means you close the gaps, fill the voids, stop the repetitive mistakes, and never drop the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no doubt that you want to do well, otherwise you wouldn\u2019t be here. However, that doesn\u2019t go far enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to want to win so badly that you can\u2019t stand the thought of losing by letting yourself, your team, your doctor, and your patients down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, that\u2019s a lot of pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s much easier to go through the motions and be indifferent about outcomes \u2013 but that\u2019s for the average folks \u2013 and you aren\u2019t average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, we can see the scoreboard of helping patients every day and know how we are doing \u2013 whether we are winning or losing. What we are talking about are the plays that make winning possible and the mistakes that make losing inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That ought to make for some great and interesting discussion right there\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My message today is simple (and tough): commit to not losing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We talk all the time about \u201chow to win\u201d and yes, doing those things matter. None the less, it\u2019s the mistakes that cost you the victories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The whole empathy over excuses is about getting what you accept; no different than winning or losing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can have all the good intentions in the world to win but it won\u2019t get the job done along. It is making sure that we aren\u2019t losing in many little ways that makes all the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n