Just a Bit Outside

Wild Thing

Ricky Vaughn wanted to throw strikes, but as Bob Euker called it in “Major League”, he was just a bit off. We all start with good intentions in just about everything we do. However, that does not mean everything turns out right. Sometimes we miss the mark because of something small thats easy to fix, but we don’t see it coming. There usually isn’t any grey area when it comes to hindsight; you either look like a hero or a heel. So, the question becomes how do we look like a hero more often? I think the answer is with practice and preparation. If you hit it out of the park, how do you capture that moment so you can repeat it over and over? If you come up short, how do you learn from that experience so it doesn’t happen again? For Ricky Vaughn it was as easy as getting glasses. How can you help your team recognize both their heroics and their shortcomings so those good intentions turn into good results?

Team meetings and morning huddles are a part of the day in most offices. When was the last time you reviewed the content and effectiveness of those meetings? Do you simply go through the day’s patients, or do you review what it sounds like when a new patient calls the office? Do you tell success and failure stories and figure out the “why”, or is it just the gripes? Do you work on strategies to improve case acceptance, or just confirm that everyone is confirmed? Often we don’t know why we missed the mark until after it happens and we try to adjust our behavior after the fact. Maybe adjusting our behavior before we miss will lead to more heroics.

I was Runnin’

About 4 months ago, I started running again.  I’ve tried to get back in running-shape a number of times, but haven’t been able to make it stick.  Every time I’d get through a week of running, I’d miss a day and it would be over.

I celebrated my thirtieth birthday this year. I know thirty isn’t old, but it felt different.  When I blew out the candles, something subtle happened.  I took a look at where I was and wanted to change.  I decided running was a good place to start, so I laced up the sneakers and hit the road. It was all sunshine, ocean breeze, and new me.  At the 1/4 mile pole my shins hurt, I couldn’t breathe, sweat was in my eye, and I wanted a cigarette. Suddenly, I was reconsidering running as my first choice.  Somehow, I found a bit of strength deep inside, and I forced myself to run one mile that day.

It’s been four months and over 150 miles.  Now, running is the time where I get to build up mental toughness credits.  I thought of that term the other night during a run where my legs felt heavy and I couldn’t catch my breath.  It was cold, I was tired, and I didn’t feel like running the last 2 miles.  Since I find walking in my running gear to be very embarrassing, my only option was to cash in some credits. As I was running, I was thinking about what it took to get through other tough days.  I started to feed off of those runs.  Immediately my form started to improve, a rush of adrenaline put a pep in my step.  

Facing challenge and difficulty is a part of life.  I think most would agree there are more lessons learned in failure than there are in success. So how does this fit into what you do?  Mental toughness is what keeps you sharp.  Being sharp is what makes you stand out.  Change, growth, and progress all require mental toughness.  Next time you are struggling, take a minute to appreciate the difficulty of the moment.  In running and in life there is always another hill, and there is always one more mile.  Are you mentally prepared?

Ready. Set. Go!

 

by: Milo Winter

If you haven’t heard, a lot of people are talking about the economy. As I talk to more offices, It seems most practices have separated into two groups: those who are in a holding pattern, and those who are looking for ways to grow and move forward. Certainly these are difficult decisions and it’s never cut and dry. I did however see a few items last week (here, and here) that talk about using the recession as a jumping off point to get ahead. It makes sense. If everyone else is slowing down and standing still, it should be fairly easy to move ahead.

 

I think this is the perfect time to make a move. Look at the bright side, if your schedule is open, you have time to take some extra education, pick up a new skill, or rework your business plan. The business of dentistry has been a popular topic this year. Practices are finding themselves with holes in the schedule, less accepting patients, and a shrinking retirement plan. Since the end of 2008, the average practice declined by about 3.5%. How did you do?

In my travels, I get a sense that most practices are doing OK. It’s not all kittens and rainbows, but it’s OK. A doctor told me the other day that the practice growth is slower than normal, but they are still having their best year. Flat is the new double digit – at least for 2009. The government is offering incentives*, airfare prices are down, and it’s a buyers market. Take advantage of opportunities to ready yourself for the upswing.

*Always talk to your accountant before making an investment in your business.

Hocus Focus

Guest post by: Jody Baldyga

It’s the last hole of the company golf tournament; your co-workers are all watching you. You’re trying not to concentrate on them, and trying to focus on the pin. It’s a simple game, right?, just put the ball in the cup. You start to swing. Are my knees bent too much? Am I over swinging? Are my shoulders lined up? Is everyone still watching? You take the swing, and land your ball right in the sand trap.

Studies on the topic of multi-tasking have revealed the more we try to do or think about, the worse we become at each of the tasks. As humans, we have certain limitations. Experiments also concluded that we actually lose time when trying to switch back and forth between tasks. This lost time is increased when we switch from simple to more complex tasks. Juggling everything at one time makes us less efficient.

Why not focus on the things that really need the attention? When you’re about to swing your club to get you out of the sand trap, you have a million things to think about. Bent knees, head down, straight arms, eyes on the ball. Even those four things are a lot think about, the reality is that there are a million things you need to remember before you swing. Does Tiger get up there and go over every one of these little things? No, and neither should you. Don’t concentrate on the million things. Get lined up, and focus on one thing that you may be lagging in. This way you get yourself out of the sand quickly so your teammates aren’t telling you you’re spending more time in the sand than David Hasselhoff.

So, can you multi-task? Probably not well.
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Jody has been the Branch Administrator for Patterson Dental’s CT branch for approximately 5 years. She is currently working on her MBA, and planning her August 2010 wedding.

Dental Heroes

Open Wide Blog

On Thursday my first guest post will be published over at Dental Heroes. There is a bonus question at the end of the post. The first person with the correct answer will win a signed copy of this photo of me blogging.

 

Mommy, Where Does Energy Come From?

Think for a minute about the power of energy.

It’s a pretty complex topic. They don’t call it rocket science for nothing. I found this funny little graphic to illustrate one example of energy. (click to enlarge)

The one thing this picture does a poor job of illustrating is the little girl’s desire to get to the top of the hill. Without a desire to change your current position, there won’t be any motivation, and lack of motivation might signal lack of emotion. Coach Jimmy V in his 1993 ESPY acceptance speech(allow 10 minutes to listen, it’s well worth it!) said there are 3 things that are important to leading a great life. He said that each day you should laugh, think, and get emotional. It’s this emotion that leads to change, it’s this emotion that drives people to reach for a higher level, and it’s this emotion that breeds energy. If you are not satisfied with where you are, it might be time to put some energy into your desires.

We’ve all heard of the idea that if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything. There are a google’s worth of examples of people accomplishing “the impossible”. However, just because something is possible doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy, only that it can be done. When we focus on something we are passionate about, and put our energy into it, it’s just like the girl on the bike. We have to pedal uphill and endure some struggles. We face challenges, obstacles, and self doubt, but we also have some simple machines to help along the way. If you are willing to put in the effort, then the reward will be a rush. When the hard work is done, you can let the good times roll!

But Do They Look Good?

I had a great buying experience yesterday when I went to buy a new pair of running sneakers. I’m a pretty basic person and I don’t love to spend money. I buy things when I need them and I am typically not fun to shop with. I come with a mission to buy something and I get out. I also don’t like to be sold. Sound like any of your patients?

Usually when buying shoes the 1st thing you consider is how they look. Then 2nd is probably the price, and finally, do they fit? Isn’t that backwards? We will overpay and risk losing a big toe if a shoe looks great. I was thinking about my new shoes this morning when I pictured my run, and I couldn’t come up with how much I paid for them, or even remember what color they were. I ran to get the box and found the receipt, turns out they are the most expensive pair of shoes I’ve ever purchased. For the fashonistas, they are stark white with a bit of red – they look fast!

I started thinking about the woman at the store and how I ended up with these shoes. She came up to me and asked, “How can I help you?” I gave my typical mission control response and said, “Just looking.” She didn’t go away though, she could see I had some clothes in my hand and was obviously trying to complete the look. She kept asking questions, “Are you a runner? How many miles do you run? Do you under or over-pronate? What kind of shoes do you have now? Why are you looking at a new pair?” She never launched into a big presentation or even made a statement about any of the shoes for sale. She did a great job of coaching me on the shoes I already had. She helped me to discover for myself what I was looking for in a new shoe. As her questions continued, I discovered what I needed in a shoe, not what I wanted (look & price). It wasn’t until I was committed to finding the “right” shoe that she measured my foot, suggested a shoe, or had me try a pair on and run around.  Her transition from coach to consultant was perfect.

Doug Young talks about your dual role as a coach and consultant. He says a good coach asks questions and actively listens to the answers. This is the patient’s time to talk about what’s important to them. During this time, the coach should ask powerful questions, “Why is that important? What if we did nothing today? How will you know if this is right for you?” It’s important to support your patient during this time as they gain a deeper personal understanding about why their oral care is so important. As you move to the consultant role, you will become the expert who takes records, educates and makes recommendations. Cosmetics and financial fit will be a part of your presentation, but a self-aware patient is already committed to moving forward.

Here Boy

Guest Post by: Joe McGonigal

I have a three-year old yellow lab, named Murphy. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can relate to the popular book and movie “Marley & Me”, but for me it reads like an autobiography. The reason I am in this situation is because I am a terrible dog trainer. Of all the bad habits Murphy has, not coming when he is called is the one that bothers me the most. This command is also known as recall. A dog with good recall skills comes running to its owner’s side when the command is given. Many dog trainers would argue that it is the most important command you can teach your dog because it’s a safety issue. Imagine you are out with your dog and he starts running toward a busy street. If you call his name and he responds immediately, it could save his life. If he doesn’t respond, the results are left to chance.

So while I was out yesterday working with my dog on his recall, I got to thinking about the similarities between dog training and hygiene appointments. That’s right, dog training and hygiene.

Many times when I meet with clients, the topic of hygiene recall comes up. Doctors and hygienists frequently discuss their frustration about patients who don’t see the value in regular hygiene appointments. What I realized is that, just like with dogs, this is a trained behavior.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do your patients know why consistent hygiene is critical to their long-term oral health?
• Does everyone on your staff communicate the same message? (My wife and I use inconsistent training methods, thus sending mixed signals to Murphy. We’re not getting the desired result.)
• If your patients are responding differently than you would like them to, have you evaluated your training methods?
• Do your patients equate hygiene with prevention and being proactive?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, this would be a great opportunity to talk with your staff and develop an action plan. It seems that relationships, whether owner and dog or patient and doctor are more fulfilling when each party knows how their supposed to act. Don’t leave your patients dental health to chance.
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Joe has been with Patterson Dental for nine years and currently serves as the Connecticut Branch Manager. He started his career as a territory representative in the Philadelphia area and has also worked as the Branch Manager in Arizona. In his different roles he has had the opportunity to work with several hundred practices and professionals in several different markets.

7 Reasons Not to Change

Coming up with reasons not to do something is usually pretty easy. Who doesn’t like to procrastinate from time to time? The excuses we come up with are probably all valid at the time, but they typically come from a place of self-doubt. I know when I have a dream or a goal that is clearly difficult, maybe even ridiculous, my brain helps me rationalize not being able to achieve it. I start to think that it’s impossible because of the bills, family, work, or all the little parts of life that just happen.  I don’t want to suggest that change is easy, it’s not.  I think the movie Road Trip said it best, “If it were easy, it would just be the way”. When change is well thought out, well planned, and well executed, change is better than good, change is great!

I think a lot of people struggle with self-doubt, I know I do.  As a sales professional, I deal with objection to change on a daily basis.  Part of my job as a sales rep is to work through those objections and help you find opportunities for change.  I hear a lot of objections, but these are some of the most popular.

7. Too Hard/Too Much Work. Everything that’s worthwhile is hard. One of my favorite lines on this is, “No one ever said it would be easy, they just said it would be worth it.”
6. My Team Can’t Learn that. When you decide that the time for change has come, you will absolutely need your team by your side. There will come a time however, when you will have to evaluate if you have the right players. If your vision and commitment are clear and you’ve involved your team in the process, then they will be excited to follow you.
5. I’m Going to Retire Soon. I understand making a big investment is not at the top of your list as you are planning your retirement, but what about every day between now and then? Three years is a long time, especially when it comes to technology.
4. Not the Right Time. It’s never the right time. Life happens, your kids are in college, daughter’s wedding, new tires, piano lessons, taxes, and tuition. It never ends, and it never will. Pick a day and go for it. Once you’ve decided to move, life seems to move aside just enough.
3. Not Enough Space. Dreams and goals aren’t supposed to have limits. We’ve always been taught to reach for the stars. Space will be a factor at some point, but it should never been a roadblock to change.
2. Not Enough Time. Similar to not the right time, there is also never enough time. Only 24 hours in a day, 16 that you’re awake for. If this is your reason, make a list of the things that are really important to you and start getting rid of everything else.
1. Not Enough Money. Is there such a thing? Change is a process. It’s OK if you can’t afford everything today.

Hello, Is It Me You’re Looking For?

Friday’s post was about “Mystery Shopping” your office. I thought this would be a good follow up in case you weren’t happy with the results you got when you called your own practice. When the person sitting at your front desk takes a call, the curtain goes up and the show begins. This is your opportunity to make a first impression. Will it be a good one?

Here is a good article on handling a few different types of phone calls your office probably gets on a daily basis. The overwhelming theme of the article is, get them in the door. Dr. Nate Booth also makes the subtle point that not everyone is a patient, and that case acceptance starts with the first phone call. By building the relationship on small agreements along the way, you and your patient are always on the same page. If either of you are uncomfortable taking the next step, then you stop. Your prospective patient sees that it’s all about them. You should be trying to determine if you truly can help them, just as they are deciding if they want your help.

Do you have a phone call system in place? Have you rehearsed how to handle a new patient call? The insurance question? The emergency? The cancellation? If not, this might be a great team meeting.

Bonus: 5 points if you knew the title was from a Lionel Richie song.