The Key to a Great Practice? A Great Leader!

magine your ideal practice - a productive, efficient environment where every member of your team thinks and operates like your partner, not just an employee. A practice where the team takes an active role in setting goals and the

personal responsibility/accountability for achieving those goals on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Imagine a practice where sys-

Leaders love what they do

tems are executed consistently and with a commitment to detail and excellence. And imagine a practice that runs smoothly without the daily stresses of staff conflicts and drama.

If you check in with most practicing dentists, this sounds like a pipe-dream. But there are those “successful” practices around the country. So what’s the difference? Leadership!

The success of the practice will be ultimately be determined by the strength of the leader.

The “Constitution” of a Leader

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “constitution” as “the way in which a thing is made up; the structure, composition or nature of something.”

Thousands of books are published each year on the topic of leadership. Most take a how-to approach, offering strategies and ideas, and provide a checklist of things to do. Although the mechanics of leading people are important and can be learned, the constitution of a leader is actually

Wes Jankowski Power To Succeed

much more important. It’s not what leaders do that makes them successful; it’s who they are. Leadership is a state of being, a way of operating in life that has others want to follow.

the country and the majority of their new patients come by way of referrals. This has also translated into massive financial returns for the doctor and the team.

Leaders Have a Contagious Attitude – One That’s Worth Catching

More accurately, they are passionate about what they do. I watch people choose the dental profession and start a practice because they believe it’s a good career move. They want to make a significant amount of money, support their families, and have control over their lives. They enjoy their work, but it’s just a job—a means to end. Leaders are different; they don’t have a job, they have a cause.

A leader understands that they set the tone for the organization. We’ve all heard that our attitudes and core beliefs are “keys” to our success or failure. Earl Nightingale, often referred to as the Father of Personal Development, is quoted as saying the most important word in the English language is “attitude.” And study after study has concluded that how we think about things governs our actions (or inactions), which in turn, dictate our results.

I have a great friend in Wisconsin, a dentist that is totally committed to the care of his patients. He gathered his team and they created a “passion statement” (it’s like a mission statement, but seasoned with emotion) for their practice. They are out to change the face of dentistry in the community. They don’t fake it. They really care, it’s who they are and it shows.

Employee/employer relationships are in a sad state in so many practices today. The dentist comes in each morning grumpy and complaining about everything from the economy and the insurance companies to patients that won’t accept treatment. That same doctor then complains about the “bad attitudes” and poor performance of his team members. The team will always be a reflection of the leadership of the practice.

It’s unfortunate that most people don’t honor their oral health at the same level as the rest of their bodies. While they will go to their physician for their annual check-up, they’ll avoid the dentist all together, or at least until they are in pain. This practice focuses every patient interaction on education and showing patients how much they care about their health. Patients can’t help but to commit to their oral health. Consequently, even in a “down-economy,” patient traffic and loyalty significantly exceed norms across

Take the high road. Your team is always watching to see how you handle the adversities of life. When things go wrong, do you rally the team and look for solutions in a positive, constructive way? Or are you an emotional time bomb, placing blame and condemning people and their performance? I understand that you have the Position of Influence and your team (you could put the word “family” in as

well) follows “because they have to.” But, real influence is a matter of Permission and your team follows “because they want to.”

Leaders Build People & Outstanding Teams

John C. Maxwell, in his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says, “You can lose with good players, but you cannot win without them. When it comes to having good people on a team, you really only have two choices; train them or trade for them. You grow the people you already have to be champions, or you go out and recruit championship-caliber people and bring them on to the team.”

This quote really sums it up! So many practices hire to fill a position instead of choosing and grooming the right person for the team. Compare your practice to a basketball team. You are out to win a Championship. You only get 5-players on the floor (and no extras on the bench). Why would you invest your hard earned money and risk the championship on anyone less than extraordinary for your team?

Your Ideal Practice – Make it Happen!

Leaders have high expectations for themselves and the people that work for them. They effectively communicate their expectations and let team members know they are counting on them. Accountability and respect are ingrained in the organization. Performance reviews (or growth conferences) are used as planning sessions to further develop team members both at a personal and professional level.

Leaders know that if they build the people the people will build the business.

LEAD! ■

Leaders Take Personal Responsibility

The buck stops here! Leaders trust their team members and are willing to delegate, but they do not abdicate their ultimate responsibility of the success of the practice.

Most of the problems people experience in life occur because they fail to take responsibility. Instead, they are quick to blame others, circumstances and conditions. When we allow someone or something else to become responsible for us, we give up the power to make decisions about our own lives, and to control our destiny.

Leaders are not deterred by the current conditions of the business world. They have a definite vision for their organization and a clear, concise definition of their perfect client/patient. They’ve taken the time to articulate their UMP (Unique Market Position). They’ve identified the group of consumers they are going to serve and are committed to being the best at delivering value to that specific market. They are not going to be everything to everybody. They know where they are going and that they will get there.

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Leaders take responsibility for all areas of their practice. They know that showing up is not enough; success is a matter of practice and honing the skills. They are clear that success is synonymous with sacrifice. It means not cutting corners and giving a full effort. It means staying the course and going the extra mile.

“Success” cont. from page 5

want the features of our services…they want the benefits. They don’t want the “steak”…they want the “sizzle.” Use your

marketing to tap into those EMOTIONS, and you’ll see demand for your services skyrocket!

“To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.” Pat Riley

Put It All Together…

So there you have it. Ask yourself today: “In what condition are the three supporting legs of MY stool? Are they the same length? Are they the SAME length? If I rest my practice on this stool, would it stand tall and balanced, or would it topple over?”

Leadership is not complicated. It does not require super-genius intelligence, rock-star charisma, or an iron fist. It does, however, require a commitment to a vision and a passion for people. People want to be part of something great. They’re just waiting for someone to take them there.

Aim your focus equally on EACH of these three components of your practice, track your progress, and you’ll begin to experience IMMEDIATE gains. Keep it up and watch your practice flourish beyond your wildest dreams! ■

Dr. Chris Bowman is a full-time practicing dentist, speaker, author, and “dental success coach.” Based in Charlotte, NC, he is the founder of Dental Insiders Alliance, a monthly membership program dedicated to helping dentists achieve maximum success and satisfaction in their profession. For more information on Dental Insiders Alliance, go to www.DentalIn-

For more information about the company and services go to http://www.straightlineprodev.com

siders.com.

California Dental Association – Fall Session September 9–11, 2010 San Francisco, CA

American Dental Association October 9–12, 2010 Orlando, FL

Holiday Dental Conference November 18–21, 2010 Charlotte, NC

Greater NY Dental Meeting November 26 – December 1, 2010 New York, NY