Brand & Core Values
There is a lot of activity now in dental practices throughout the country on developing their “brand.” As nearly everything else, this is being pushed by brand vendors who are selling dentists ‘stuff’ they may not completely understand. Dentists are spending tons of money not really knowing what a brand is, how to generate an authentic brand, and how to best utilize ‘brand’ in their marketing.
Here is an excellent article on brand, what it means and how you use it to market.
Every business has breakdowns. And since dental practice is a business, there will be breakdowns. Breakdowns are unavoidable. Situations arise where something goes wrong. A failure of communication, a conflict in a relationship, a failure in performance, a collapse in the system of authority due to rules or policies not being followed, an inability to achieve vital targets.
Breakdowns are different than problems, they have a different anatomy. And they are managed differently than problems. In our culture, particularly dentistry, failures are hidden. In the dental industry, our magazines, journals and myths have a way of reporting on the process of trial and error so that only the peaks are shown, not the valleys.
We teach, preach and coach that “breakdowns are the access to the future.” If you can see that failures give you access to success, you won’t be ashamed of them, you won’t try to hide them, and you won’t be covert about them. Well-managed breakdowns lead directly to break-throughs.
Dental practice office managers deal with breakdowns every day. That’s part of their job. The purpose of this week’s Mastery of Office Manager and Senior Executive Conference is to train, educate and develop office managers and dental executives to successfully and powerfully manage breakdowns so they result in breakthroughs and improved performance.
Listen the audio in which Dr. Marc Cooper distinguishes the difference between a ‘problem’ and a ‘breakdown.’
The Mastery of Office Manager Program is an ‘elite executive training curriculum’ designed specifically for senior dental staff. The annual conference has been in existence since 2005. In 2011 we determined to hold a conference every six months so that the impact of the education and training could be infused to a far greater degree into practice operations. Conferences bring together participants from all across the United States.
Vision vs. Mission
I am often asked by clients what is the difference between a Mission and a Vision?
A mission is temporal, it occurs within time. A vision has no time limitations.
A mission has a beginning, middle and an end. A vision has no end.
A mission is an objective, a goal set for achievement. A vision is more of a verb, guiding you onward.
A mission is specifically related to the people within an organization itself. A vision is bigger than the organization and not directly related to specific people in the enterprise.
One of my colleagues in the Transformational Leadership Group has this to say about Vision.
Transparency
For most dentists, the way they operate their practices, their management issues and financial results are held tightly and not shared. Whereas clinical, technical procedures and technology are openly shared. We have found that enabling practices to be transparent with their results in a structure we have developed called a Board of Directors of Private Practice has generated incredible results for all participants.
Transparency leads to clarity and insights. Transparency results in being open to coaching and support. Transparency results in trust, kinship and respect. Bottom line, transparency works. We have Boards in our Mastery Study Clubs as well as in our Get Smart Programs. Each month they report their financial performance to each other. And here’s the bottom line, each doctor participating in a Board has seen improved practice results. That’s right, each and every members’ results get better.
Dentists have been isolated and fragmented so long they have adopted the policy of keeping things private. Privacy pays no dividends.
Here’s a short video on Transparency
What makes a great employee?
I’m often asked what makes a great employee. Here is very good article to describe what makes a great employee. Map this on to your current staff and see what you really have. Now most dentists are extremely averse to making changes if there isn’t a fit. They live in hope that it will get better – which it never does. When you work in extraordinary performing companies or practices, they spend months and some even years, evaluating employees and are not afraid to pull the switch to replace them.
