Success

 

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do."   ~Bob Dylan~

 

We've been talking about what we need to be ok, but what do we need to be a success?  Does having enough make us successful?  Ok, if that's it, when do we know we have enough?  Is it enough to be able to pay the bills on time and keep the staff employed, or is there more?  Do we have to be able to take as good a vacation as we had last year?  Keep shopping in the same stores?  Do we have to be able to keep up our memberships to the clubs that are important, go to the restaurants that everyone goes to, the events that we want to see and be seen at?  If we can do all that, will we feel successful? Will we be successful?  At what cost?

It seems that everyone is focused on scarcity these days.  Maybe you're worried that your patients will leave and find someone whose fees are lower, who takes their insurance, or even, who takes their insurance and writes off the balance.  Tough times can bring out the temptation to cheat and the propensity toward greed.  How do you respond?  Maybe you're noticing that patients aren't accepting the treatment you feel they need?  Do you panic and see it as the beginning of a downslide for you, or are you more concerned about the beginning of a downslide in their oral health?  What's your gut feeling?  What about your staff?  Do they care about your success?  Do you care about theirs?  Do they care about the success of the practice?  Do they feel that when the practice succeeds, they succeed and are an integral part in that success?  How about the guy across town?  How's his practice doing?  Do you care?  Can you help?  Would you care to help?

Success begins with sharing.   Even when it's seems like there's not enough to share.  In between getting up in the morning, and going to bed at night, are you getting to do what you want to do?  Are you enjoying it, or worrying your head off?  Then share.  Share first your joy in what you do.  Share it with your patients and your staff.  Tell them how much you love what you do.  That joy is infectious and that makes you a joyful success.  

Share your concerns with your staff, let them share your burdens.  You might be surprised by what they will do to help.  Listen to the concerns of your patients.  They're not being stubborn, they may have the same worries you do.  Share their burden.  Help them afford the treatment they need.  Offer payment plans with no interest.  Phase treatment where you can.  Work with them to maximize their insurance coverage.  Take the time to explain the reasons for doing some treatment immediately, and then why some can wait a little while.  Be patient with them.

Don't ever give in to pettiness.  Don't panic over small setbacks.  Don't see doom in every cancellation, or worry that it's the beginning of the end if someone leaves the practice.  Patients cancel appointments for many reasons, half the time they just forget.  People switch dentists on a whim, and you can't be everything to everyone.  If you try you might not enjoy what you do between waking up and going to bed anymore. 

Give.  Praise your staff for the good things they do.  Notice the little things and make a big deal out of it sometimes.  Bring in bagels now and then, or treat everyone to lunch just to say thanks.  They'll think you're a king.  Give to your community.  It's good advertising and it helps others succeed, too.  Find out if there's another dentist who's really just hanging on and try to help them succeed.  Share what you can, whether it's knowledge of how to improve their practice, or even a new patient now and then.  They will never forget you.

If you can do all this; when you get into bed at night, you might realize that you forgot to worry that day.  That's because you were focused on success.  And now you know that when you wake up in the morning, you get to succeed all over again.

Comments

[Dental Clinic Melbourne]

An interesting article, I specially like the section that talks about staff, That's so true, I know because I have practiced some of the things you have pointed out

[Dental Management]

Success is a relative term, but I quite believe that success in dental practice, or any business in general lies in how much you touch the lives around you. Are you helping someone be better? Are you making a difference in someone's life? Are you fully embracing your job, and as a result, does it inspire everyone around you to work towards a similar goal?