Years ago I trained with Marsha Freeman to become certified to teach her SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) process. In that course work, she shared the five levels of determination. Determination is important to success.
Level 1 – I want to do it, have it.
Level 2 – I want the result but am unwilling to do the work.
Level 3 – I might, I could, maybe I will.
Level 4 – I’ll try.
Level 5 – I’ll do whatever it takes.
Where are you hanging out with your determination to accomplish your goals? Many people hang out below a Level 5 and then have excuses and blame to keep them from owning up to their own commitment level. What would it take for you to have a Level 5 determination to create the practice or position of your desires (another “D” word to think about!)
This goes with Level 5 in action. I find that practices with the Discipline to have a Morning Huddle, keep their commitment to staff meetings and continuing education are thriving despite the economy.
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E = EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE
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This topic has been a focus of my study for several years. It seems to be the underlying key to success in life and in dentistry. I see highly educated and intelligent people in dental practices working below par due to a lack of emotional intelligence. According to Talent Smart:
90 percent of TOP performers have High Emotional Intelligence.
The good news is that, unlike IQ, emotional intelligence can be learned and improved. The skill set required includes four main areas:
Self Awareness:
- Understand your own STRENGTHS and “Warts”
- Have a sense of self worth and of owning your capabilities
- Recognize how your feelings affect your performance.
- Understand how what you say and do IMPACTs others
Self- Management:
- Understand and use emotional self control – Have you ever been in a situation and regretted what you said or what you failed to say??
- Self management means using honesty and integrity about your feelings. Saying such things as “I’m fine” when you are NOT demonstrates a lack of honesty.
Social Awareness:
- Know how to have empathy – be sincerely interested in others rather than trying to be “interesting.”
- Understand how you are perceived by others you work with or interact with.
- Have Team awareness – see beyond yourself, your position to the greatest good for the practice.
Relationship Awareness:
- Learn how to Guide/motivate others toward a vision – leadership.
There is a famous saying by renowned Coach Vince Lombardi about how he built a championship team:
“What we’re going to do now is go back to basics and we’re going to learn, drill and practice the fundamentals until we become better at them than anyone else in the game. If you do this with me, I will make you champions.”
I spoke with a former client recently who called to thank me for his Thanksgiving calendar and to say “Thank You” for the FUNDAMENTALS that we worked together to establish in his practice that have held him in good stead through all of the economic upheaval. Every business/practice needs consistent fundamentals within their practice systems.
Here is the list of FUNDAMENTALS that you should have set within your practice and review regularly to be sure the purity of the fundamental system is still in place. Systems often get diluted with staff turnover, changes in computers, short staffed teams, practice slow down and many other reasons.
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Scheduling
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Insurance/Collections
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Recall
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New Patient Process
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Telephone scripting
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Hygiene/Perio System
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Clinical Efficiency
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Internal Marketing
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Marketing
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Staff Meeting
(including Morning Huddle)
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Management
By-the-Number
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Leadership
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Take time to zero in on your practice Fundamentals.
If you are enjoying this newsletter, take a moment to FORWARD this to one other person who can benefit from it.
Thank you and enjoy a LOVING, Healthy February!
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