It seems silly that someone wouldn’t want success – don’t we all want success? The answer is yes. However, when success means change it requires much more than just flippantly saying you want it. It often takes change, a shift in how you are approaching things currently.
I mentioned in a previous article that a big part of taking back your practice is focusing on the things you can control. The first thing you have control over is the way you think. Your mindset has a huge impact on your business. Why? Everything in your office is a reflection of you. You may think that what goes on in your head is your own business, but that’s not the case. You’re the leader of a small office environment. When everyone around you follows your attitude and behavior, your thoughts don’t end in your head—they become your company culture.
It takes work, and it starts with you, the owner. However, it works and it’s the first step to a more profitable practice. There are five fundamental shifts that need to occur before experiencing greater success:
- Take Responsibility
The first step in any transformation is taking responsibility for yourself and eliminating excuses.
When things aren’t getting done the way we want them to, we tend to revert to excuses. The problem with constantly making excuses is that you literally begin to feel like you have no control over anything. You start to believe that circumstances and other people are responsible for your outcomes. It’s simply not true. You are in charge of you. And, you can do really well regardless of circumstances. It’s difficult, but you need to create a no-tolerance zone for excuses; when you do, it will have a major impact on your practice.
- Become a “Yes” Office
A “yes” office is a practice where the answer to pretty much anything a patient asks is “Yes, we can do that”—as long as it doesn’t challenge you legally or morally. The goal with this shift is to eliminate the word “no” from your interactions with patients. It’s all about being patient-centric. Perhaps it’s time to set aside personal conveniences, or provide alternative options. Whatever it is, do everything you can to turn a “no” into a “yes.” As a result, you open up a wealth of profitable business opportunities otherwise undiscovered.
- Abandon “Something for Nothing”
You want new patients, but you don’t want to do anything to get them. You want a great team, but you want all your systems and processes to stay the same. You want a successful business, but you don’t want to look at your checkbook. Wanting something for nothing is one of the worst attitudes you can have when you’re working to grow your practice. Here’s the formula for success: the more you put into your practice, the more you’re going to get out of it.
- Accept that Business Needs to Play a Role
Most doctors are very talented clinicians, yet they shy away from the business and leadership aspects of what they do. Most are eager to improve quality of service, but uncomfortable with trying to increase their patient load. The thing is, the more people you help, the better off everyone is. In order to help more people however, you need them to come to your office. This takes business strategy. There is what I call the “Big Five” business layers which you’ll see me address through my posts and in my book, New Patients Now. Business is an important piece of your practice, acknowledge and embrace it.
- Draw the Line Between Business and Personal
We all have different experiences, and we all bring our different biases, leanings, and judgments into the workplace. That’s a problem, because when it comes to running your practice, the transactions that take place should be neutral, without bias or judgment. It’s not your place to decide what your patients should or should not buy based on your personal opinions about money, insurance, time, or anything else. Never allow your personal biases to interfere with your business transactions.
Ultimately achieving a different, more successful result requires change and a shift in how you approach professional and personal life. Start by working to retrain your mind; doing so will lay the foundation for a better business.
Learn more about achieving the successful practice you’ve always wanted by visiting, www.JayGeier.com. Also, pick up your own step-by-step guide to a real transformation, “New Patients Now,” available on Amazon and other book retailers.