If you’re a dentist, you’ve already invested a tremendous amount of time, effort, energy and likely money into obtaining your current credentials, expertise and status. Reputation is unquestionably a driving force in how you attract everyone from your patients to your team. But with rising costs and with practice management ranking amongst the top stressors for dentists, it’s important to take a sincere look at what you’re doing to leverage your influence both internally and publicly. Whether you’re feeling driven or burning out, there always comes a day when taking things to the next level requires sincere consideration about what next, how and why.
Here’s a simple and fast strategy to get quickly get clear on your high level goals.
- First, make a list of everything you can think of that indicates where you are currently at. This can be anything from revenue to personal feelings about your practice or life.
- Second, make a list of what you desire. List everything you can think of that you want no matter how big or small.
- Third, write down WHY it’s important to get each of the things on your “list of wants”. Dive deep here and ask yourself why to each of your answers. Example: “Why do I want a new car?” Because I’ve earned it. “Why does that matter?” Because I want to ensure my family enjoys themselves in the car. “Why does that matter?” Because I love my family.
- The point in exploring this is it may turn out that the fancy new FAMILY TESLA ultimately means you have to work more hours and actually the fundamental reason you want it is because of family. Yet what may be more important to you could be TIME with your family and not a new car. Or it may turn out you spend a lot of time in the car with your family and this is going to enhance your experience with them. Either way, it verifies if your “want” is a “must have” or perhaps something you realize takes you further away from your deepest desires.
- Fourth and lastly, make a plan to build a bridge from where you’re at to what you desire, grounded in what really matters (your WHY).
Below are 5 questions to help you get clear on where you’re at and what next for your practice.
- What services do you most love to offer?
- Who is your ideal patient?
- What milestones would you like to hit over the next 12-months?
- What inspires you most about what you do?
- How might you leverage your influence to help move towards your goals with ease?
It’s not uncommon that dentists and their teams get so busy that they neglect to take time out to thoroughly reflect and plan on an annual basis. Even checking in to see what’s working or not within a practice often gets continuously postponed. Lastly, influence frequently ends up as an overlooked resource or is often misdirected in ways that prove to be ineffective.
High-achieving dentists are on top of what’s working and what’s not, while they constantly look at how they can use their influence to achieve specific goals. Those who use their influence know how to connect the dots to fast track their goals.
Influence can be leveraged in many ways but I never recommend that anyone embarks on seeking out fame for the sake of fame. Understand where you are trying to get to and map out a strategy that incorporates your influence appropriately. Influence can be leveraged to form partnerships within your community and/or to get more attention for your practice. But be clear on your strategy and then decide how you will manage your reputation according to a plan. Generally touting how important or credentialed you are, is likely to have minimal effect. While leveraging your influence to help others may be a direct path to getting much needed press, for example.
Consider where you are headed and why and then begin to plan accordingly, while incorporating the power of your influence in your strategy.
For a free consultation on how you might be able to leverage your influence, or to join a group of influential dentists collaborating to grow and give back, email InfluentialDentists@gmail.com with “Influential Dentists” in the subject line.
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This month’s FEATURED “GIVE BACK” Opportunity
Consider supporting Dental Coach: Jodi Bond with her mission to provide children and families with education and dental services in Kenya.
Turkana, Kenya – Medical Micro Team
June 21, 2022 – July 3, 2022
About The Author of this Month’s Article, “Planning Strategies” and “Influence 101” for Dentists
Julieanne O’Connor helps high-achieving CEO’s and Dentists to LEVERAGE their influence because they are often overworked and overwhelmed. O’Connor trains dental and corporate teams on powerful leadership and growth strategies, facilitates planning with oversight to meet quarterly benchmarks, and offers high-concept branding, PR and social media strategies. O’Connor also offers “quality of life” and “burnout prevention” coaching to a select few high-achieving dentists each year.
O’Connor is an Award-winning Author, Actor, TEDx Speaker, and has been named “Best New Author” by Amazon. O’Connor is a Certified Corporate Trainer and Coach who is on the faculty of 4M Institute for Dentists and the Director of ZLinked Marketing & Advertising, in addition to the Executive Director of AOS. O’Connor has been named “Speaker of the Year” and has been featured on Adweek, Adage, WSJ, CNN, USA Today, to name a few, and has worked with and/or helped launch some of the most well-known brands in America. O’Connor is the star of the hugely viral Super Bowl commercial Pug Attack and the founder of the SIO Dream Fund.
