“Tolerance
for failure is a very specific part of the excellent company culture -
and that lesson comes directly from the top. Champions have to make lots
of tries and consequently suffer some failures or the organization
won’t learn.”
Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr., In Search of Excellence1
One thing is vital to your journey within the dentrepreneurial “space.” We introduced it in a recent post.
Building your organization is an ongoing process. It’s fluid not static.
How does this help?
It
frees you from the tyranny of regretting mistakes, fearing failure, and
shrinking in the face of challenges. Your enterprise must encounter and
embrace all three or you’ll be another start-up that falls off the map.
Are you into “evolution?”
If you’re a Dentrepreneur®? the answer is, “Yes!” Again, business culture is in a constant state of evolution.
Things change. And that’s seriously okay!
In fact, if you aren’t equipped and embracing change
and the challenges that go with it stop right where you are. Life as
you once knew it in a solo dental practice is perhaps a safer
environment for you.
But you’re different. Right?
You
envisioned a future for your dental group that cuts against the grain.
That mere thought introduces you to the reality that you’ll pick up a
few “splinters” here and there.
The mash-up of evolution and creation
Dentrepreneurship requires both (evolution and creation). Change (evolution) drives process (creation).
Think about how your dental group works (the evolution) and implement action (processes) that create sustainable momentum.
What Works and Why? Three Creative Boosts to Propel You Through the Challenges of Launching and Building Your Dental Group
1-Creative Implementation
Creativity
fuels how you “think” about your dental group as a dentrepreneur®?.
Implementation is the necessary action that opens the door to new
opportunities. TWEET THIS
Implementation
requires discernment. You must take an unfiltered look at your
processes, systems, and language and leverage your observations into better ways of serving your patients and your team(s).
Your
observations might include a simple rewording of your treatment plan
presentation, the way you confront team members, how you price your
services, etc.
The key: implement without judgement and measure
the outcomes. Then allow the measurement to evolve throughout your
dental group culture through clear communication, coaching, and
follow-up.
2-Creative Observation
This brings up the discernment idea again.
Your leadership discernment as a dentrepreneur®? gives you an advantage. TWEET THIS
Seeing
what needs to change and having the courage to make the change are two
different things. Your capacity to meet, overcome, and learn from your
challenges depend on your observational skills.
Observe everything. Nothing is insignificant, really.
Sure,
some metrics are more important than others. And your ability to
observe those value differences will serve you and your organization
well.
Again, don’t fear the “numbers.” Metrics reveal your current or projected reality but they don’t control it.
Remember,
it’s your strategic and creative observation that provides needed
perspective. If you fear the “facts” you’ll fear taking the steps to
know, grow, and scale.
3-Creative Predictability
Being
predictable is closely aligned if not evenly aligned with scalability.
Scaling your process, procedures, and systems gives your dental group
culture “air.”
Where there’s “air” you and your team(s) can breathe when challenges arise. Why?
You
have a method for approaching your next steps. If you haven’t been here
before that’s okay because you’ve evolved into a way of acting that’s
been proven to work.
Slight adjustments might be necessary. That’s what your powers of observation have taught you.
And
scaleable practices rely on predictable action plans. You’ll also have
the broader capacity to innovate once you use predictable scale
throughout your dental group culture.
Evolution + Creation =
?…meaning it’s up to you because dentrepreneurs®? believe that the best
days are ahead regardless of what today’s challenges reveal.
Stay tuned for more on this theme. Contact us for assistance evaluating your team, your systems, and your vision for building a dental group as a dentrepreneur®?.
1 Source: Michael E. Gerber, The E-Myth - Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, p. 73.