Using the AFL off-season to plan for your future success.
It’s an exciting time for followers of AFL. It’s even more thrilling for fans of the Footscray and Melbourne Football Clubs. From the perspectives of
It’s an exciting time for followers of AFL. It’s even more thrilling for fans of the Footscray and Melbourne Football Clubs. From the perspectives of
I often speak to my consulting clients about the power of putting ‘bells and whistles’ on a situation. For example, when greeting a patient into
I used to struggle with speaking too fast, saying ‘umm’ too often and throwing in a few ‘you know’s and ‘basicallys’. It was always when
It was such a treat last week to watch Shawshank Redemption on free-to-air TV. I have watched this movie a number of times, and my
One of the biggest obstacles dental practices have when considering team training is time. There is simply no time to do anything else other than
…It is my suggestion that in these situations, dentists are seeking success in the wrong result. They are attributing success to the patient booking an appointment for their advised treatment.
I suggest this is wrong…
Like people, every dental practice is unique. They deliver a range of the same services to the community, but the manner in which it is delivered is what sets practices apart.
The manner in which practices deal with unhelpful patient behaviours is one such area where different approaches abound such as:
turning up to scheduled appointments late,
failing to attend at all, and
not paying invoices on time.
I have witnessed a wide range of responses to these kinds of scenarios by practices.
At one end, there is the haphazard approach…(click below to continue reading)
You should have got it right. If you had been more mindful in the moment, you would have completed the task successfully… Your work colleague
I recently went through the process of recruiting a receptionist for a client. I have advertised for dental team members for many practices over the
There is a great saying that we “overestimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can get done in a decade.”
Podcasts. They are awesome! Want to know more about yoga? The Universe? How about discovering the unusual history of gnomes? There is a podcast out
The signs are varied.It can be the look of misery when they arrive for work.It can be the short and unpleasant message sent over the
If I were to ask you how happy your team members are, what would your response be? “No-one has come to me with a problem,
In this week’s blog, I am sharing a super little tool that I discovered yesterday. It is HubSpot’s email signature template and it is a
I don’t think I am alone in this. Humans seem to have a primal need to be right, even when there can be a substantial
Many things are beyond our control. The world response to COVID has proven this in spades. As a resident of Victoria, and yet again in
We have all come across this person. Maybe you ARE this person. The complainer! The complainer is the one that sees the drawbacks to everything.
Are you a ‘glass half-full’ or ‘half-empty’ kind of character? If you are the latter, this article might inspire a shift in your mindset. Victor
One of the first lessons that our parents teach us is HONESTY. And there is good reason why. Honesty is, in my view, the most
In these recent blog articles, I have been considering the values that I believe are important for dental practice success. Values are an important factor
Last week, I explored in my blog what my values would be if I still owned my dental practice. Professionalism was the first value that I
I have recently been considering what, if I still owned a dental practice, would the values of my business be. The core values of your
Have you become better because of your envy of another? Let me explain… I was listening to a podcast conversation between UK comediennes Dawn French
I saw a great social media post recently that I think can help make 2021 a powerful year for you. And beyond! The post encouraged
There is a dental practice that I drive past every now and then. It has a wonderful back-story. After realising that the current location could
You know that uncomfortable feeling you get? It often happens after you have had an interaction with someone and the result wasn’t all that ideal?
Jordan Peterson, renowned clinical psychologist, professor of psychology and social commentator, is often noted for his sharp attire. This wasn’t always the case. Over the
Pick up any business or self-management book and you will likely be asked the following question: “Where do you want to be in five years?”
In a recent blog, I wrote that COVID-19 had seen many of us dropping down Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist
Never before has it been so necessary to be ‘tuned-in’ to each other’s mindset. The reaction to COVID-19 has been wide and varied. While some
I remember a number of years ago after my first marriage ended, when I chose to sell my dental practice and move out on my
The impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on businesses has had the opportunity to be an employee relations crisis. Both employees and employers have been confused,
COVID-19 has many people in the dental industry reeling. Just like the broader community, within our industry there are a range of responses to this
Turia Pitt is an Australian survivor. She is the ultra-marathon runner who was horribly burned by an out-of-control grass fire during a ‘Racing The Planet’
I came across this thought-provoking post on social media. ‘In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal
Many of us have a lot to lose due to the Covid-19 social-distancing recommendations and laws. We may lose income, jobs and some will lose
We’ve all been there. Some of you may there right now. Feeling overwhelmed and ‘in a rut’, ‘in a mood’ or ‘in a funk’. It
I read a fun quote on Facebook a few days ago that has stuck with me. “A strong person looks at a challenge dead in
When I purchased my dental practice in 2003, I quickly discovered that I was going to have to ‘step up to the plate’. What I
Staff bonuses are becoming more common in dental practices. Bonuses are either a pre-established amount of one to several hundred dollars paid monthly, quarterly or yearly
It is the first day of 2020 and may I wish each of you the very best for the coming year. New Years is a
While performing some research for one of my clients, I found the following article by Kenneth Burke. I thought the content was worthy of sharing
I have been listening to a couple of great dental podcasts this past week, both of which had the same interesting guest speaking about, among
Using the word ‘but’ in your communication is normally warned against. You see, a ‘but’ negates or cancels out everything that is said before it.
I have recently surrendered on an issue and it feels oh, so good! A dental receptionist I have been working with for many years, let’s
I hear practice owners complain that team members are ‘stealing hours’. Yet these very practice owners are obviously focussing on every minute themselves. I hear
I remember when I was about 13 years of age. I was being a difficult child, and my mother, out of exasperation, gave me a
“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” This quote by Alexander Den Heijer is one that
Earlier this week, in part 1 of this topic, I explored how your team deals with the issue of the price of dentistry daily. I
Your team deals with the issue of the price of dentistry daily. You develop systems to manage this aspect of treating patients, such as payment
If you have attended any of my webinars or online coaching programs, you will be aware that it is crucial to select the right mode
Alan Weiss is an American consultant, author and speaker. I subscribe to his blog and a recent post was written after he attended a dentist
If you are a resident of Melbourne, or have recently visited the southern state of Victoria, you will know that it is COLD! I have
Reputation is important to dental practice success. Your practice’s reputation is both what your patients say about you (if positive, then more new patients visit
A colleague recently asked me online how to gauge job satisfaction. Given my years in the dental industry working in various roles and speaking to
There is much talk nowadays about the legal bases on which dentists are employed in Australia. In my early days of working in dental practices,
Clinical team members know too well what it is like to work with a grumpy practitioner or assistant. It’s awful! The signs are obvious. A
To be the best leader, you need: · to establish a COMPELLING vision; · to be supportive and act as a mentor; · to help find the answers to the
Life coach and self-help author, Tony Robbins, states, “Progress equals happiness. Even if you’re not where you want to be yet. If you’re on the
Yes! I am delivering a week of, what I consider to be, GOLD! I am always on the lookout for computer applications that I can
Yes! I am delivering a week of, what I consider to be, GOLD! I am always on the lookout for computer applications that I can
Yes! I am delivering a week of, what I consider to be, GOLD! I am always on the lookout for computer applications that I can
Front is an email management app. When you are the only one managing emails that come through to your practice, you can create your own
Yes! I am delivering a week of, what I consider to be, GOLD! I am always on the lookout for computer applications that I can
As a leader, do you often feel frustrated with some behaviours of your team? Are you annoyed at their lack of appreciation? Do they run
Self-improvement consists of making small, incremental changes to your thoughts and behaviour that will result in a more positive experience of life. I would like to challenge
Poor attitudes in dental practices are not uncommon. Despite implementing systems and processes that support a customer-centric style of service, practices can still experience poor
It is the first day of 2019 and may I wish each of you the very best for the coming year. New Years is a
A Passion Point to Ponder… 12 Wishes for Christmas, not the 12 days of Christmas. The 12 Days of Christmas is a famous carol, but
This past weekend was a special one for me. JPPS collaborated with another business, Dental Management Expertise, and presented Dental Business Mastery, a 3-Day Conference
It is said that culture is the collective personality of an organisation. Another definition is this: ‘Culture is what your people do when no one is
Many dental practices have adopted the method of SMS messaging to confirm their patients’ appointments. But how many of you include your patient’s first name
What stands in the way of your employees delivering great performances for you and your practice? There are several reasons why performance by your employees
I was speaking with a dental team member – we’ll call her Mary – who posed an interesting dilemma. “During a social dinner, a friend
Every so often, I get to sit back behind the reception desk for a day. It reminds me how much I enjoyed the role. It
Our working days are made up of situations that both run according to plan and are quite satisfying and those that are unplanned challenges that
Go to bed earlier. Eat healthier foods. Make that phone-call. Tackle that important task. We have lists of things that we know we SHOULD be doing.
In a previous blog, ‘Opening Yourself Up To More‘ I wrote about the relevance of reflection, contemplation and new experiences to ensure you are moving
Traditionally, word-of-mouth referral was the strongest source of new patients for dental practices. For many practices, this is still the case. Despite the multitude of
JPPS co-founder Charles Kovess and I recently attended an inspiring event that was conducted by A MOST interesting man. Dr Bruce Copley is a holistic educator, multi-instrumentalist,
There are several situations in a dental practice that are bone-chilling; missing lab work, running way too late for a demanding patient…and getting the early morning
Dental Practices spend a lot of energy, time and money rolling out strategies to attract new patients. However, if it weren’t for the existing patients
I attended a function last night with friends, and one of them, Harry, shared a great strategy. Harry has his own real estate agency in Melbourne and
How often do you give pay increases to your employees? Is it an automatic increase every year? Or does an employee prompt you into action?
Regular readers of this blog will know that one of my leadership strategies is to create an ‘emotionally-safe’ working environment for team members. Top performances
Achieving your goals is all about clarifying what your actual goals are and then taking action. Initially, it feels good. You have made a powerful
Are you a ‘morning person’? Someone who wakes up enthusiastic for the coming day with energy to burn? While some team members may be bright
When we are interested in a topic or outcome, we have the resources to acquire a large amount of knowledge in the area. There are
Dental practices that SUCCESSFULLY use advertising to attract new patients understand that posting an advert or two every now and then is woefully inadequate. Successful
Have you ever had the best of intentions, but upset someone anyway? Have you ever been under pressure and reacted poorly and upset someone? Have
I can say with great conviction that the happiness I have enjoyed while working in dental practices over the years is due to my developing
I had a visit with a new hairdresser last week, and I want to recommend them! I am recommending a particular system they have. I
I was onsite with a client a couple of days ago. The receptionist was asked by the dentist to call a patient’s medical GP for
“Patient Y needed a crown placed after a previous trauma to tooth 21 had resulted in root canal therapy being performed. It was explained and
There are few relationships where each person’s effectiveness and happiness depends so largely on the other, than in a dentist-assistant situation. The dentist-assistant relationship is
Being a Victorian who is interested in sports, this past weekend has been a happy one. The Richmond and Melbourne Storm wins have raised the
I received some feedback after posting my last blog. The blog was Promises Promises… and it warned against making promises to new employees that you
Finding the right employee for your practice is not always easy. When you do find that special candidate, it is tempting to tell them everything
I wrote in a previous blog of the danger of choosing efficiency over function, where you issue your patient recalls in a way that generates
Sir Richard Branson hit the nail on the head with this quote: “Train people well enough that they can leave. Treat them well enough
If you are like me and observe dentists advertising messages that I find when searching Google, you will know there are 83,400 dental practices who
What do you focus on when your patient is in the dental chair? I consider it likely that most dental providers will focus on the
The patient has arrived for their insert and the lab work is nowhere to be found! The next patient’s crown preparation is about to start
The best and most successful dental practice owners are relentlessly on the lookout for areas that need improvement. They know the value of a key
Most dental practice promotional dollars are spent on attracting new adult patients who are searching for a range of attributes such as gentleness, cosmetic dentistry,
“Did you see this Facebook post by our new dental nurse? How inappropriate.” “The boss is grumpy again. We should not have to put up
It is common in dental circles to hear the following gripes about patients who do not schedule for advised treatment: “She said it’s too
It is commonplace in the dental industry that team members become ‘managers’ by default. They are promoted to Senior Dental Assistant, and are then required
I recently worked with a client who was looking to hire a new receptionist. This practice had had difficulty in finding the person who was
The search for a new team member can be daunting. You not only seek to find someone who possesses the necessary skills, but also someone
How do you improve your performance? I wrote about the importance of walking your talk a few blogs ago. You can read it here.
Today I am sharing another hint on how to behave in a way that is more aligned with your values. A previous blog, ‘Walk your
In my last blog, I wrote about the importance of ‘walking your talk’. Over my next few blogs, I will be sharing with you a
“The greatest way to live with honour in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” Socrates When asked in a professional setting
While working on a project for one of my long-term dental practice clients, I came across a company that looked like it would suit the
Dental teams change. As team members have children, alter their hours and then perhaps leave, dental teams employ new team members to fill the vacant
In my last two blogs, I wrote about time management techniques that I have found effective. Shred that To Do list! encouraged you to get
My last blog encouraged you to do away with your To Do lists and, instead, schedule tasks into a diary. Here is another helpful time
I attended a function last night and the topic of time management was raised. During my ten years of dental practice ownership, I read any
How many great opportunities do you miss out on because you are waiting for perfection? “Done is better than perfect” is one of my many
I love the energy that is generated when a team gets together to plan for the future. At such times, team members are functioning from
Creating an environment of emotional safety for your team is one of your most important roles as a leader. I have laboured under the harsh
Dental practices are, or at least should be, on a constant search for new patients. There is a natural attrition that needs to be compensated
“Something needs to change!” I have had this thought on several occasions during my time working in dental practices. It happens in my personal
“I should talk to that employee about her poor performance.” “I have to tell the employee dentist he cannot have a pay rise.” “It’s not
I met Mariam recently, an interesting and inspiring woman. During our conversation, she shared her perspective that there are three mindsets that we can
I’m excited. Today I get to have a workshop with a colleague and….COLLABORATE! After working in a team environment for so many years in dental
Recalls are the life blood of your dental practice. Implementing an effective recalling system takes thought, research and tracking results to ensure it is the
What are your competitors doing? How can you find out? Who can tell you? Meanwhile, what are YOU doing? At times, we fall in to
“How did you find out about us?” is one of the most important questions to ask. The long-term success of your dental practice depends
Promoting your business can be challenging. Success requires an understanding of your target market’s behaviour, human psychology and buying responses, and the ability to design an
Arnie, a colleague and friend, mentioned this winning idea of attracting your local community in to your practice! I’ve tweaked it slightly to be used
Being involved with a dental team whose members are experienced and effective brainstormers is my idea of a good time! Such teams can solve anything.
I faked it…till I made it. I still do it today. I look at where I want to be and become, before I am there.
One of the frustrations when working in a team is getting everyone to work in the directed manner. AFL football coaches frequently suffer such frustrations!
It is an accepted rule in many dental practices to eject dental reps without as much as a “how are you?”. I was a dental
A successful Practice is much like a successful human being: those who thrive are those who access their passion and their skills, who discover how
A number of months ago I was dropping in to a number of dental practices to inform them of an upcoming JPPS Presentation. I found
Should I ask for that day off? Should I ask for that pay rise? I should ask that nurse to change her roster around. I
In my recent two blogs, I spoke about my experience with my colleague, Rachel. She and I worked together twice. The first time, I was
In my previous blog, I wrote about becoming a better manager thanks to my experience with Rachel, a lovely lady with whom I had previously
The lesson I am going to tell you about was a big one for me. It has stayed with me, and I tell the story
I may be brilliant. In fact, I have a feeling we are all brilliant, all the time. The number of times that I have felt
Not being an academic, I have always sourced alternative methods of education. Books, tapes, videos, audio…I researched everything I could. The introduction of the internet
“What was I supposed to do now?” My mind was panicked. I felt desperate as I mentally sifted through all the ramifications of what I
Throughout my years as a dental practice owner, I remember times when different fears crept in and sat with me a while: “What if
I knew, when I first owned my practice, that in order to be successful, I would need to learn what I didn’t know. I knew
I was always excited when I owned my dental practice. But I got SUPER excited in December. What excited me? New goals! Despite spending my
I loved my years of dental practice ownership. I grew enormously as a person, and it is where I developed my skills as a leader.
I, like many of us, learned early in life that we choose how someone appears to us. I recall a friend I had during my
Have you ever been employed by a boss who inspired you to work harder? I can say that I have had such bosses! Contemplating what
We all experience fear. We feel fear during life-threatening events such as narrowly avoiding a bad car crash, all the way to fears of performing
In my last blog I wrote about ‘stuck thoughts’. These are the lingering feelings and thoughts that remain despite a challenging situation being resolved. The
Have you done this before? A challenging situation arises at the practice. Everyone has their own thoughts of how best to manage it. A resolution
Encouraging staff to engage with the vision and systems that I implemented at my practice was a process I was eager to learn. I understood
I wrote in my last blog about discovering the deeper elements of: TRUST. That it is not simply being someone others can rely on. That
Of all of the business books that I have researched, and all of the people management articles I have read, there is a word that
When I owned my dental practice, I had the roles of receptionist and practice manager. Not being confined to the surgery as most owner-dentists are,
In my last blog I shared with you by ongoing wish to get better results. And, that to get better results, I have to BE
Of all of my management skills, I am most proud of this one. I get better. I am better than I was when I started.
Developing a set of principles that drive your leadership is one of the most important things you can do. But it can get tough… I
In the last two blogs I have discussed my awareness around how my judging of people was hampering my success when problem-solving and reaching solutions
In my previous blog I spoke about how I was sabotaging my effectiveness in problem-solving by falling in to a natural human behaviour: Being JUDGEMENTAL.
Managing a dental practice, like any business, is about finding solutions. Solutions to patients’ oral problems, solutions to the barriers that staff come up against
I am sure that I am not the only one that has fallen in to the trap of ‘Groundhog Day’. Getting up each morning, like
I have always loved working with teams. Identifying and overcoming the barriers of achieving top performance has been a consistent source of enjoyment and satisfaction
One of my unofficial mentors over the years has been Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric. Welch is considered an expert in business and
Many tasks of everyday life in a dental practice can become tedious. Often the same person finds they always seem to be the one either
Getting the right person for the job can be a challenge. Each role within a dental practice requires a different set of skills. The nursing
I have learned something from providing many performance appraisals in my time. They can be torturous! A badly handled performance appraisal that needs to communicate
I have mentioned in the past that one of the best business books I have read is ‘Leadership’ by former lawyer and politician from
When I owned my practice I knew something for sure: that it was in my interests (and therefore the business’ interests) to be welcoming of
If you want to build a dental practice where patients are beating a path to your door, then there is one person who can help
I was at an event with Charles last night and was speaking with a woman who has been running her independent travel agency for 24
An important element of the patient experience is the initial telephone interaction. During my years in dental practices (since 1987) I have attended many
I have found when dental teams achieve success, it is often acknowledged, but rarely celebrated. We are very quick to turn attention to the next
Following up patients on our ‘Incomplete Treatment’ lists is hard work. You are trying to convince someone why it is important to take action, and
Have you ever thought to yourself, “if I was first on the scene of a bad car accident, would I dive in and assist immediately,
A couple of blogs ago I wrote about the importance of not sacrificing effective patient communication when deciding to automate your systems. Recalls is one of
There are a number of dental practices who are still enjoying full appointment books. These practices are often those who have been established for many
Technology is a marvellous thing. Clinically it has transformed how dentistry is performed, and provides an amazing range of treatment options for patients. So too
I learned early on in my time as a practice owner the importance of developing solutions to problems FAST. A stumbling block to this process that I
Over the years of being both an employee and employer, there here have been particular instances of employee unhappiness that have caused me to deliberate.
I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a story of a time that I am not proud of…but am grateful for. Grateful because it
Giving and receiving negative feedback is fraught with anxiety for all involved. For the deliverer it requires a thoughtful approach. But even when a lot
It’s easy to let our days become monotonous. We turn up to the same place and perform the same general functions. If we do not
When I bought my practice in 2003 I quickly learned that things were no longer straightforward. Whether I was organising finance for an equipment purchase,
It has been proven to me time and time again that the best way to raise the performances of those around me, is to lead
The biggest reason for your patients to remain loyal to you is trust. Patients have trust in your abilities as a health provider and that you
When I became a business owner, one of my intentions was to become an excellent leader. I had experienced many great bosses during my years
When you own a business, you are placing yourself in a position where you will have an affect on many people. The way you treat
Like most of us, I have worked with passive aggressive people in the past. Some of you may be suffering under one as we speak.
I was recently speaking with someone and the topic of paid incentives to staff came up. I have worked in a practice many years ago
Have you ever been surprised by a staff-member tending their resignation? You shouldn’t be. I say they should have felt safe enough, and seen you
Self-control is a vital skill to master when you are managing a group of people. I know from my early practice-ownership days that certain situations
During my 10 years of practice ownership, there were many opportunities to challenge my leadership abilities. On one such occasion, it turned out that I
Your level of self-awareness plays a vital role in your ability to be an effective leader, manager or team member. To work well with others
The existence of TRUST is vital to the success of any relationship, whether it be a friendship, a loving partner or the relationship you have
Everyone wants happy patients…including the patient! Practices implement many and varied routines to aid in the happy patient, such as fresh coffee, aromatherapy and strong customer
Developing great relationships with your dental patients is one of the most effective ways to promote both patient loyalty and patient referrals. So, what can
Upset or angry patients can really throw you off your game. You find yourself feeling intimidated and reacting to them rather than being in control
We live in this information age, where you don’t need degrees in marketing and business in order to learn how to run highly successful dental
I am sure you have imagined how your life would play out if you lived without any self-doubt. Or, maybe you are afraid to
It has always been obvious that a great receptionist improves the environment of any business and a bad one will be highly likely to
I recently discovered this list of 6 qualities that make a charismatic leader, which was compiled by success.com. Over my many years of researching this