6 Ways To Tell If You And Your Practice Have Become Complacent. We’re all guilty of it to one degree or another. We get in a groove and become an unwitting actor in the movie, Groundhog’s Day, one day feeling exactly like the last. We keep things the same, shun change, shut our minds to possibilities, and wonder why our revenue and excitement for our work are taking a hit.
Ask yourself, if you can say yes to any of these telltale signs of complacency.
- Do you look for reasons to avoid going into the office?
- Do you feel bored with your work (and is it seeping into the rest of your life)?
- Do you no longer get energized when you walk through your office doors?
- Are your numbers stagnant without growth year over year?
- Are you experiencing a sense of “blah-ness and looking for an exit strategy?
- Do you have a lot of staff turnover, absenteeism and low morale?
Disruptive technology and thinking get people out of complacency
A few years ago, I found myself in a very comfortable, predictable place in my life, but the flavor was gone. I rethought everything. I looked at each member of my staff carefully. Who was a real asset to my practice and who was just passing the time? Tough as it was, I reformed my staff, keeping those who had real talent and drive, and replacing others with enthusiastic, talented people who could jump on board my vision: an elevated way to practice endodontics.
I analyzed the technology I had been using in my office and learned about GentleWave®, then being called a “disruptor” because it turned endodontics on its head after decades of sameness. By integrating new technology into my procedures, I was reinvigorated, my patients had better outcomes, referring dentists were more confident in what I was offering, and my staff was freshly engaged.
So, my advice to any endodontist (or, actually anyone) is to shake it up.
Get out of the rut of “good enough” and challenge yourself to ruffle a few feathers but get the excitement back in your life. (Life is short yada yada). The path of least resistance is a path to boredom. The idea of finding solid ground and staying there is a myth. The earth IS going to move. The Buddhist philosophy makes so much sense. No matter how hard you may try, forces beyond your control will come into play. Why not be the force for change yourself?
There’s a great story about Nike
Nike has been the dominant force in its industry for years. But not content to ride the wave, they stepped out of their comfort zone and built a strategy to play offense and “disrupt itself” to drive growth over the next decade.
Nike’s plan for growth, called the Triple Double Strategy, is working. Recognizing that the future of retail would be vastly different from the era that fueled its rise to dominance, Nike drastically reduced its distributor partnerships and invested in its direct-to-customer program, the Nike Consumer Experience (NCX).
And it’s paying off. Nike’s stock has risen 73% since implementing the strategy, and its digital revenue is up 43%, all of which the company credits to the direct-to-consumer push. At a time when most big international companies would be doubling down on what made them successful in order to defend their turf, Nike is going on the offense in a “disrupt yourself” way to propel the company faster and further into the future.
“Just do it!”
Decide that good enough is not good enough. Rethink how you run your business, who you trust as your staff, how many more procedures you want to do in a day and go for it. Look into new technology like GentleWave and get your heart racing again. For me, staying in a rut is riskier than stepping out of it.
A final mention: A resource I depend on to help me find the really great candidates is REO Consulting. If you’re in the hiring process, I recommend reaching out to their team.