There are several Habits that we will be discussing in the upcoming weeks based on Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." The Impact both Personally and Professionally will be profound within your dental office.
Your Dental Practice must be consistent in Communication, Time Management, and Leadership to be productive. Dr. Covey references two types of Ethics in his book. They are Character Ethics and Personality Ethics. In brief, Character relates to the core and Personality is on the outside. These are important to understand as your Dental Practice starts with YOU. As the Dentist, you are the owner of the Dental Practice. In many cases there are Associates. The Associates must also think as an Owner. The Character of a Leader must be derived from their core. Your Dental Practice will only produce in abundance if you are healthy. The overall state of your health and the Dental Practice is pertinent in order to maintain growth and development.
The foundation of your personal journey is developed from these habits. As Dr. Covey mentioned, Character is much like the roots of a tree. Your Character is made from within. It is driven by principles; timeless and like gravity. It is always at work whether you like them or not. The outcome, when the "roots" are solid and healthy, is a strong Tree. The Tree then produces the fruit. This is effectively accomplished by taking the necessary steps to provide you and the Dental Team the adequate "Time Management" needed to achieve productivity. This can be done in many ways. One example would be to consistently communicate with your Team about duties and proper delegation. Another example might be to engage in continuing education. By having the knowledge to implement new technology or methods will decrease the feeling of being overwhelmed in the Dental Office.
Growth and Development gains strengthen by working through the Principles of Effectiveness. The entire office must have a consistent attitude and desire to see results. Begin your week by practicing the First 3 Habits consistently. Encourage the Dental Team to practice the habits this week as well.
The First 3 Habits are:
1) Be Proactive
2) Begin with the End in Mind
3) First things First.
By focusing on these 3 Habits you will change your perception of short term vs long term goals. In theory, by maintaining a Healthy "YOU" , the outcome of consistent core behavior will produce solid results.
