by Ginny | May 5, 2014 | Communication, General, Innovation, Inspiration, Practice Leadership, Practice Resources, Strategic Planning, Team Development
Ethical Sales and Communication with our patients is one of the core values of the best dental practices I work with. Clear communication remains the most challenge aspect of both personal and business relationship growth. Dental Practice Report published our article The Importance of Creating and Building Relationships with the Dental Patient. Dr. Erin Elliott and I discuss the relationship rules that apply to our personal and professional communication:
- People choose other people they like and trust
- The best way to know what someone wants is to ask
- Don’t make assumptions or you may believe them to be true
- If you don’t like the answers you’re getting, ask better questions
- There’s never a second chance to make a great first impression
- If someone does not weigh in on a decision, they cannot truly buy into it
Here’s the link: Read my full article on the importance of creating & building a relationship with the dental patient published on Dental Products Report
by Ginny | Apr 16, 2014 | Announcements, Communication, General, Innovation, Practice Leadership, Team Development
Just back from speaking at the Excellence in Dentistry, Inc. meeting in Destin, Florida. The theme of this year’s meeting was “The Godfathers of Dentistry” You may see in the photo that this was my second “Godfather” experience. This time I was dubbed “The Voice” and presented Breakthrough Communication Success, Six Surprisingly Simple, yet oh, so powerful steps to improve communication and bottom-line results with your team and patients:
#1 Ditch the Drama #2 It’s a Simple Choice #3 Challenge the Status Quo
#4 Set Clear Expectations #5 Tap into Purpose #6 Distinguish Yourself
What a thrill to be part of an awesome speaker lineup that included Dr. Gordon Christensen, Dr. David Phelps, Dr. Bruce Baird, Rachel Teel Wall & Wendy Briggs.
A stroll on the pier’s boardwalk at the end of the meeting ended with one of my heels falling 20 feet below into the bay, unretrievable. Nothing left to do but make a wish & toss the other one into the water. Considering the theme, I’m glad it’s just my shoes that are swimming with the fishes!
by Ginny | Feb 24, 2014 | Communication, General, Innovation, Practice Leadership, Strategic Planning, Team Development
As I visit dental practices I believe we’ve all been reaping the benefits of a kinder, smarter, more collaborative female perspective. It would seem women have realized the power and influence we have to create a healthier workplace and we are stepping up to the opportunities at hand. Read the full text of this article from the Spring 2014 Excellence in Dentistry Magazine Breakthrough Communication Success is both my passion and the title of my presentation at the 2014 Excellence in Dentistry Annual Spring Break Seminar Opening Day, Thursday April 10, 2014 in Destin, Florida . Please join me as it’s now up to us as leaders to embrace this new perspective and recognize the opportunities at hand. Forget follow the leader, let’s “Be the Jones” and lead our teams on purpose.
by Ginny | Aug 15, 2013 | Announcements, Communication, General, Innovation, Inspiration, Practice Leadership, Practice Resources, Team Development
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IS OVER. The world has changed. We see this change at every turn as technology influences all aspects of our lives. For those of us whose parents raised us on the value of a great work ethic, it’s important to recognize and respond to the fact that the Industrial Revolution is over. With all due respect to our well-intentioned parents, a great work ethic is no longer enough. Today you must engage both your employee and your client’s hearts and heads to effectively connect and create practice growth and success.
After all the cutting edge education and sexy technology is in place, the magic doesn’t happen until your people engage. A Blessings White study done in 2011 reveals that only two of every six employees is truly engaged in the vision and mission of the business. Engagement then is the single biggest leadership challenge that business owners and managers face these days.
A recent INC Magazine article spotlighted the most effective leaders today realize that the workforce no longer responds to the Oz model of leadership; the all knowing, all powerful doesn’t play anymore. We’ve moved from The Age of Autocracy and leaders like Jack Welch in the 80s through The Age of Empowerment with leaders like Meg Whitman in the 90s and we’re now firmly in The Age of Nurture with leaders like Tony Hsieh of Zappos and Whole Food’s John Mackey.
We hear a lot about Culture these days, especially some very famous companies that differentiate themselves with their culture. For example, Apple has a culture of innovation. Zappos’ culture is to “Deliver Happiness.” Fed Ex and Southwest Airlines are companies that have very strong cultures. It’s important to remember 3 things regarding your culture:
- Culture is not a program, it’s a core belief that has staying power and could last forever
- Culture is your differentiator; it’s why your team and your patients will choose you over another practice.
- Culture cannot be bought; it develops from the inside out, with habits over time.
In my upcoming webinar as part of the Patterson Dental Practicing With the Masters Series, I am challenging attendees to ‘BE the Joneses.” The challenge is to stop playing follow the leader and instead to lead on purpose. My intent is that you lead both deliberately (on purpose) and meaningfully (with a focus on your own unique purpose). Once you’ve come together to fully understanding Why You Do What You Do & Who You Are Being When You Do It, your systems, protocols will create structure around your culture.
Please join me on Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 11:00am Central
The T
by Ginny | May 30, 2013 | Communication, General, HR Compliance, Innovation, Inspiration, Practice Leadership, Strategic Planning, Team Development
A hygienist wrote in to Dentistry IQ’s Thursday Troubleshooter with this concern: “I was wondering if anyone else is having to clock back in and out if a patient fails to come and yes, I am a hourly employee. I would appreciate any info.”
Is this a viable option or a classic “lose/lose” solution?
http://bit.ly/140UsHL
by Ginny | May 13, 2013 | Communication, General, Innovation, Practice Leadership, Team Development
Ginny Hegarty Morning Huddle Video
About 10 years ago I saw a pattern developing around team meetings. One practice after another seemed to be having what I called “Team Meeting Déjà Vu.” The team and doctors would joke and say “Can’t we just shuffle last year’s meeting agendas and reuse them again this year? After all, it seems like we just keep revisiting the same problems, we never really solve anything. I’ll bet many of you can relate to that feeling.
To be clear, these were not mediocre or even average practice, they were highly successful practices like many of you, trying to figure out how to get to that next level of success. They were basically putting band-aids on problems, quick fixes that would last for a couple of weeks or months and then old habits would reemerge. This “déjà vu” or inability to come together to create long-term solutions creates roadblocks that will affect morale and profitability & hold you back.
This is the first of my Morning Huddle Videos for Dental Products Report. View the video for a few quick ideas to shake things up and avoid Team Meeting Deja Vu
