Practice Review & Practice Consultation Process

Our approach is uniquely different in that we start by focusing on you (the doctor) because everything emanates from you. You create the “ripple effect” that sets everything into motion. Then we address how to get the staff to sign on to the practice that you envision for the next few years and achieving both the financial — as well as the cultural — aspects of how you want the practice to be.

So, here is how we work! Of course, this process is modified or shortened based upon the desired outcomes and purpose for the Practice Consultation Visit.

Step I | Step II | Step III | Step IV | Step V | Download Brochure [PDF]



Pre-Engagement Discussions

STEP I: Our initial discussions with new prospective clients are design to see if your needs and our approach are a fit. We generally conduct these discussions over the phone and/or during specific times at orthodontic events.

These are focused on our understanding of what you want to achieve in your practice, identify personal growth or development interests, outline the realities of your current practice, and discuss where you would like assistance.

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Doctor Self-Assessment & Staff 360° Feedback

STEP II: Our first step is to have you do a self-assessment to identify and understand your strengths, your dynamics, and your approach to your practice. We accomplish this step by asking you to go online and complete a self-assessment of your work style and preferences for interacting with others and your awareness of factors that impact your "Emotional Intelligence." Our goal is to help you understand which club to play and when. Also, which clubs you play well versus the ones that you need to learn how to use more effectively.

• Doctor Self-Assessment & 360° - Our clients find that the information and understanding they gain during this process lasts them a life time and directly impacts all interpersonal aspects of their lives. It is truly the first step to achieving a balance in life! It is a self-awareness assessment in which we use a combination of the following instruments. Each instrument is provided to you online for convenience and to minimize your time commitment to complete. The time investment is very minimal.
  
  
• Birkman Questionnaire® or DISC®: provides an in-depth assessment of your work style, leadership dynamics, problem-solving approach, and—most importantly—your strengths, needs, and stress factors associated with the interpersonal interactions with your staff.
  
  
• Emotional Intelligence Assessment® 360°: a self-learning process to understand how you use emotions, thoughts, and reactions in your interactions with others. You complete one on yourself (self-assessment) and each staff member completes one on you (360°). The online version takes about 7 minutes to complete, so it doesn’t take long at all. We use the feedback report to provide comparative feedback between your self-assessment and your staff’s assessment of your awareness and effectiveness around interpersonal dynamics.
  
  
• Optional: Team Birkman Profile: provides an in-depth assessment of the team’s work style, interpersonal dynamics, problem-solving approach, and—most importantly—team strengths, needs, and stress factors associated with the interpersonal interactions within your team.
  
  
• Optional: If appropriate, an Associate Readiness Assessment (Doctor and/or Staff): an online questionnaire and/or interview process that will identify potential issues and concerns about bring in or transitioning your practice to incorporate a new doctor.

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Practice & Staff Assessment

STEP III: Next, we want to understand how your staff perceives both the practice and you. It is important feedback in order for you to see the actual “impact” that you are having. Sort of a snapshot of your swing! It is like the difference between hitting balls on the driving range and actually playing the course. Generally, our own perception of how things are going in our practice is different, positively and negatively, from what is actually going on in our practice. Some of it is great and some of it is a reality check.

This step is called: Practice & Staff Assessment. It is the staff’s opinion and experience of your practice and their interaction with you. This step includes:

• Practice 360°: an online questionnaire of various aspects of your practice, including your internal marketing and relationship-referral effectiveness. Within the questionnaire we provide the opportunity for the staff to give us written feedback which enables us to give you richer data and perspective.
• Practice Interviews: this step is used when we need to clarify information provided by the staff in the Practice 360 or the doctor wants us to talk with key members of his/her team.

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In-Office Consultation & Staff Retreat (1 1/2 to 2 Days)

STEP IV: We conduct an in-office consultation and staff retreat to review the results of the above assessments with you, help you identify what will work most effectively for you, and how to get your practice and your life where you want it to be. The main driver for this visitation is to specifically address your major priorities and get your staff on board.

This Practice Consultation provides direct “hands-on” involvement with you and your staff to help resolve existing challenges and develop some definable action steps that can be taken over the next 6 to 12 months. It also give us the opportunity to teach, model, and build knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support you in building an effective staff-driven practice. It allows the opportunity to observe and coach you so that you better understand how to lead your practice regardless of the circumstance or desired goal.

• Doctor Feedback Session(s): this step is contingent upon the issues and priorities of the doctor and the results of the staff questionnaire. Generally this is done the day (or half-day) before the office retreat.
• Office/Staff Retreat: this work is to break through the barriers and get into action and begin producing results for the practice. This is a one-day retreat, a “working session” with the doctor and staff to:
  • Address the highest priorities and issues (staff issues, marketing, team building, etc.)
  • Conduct interactive training, role-playing, or team building
  • Come to conclusions about action
  • Build a sustainable follow-up

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Ongoing Doctor Coaching & Quarterly Practice Visitations

STEP V: We always maintain an ongoing, long-term relationship with you and your staff! All of us understand and know that change is a gradual, continuous process; that a one-time office consultation/retreat doesn’t effectively change the underlying dynamics and practices within your practice. Just as you recommend to your patients and parents, we believe in having a "treatment plan” that will transition and build your practice and your people into the desired state that you have envisioned.

Therefore, we prefer to work with you and your staff over a full year. Our Practice Elite Annual Contract provides you with 12 months of consulting, coaching, and direct, ongoing access to us and all of our firm’s resources.

• Phone Coaching Session(s): this service offers the doctor(s) with regular and as-needed support. The purpose is to continue your personal development and provide you with valuable coaching to deal with on-going practice/staff issues. We assist you in achieving your "treatment plan” for your practice.
• Quarterly Staff Meeting Phone Conferences: coming out of a staff retreat there are many items that are developed for future action and follow-up in internal marketing, "Marketing Cookbook," and team development. We believe that these action items require on-going support and accountability; therefore, we achieve this support through participating quarterly in one of your staff meetings via a phone conference call.
• Quarterly/Semi-Annual Practice Retreats: this step is contingent upon the issues and priorities of the doctor and the Development Action Plan from the staff retreat. During most of our initial practice retreats in the first year you and your team really just get started or simply identify solutions to reoccurring issues. Our experience has shown us that if you want your practice to really be different and reach your expectations, you have to put the time into specifically addressing critical elements of the practice and setting aside concentrated time to develop and implement solutions. It takes time to identify what you and the staff are willing to do and then practice and build capabilities and capacity to make it a reality.