August 2003

'To build it up, learn to break it down'

by Dr. C.J. Mertz

Automobile makers can change the model of their cars each year, department stores can change their clothing line every season, restaurants can change their menus weekly. Unfortunately, chiropractors are stuck doing the same thing for their whole career.

In truth, the average D.C. will see plus or minus 25 patients per week after five years in practice, for the rest of his or her practice life. This is largely due to the chiropractor's limiting belief in a relative inability to reinvent himself or herself. The principles of chiropractic remain constant, however. Your own identity, your power of influence, and your practice strategies continuously evolve.

The term "mastery" is completely misused in our profession, starting with consultants. Mastery is something everyone should strive for but only a few will ever achieve. What is possible, for almost every chiropractor, is improvement.

Change is the pathway to mastery, and the largest -- and usually most important -- subset of change for D.C.s is improvement. Yet, less than 20% of the chiropractic profession understands the process of continuous improvement. Therefore, a lot of frustration occurs when goals are not reached and chronic practice problems continue to prevail.

The misconception of many chiropractors is that practice growth occurs by building upon an already developed base. In reality, the most successful practices in the world are in a continuous state of breakdown. Of course, this is a designed and controlled process with the predicted outcome of an even bigger, stronger practice.

It seems scary at first to go through a breakdown process, but when the chiropractor is coached properly, the results produced are exciting. Right changes lead to improvement, and continuous improvement leads to mastery. As you build your practice, it's important to realize whether you're "on‑goal" or "on‑purpose." These are champions who find the way to stay on‑ purpose, and then there is everyone else.

If you begin to make changes and your practice grows, you must remember what got you there and continue the breakdown process or the practice will gradually begin to slide.

Being on‑goal is dangerous because as soon as you reach your first big goal, you're inclined to depart from the discipline and focus responsible for achieving the goal. The biggest fear comes from wondering what your patients will think about your new change. When you come from a strong place of faith, confidence and belief, your patients will always follow your lead.

Admittedly, some changes are harder than others. Nevertheless, there are fundamental changes that must be addressed if you are truly looking to significantly build your practice:

1. Gowning before adjusting patients

2. Adjusting out of multiple, closed door rooms

3. Running more than 50% insurance

4. Operating primarily relief care

5. Leading an inconsistent marketing campaign

6. No weekly workshops

7. No weekly team training

8. No organized referral program

9. No articulated vision for the future of the practice

10. No core management strategy for progressive change

This is a short, yet important list of fundamentals that a growing practice must face in order to make a successful climb. I am not suggesting that all these changes happen concurrently, however, it is amazing how often changes go best when done in multiples of three.

Building a practice ultimately goes well beyond this list of fundamental changes. Continuous change is the fuel of champions, so embracing the true spirit of mastery is the goal. This includes personal development and the commitment to break down personal habits leaving you stronger mentally, physically and spiritually.

Making step‑by‑step changes frequently will always out-produce a big change done infrequently. You have to develop change "muscle" as well as change "mentality," and that can only happen by holding excellence as a core value. Become an avid student of practice building because all the people who stand to gain the most are all the patients you will be adjusting.

(Dr. C.J. Mertz is president of the International Chiropractors Association, executive director of ChiroUSA, and founder and head coach of the prestigious Waiting List Practice [WLP] chiropractic training organization. For information on WLP services and products, call Mark at 877/TEAM‑WLP.)