May 2005

Show up and suit up

by Dr. Timothy Gay

One of the greatest coaches in the history of college football said that "showing up" was half the battle. Bear Bryant, coach of Alabama's Red Tide, was a strong disciplinarian and believed that in order to win, his players needed to be "in the moment" during the game and at practice.

Showing up doesn't mean you just have to be there. Showing up means you have to be ready to do your best and perform at your highest level.

Focus on the most important and highest priority in your practice. A new staff member may need your training and an understanding of your expectations. It may also mean you're not educating your patients adequately and you should focus on creating a greater number of new patients and a higher level of retention. At no time during clinic hours should you be reading the newspaper or looking on e‑bay for a new golf club. This is the time to show up and get into the moment with your team to achieve the highest level of "play" possible.

Show initiative and let your team know what needs to be done to take it up a notch. Knowledge is potential power, and putting it into an action step is true power. Until knowledge is actually implemented in the practice, it's just potential not being used.

Training staff members to the best of their (and your) ability will create a new level of participation in your office. Training sessions on scripting to a point of second nature, using the right words when talking to patients, habits and systems that are consistently used that help establish a cohesive team ‑‑ all are vital.

You have to look at the issue of morale. Sometimes one individual will bring everyone down by constantly complaining and not getting the job done. These are the people who need to be identified and cut loose from the team. You can recognize them very quickly. They bring personal problems into the office causing a loss of concentration, their cell phone is constantly ringing or their overall attitude towards teammates and patients fails to meet the clinic's service objectives.

Raise your standards of practice expectation. Make a higher demand of yourself and what you know you need to accomplish. By changing your limitations on yourself and taking on the leadership role that's necessary to make your vision a reality, you'll be in a position to expect more from your staff and those around you.

So, showing up is half of the equation. The other half is suiting up, offering an image of people taking pride in their team. A sense of ownership for every role that's played is an indication of how much each individual wants to be a part of the practice. And, suiting up means just that. You're dressed in your "uniform," which conveys a professional look ‑‑ tasteful and "serious" business‑appropriate clothing for both men and women is the standard for maintaining a professional image.

At what level do you want to function? Poor means that you're at a sub‑standard ability to function and in order to get better you have to put more time and energy into the practice. Good means that you're better but the rewards are still limited. Excellent is much better, in the sense that you've reached a new level of play ‑‑ the professional level ‑‑ and have a new standard. It isn't until you've reached this level that you can say you're at the highest level of your ability. Where do you want to be? Are you willing to do what's necessary to get there with your staff?

Practice teams that really want to make a difference make a commitment to each other and put together the required strategies to succeed. The end result is a group effort of achievement. More than ever, our profession needs us to show up and suit up. If you're still waiting on the sidelines to get involved, start building the future. Now is the time to STEP up and make the difference you're capable of making in your community, your practice and your life.

(Timothy J. Gay, DC, is a 1977 Palmer College graduate and chairs the WCA Council on Chiropractic Mentoring. Founder and president of Ultimate Practice Systems ‑‑ a chiropractic management and consulting company that specializes in personalized chiropractic consulting [on the web at www.ultimatepracticesystems.com] ‑‑ Dr. Gay was in practice for more than 20 years, during that time receiving numerous awards for his leadership abilities and willingness to contribute to the profession. He may be reached at 866‑797‑8366.)