Article Communication

Communication for the Up-and-Coming
Successful Dentist

5 Steps to World Class Communication and Success

Imagine, there you are, sitting in class and you are day-dreaming about what’s coming after you have graduated, achieved your licensure, and are practicing the art of dentistry—finally! Do you see yourself as an associate in an already established and flourishing practice? Or, do you see yourself starting your own practice or buying someone else out and taking over?

Either way, while your dedicated work has taught you immeasurable amounts of value about the professional and practical end of dentistry, you may have missed a class or two…and, if you did, here’s your lucky break! Here are some crib notes to fill in some blanks. If successful dentistry were a stool with three legs, it would consist of these three components: Professional/Practical Dentistry, Business Knowledge, and Communication/Working with people. All three legs are necessary to have a fully functioning and useful stool, and so goes it with a successful practice.

If one leg is missing, the stool will fall over and maybe be useful as something with support, but if two are missing—well, then, you don’t even have a stool anymore, let alone the success you dream of. The good news is that the business and communication legs are my forte. For now, though, we’re going to focus on communication and how truly vital it is on this next stretch of your journey towards success.

Distinctions and steps to world class communication and success:
[1] The Triple-Win Method
[2] Distinguish Your Filters
[3] Extinguish Your ANTs
[4] Integrity and MBA (Manage By Agreement)
[5] Raise Your HDL: Healthy Deserve Level

The Triple-Win Approach is what has me and my team be successful at what we do, and this is what we educate our clients with. There has to be three people/groups winning in order to have an extraordinarily successful practice. First, the patient has to win. They have to get what they want and enjoy the process that it took to get them there. Second, your team has to win, both professionally and personally. Third, the doctor/you have to win in both those areas as well.

Next, I speak about this one quite a bit because it is the basis for what will either enable your future, or hinder your dreams being fulfilled. Filters are like a smoke screen you use when you are either listening to someone or doing something. You don’t even know it is there, but you have a particular filter for everyone and everything. For example, when I wanted to get my silver 750 BMW with 20 inch rims, every car I saw on the road was a silver 750 BMW with 20 inch rims. That’s what my filter for cars was at the time.

A potential filter you may have is for how your team should treat you. Maybe you think they will automatically respect and enjoy who you are. However, this is a pitfall as when it starts looking like they aren’t respecting you or enjoying your company the way you think they should, you will form a filter for them that will have you hearing every word out of their mouths and every action they take as disrespectful and rude. And, check in with yourself, you have filters for your friends, family, and significant others, too. Distinguishing these filters will allow for you to let them go, and leave a space for you to create a new filter. My advice is to create a filter that empowers you, not one that has you worried, sad, upset, or resentful.

ANTs…I’m not talking about the little, six legged creatures that wait for you to leave out food, stormed your dorm room, or ruin your picnics. The ANTs I am referring to are Automatic Negative Thoughts. We all have them and they often dictate the actions we take in life. They are just as annoying as their insect counter-parts, and, until now, have more than likely ruined the picnic that is your dream life. ANTs are those thoughts that come up and tell you that you don’t deserve something. For example, you may want a team that works together, is on the same mission, and communicates with clarity and without drama. However, your ANTs tell you that it’s either not possible or that you don’t deserve to have that kind of dream team. Recognize those pesky ANTs when you hear them, stomp them out, and then keep moving towards what it is that you truly want. Eventually, they will get very quiet and you will have to exterminate less and less often. You will also communicate more powerfully and positively with others if you master your ANTs.

A “truth” for me is that the foundation for workability is integrity. Integrity is honoring three agreements: Agreements you make with others, agreements you make with yourself, and agreements you make with your morals and beliefs. Being late for an appointment is breaking an agreement, and while I’m sure you are never late for a class or for a shift at your job, when someone shows up late and keeps others waiting, whether they know it or not, those people that have been waiting have now created a filter for them. It could be that they are always late and unreliable, that they are rude and dominating, or even that the person that was late doesn’t care about and respect them at all.

That’s a steep price to pay to be late. And, I’m sure you never once committed yourself to go to the gym or to start eating healthier and broke that agreement with yourself. If you have, how did you feel about yourself when you didn’t follow through? When you break an agreement, make sure you acknowledge that you broke it. Leaving it in the unsaid will only leave upset and strain between the parties involved. This is also how to deal with a team, old or new. Establish agreements, and then manage by those agreements. Managing by agreement (MBA) is a communication pathway for both people involved, because they then have a clear idea of what is expected, by when, and can then speak to each other about that agreement on facts, not feelings.

Lastly, Raise Your HDL! Again, I’m not talking about what you think I am–cholesterol. I’m talking about your Healthy Deserve Level. In working with successful dental teams around the world, HDL is a realization I had about success. In life you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you think you deserve. Nothing more. Nothing less. This is communication with yourself and with others, so pay attention. The exercise here is to look at where your wants are inconsistent with what you think you deserve. If you think you deserve to get out of school and be wildly successful in your first year, you will be.

If you are unsure, or trying to convince yourself that it could happen, you won’t be. What you think dictates the actions you take. If you think you deserve a great body, you will take actions consistent with that. If you think you don’t, then you won’t. Now, where are you selling yourself short on what you actually deserve? Guess what…you deserve to have it all! I’m not just saying that because you are reading this article, I’m saying it because you are a dentist who cares about people, their health, and your team and family living big lives. So, yes, you deserve it!

Alright, that’s a quick lesson from me on rapid success on the communication spectrum of dentistry. The bottom line is it takes a team in every situation to play and win a big game…and I know you are playing a big game right out of the shoot! Bring your brilliant clinical knowledge, create a solid foundation of communication, work on the business end of dentistry, and we’ll get you to the Shangri-la of your day-dreams. Have fun and my best to you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gary Kadi, founder of NextLevel Practice, author of Million Dollar Dentistry and Raise Your HDL: Healthy Deserve Level, and international speaker, is globally recognized as the dental expert for profound results in the lives of dentists, dental teams, and their patients. Call now to get your #1 unanswered question in your practice answered, (866) 926-0914, and check-out www.GaryKadi.com.