In an orthodontic practice’s clinical and business aspects, we can achieve greater results by focusing on careful preparation and effective execution. We prepare for years in our orthodontic training and set up our company for growth and productivity. We also analyze, research, and work to make appropriate decisions. However, analysis paralysis can set in that reduces our effectiveness and inhibits our growth. With a bias towards critical execution to getting things done, we can incur that there are difficulties managing the pitfalls when we don’t prepare properly. Here’s how to prepare carefully while executing quickly in an orthodontic practice.
Do the pre-work
Careful preparation should go beyond analyzing every detail. Sometimes we can stall progress and micromanage situations because we easily achieve a sense of control at this stage. We can set up systems and recipes for success instead of exploring every business situation or patient care decision during our daily work. Time invested in pre-work, or ‘sharpening the saw’ as advised by Stephen Covey, will lead to greater returns. Schedule time to do the pre-work to prepare carefully and maximize your productivity. Time to reflect, plan strategy, and detail tactics will pay dividends in the execution stage. As a result, proper preparation and intent drive your daily work.
Speed up decision making
Decision-making can bog down any individual and organization. Death by ineffective meetings, bureaucracy, and jams to any process is a very dangerous trend. Faster decisions do not have to break an orthodontic practice. They only need to be managed appropriately. Nurture empowerment within your team to allow more people to be involved in routine decisions. Training properly, setting up guiding principles, and tolerating non-critical mistakes are part of growth. This way, the orthodontist can focus on fewer and more important decisions while the team is encouraged to act in the patient’s and practice’s best interests.
Excellence in execution
Deliberate practice, developing systems, training our team, honing our leadership and clinical technique skills all help us succeed. The additional challenge is the tension between slower preparation and the critical execution stage. When we have prepared carefully, we can execute quickly at crucial moments. Hold a bias for action to increase productivity, and more importantly, do it with excellence. When we think of excellence, we consider it is about the people we care for and lead. It is by design, so we create a remarkable journey and experience. Excellence is also a mindset. We aim to be excellent by doing our best and expecting it as a result.
