Dentaltown December 2022 - 61

The goal-achieving process
We spend a lot of time taking our clients through a powerful goal-setting and actionplanning
workshop that teaches the process of achieving goals. In our workshop, we address
both professional and personal goals, but here I'll focus on only business goals. There are
seven basic steps:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
" GREEN-LIGHT " POTENTIAL GOALS.
This step should be fun and liberating. Instead of feeling mired in short-term challenges,
force yourself to think 10 years into the future. Write down all your wishes and wants
that come to mind, in no particular order or priority, without worrying about how you'll
make them happen. Don't even try to categorize at this point, or it will slow down your
brainstorming. Think big, bold and optimistic, with no filters, because all these unknown
details will stymie your positive, hopeful thinking.
PRIORITIZE TOP FIVE GOALS.
Goals should be powerful. We urge clients to prioritize those with the most impactful
long-term ripple effect-more profitable business, happier patients, more patients, more
jobs, greater job satisfaction for everyone on the team (you included), more freedom of
time and money to give back to your community, and enjoying more quality time with
family and friends. Goals aren't set in stone; you can and should change them if your priorities
change. But always have your top five defined so you can keep them top-of-mind and
stay focused on executing those action plans.
SET DESIRED TIME FRAMES.
For your top five highest priority goals, assign time frames, such as three, five or 10
years. One year is OK, but most should not be this short-term because those are unlikely to
be the most impactful to your business long-term or have the greatest ripple effect. The action
plans will necessarily be shorter range, but think longer term for the goals themselves.
At the same time, be optimistic you will be able to achieve a goal within the shortest
reasonable time frame. If you miss the date, don't be discouraged. Reset the date and action
plans while also celebrating your progress; realize that you are further along than you would
have been had you not set an aggressive time frame to begin with.
ATTACH A MEASURABLE RESULT.
Each goal must have a measurable result attached to it-a number you can monitor so
you always know how you're doing against the goal. This lets you and your team celebrate
progress along the way and tells you if you need to adjust your action plans to stay on track
with targeted time frames. Don't worry if you don't yet have the necessary tracking mechanism
in place; that simply becomes one of the action plan items.
Some example goals:
* Increase new patients by X% by Y date.
* Schedule and execute four team trainings over the next 12 months.
* Increase production by X% by Y date.
* Have X number of doctors working for me by Y date.
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