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IF I ONLY KNEW THEN. . .

THESE TWO STEPS CAN HELP YOU DRAW MORE FULFILLMENT FROM YOUR PRACTICE

GARY GERBER, O.D.

IF I only knew then what I know now, I would have . . .

How would you finish this sentence? Regrettably, I think there are many optometrists who would say, “become a plumber” or even, “not have become an O.D.” Given the deluge of challenges and pressures in the profession, those responses are easy to understand. It isn’t easy doing what we do!

That said, if you believe every challenge is an opportunity, a better tactic to answer the question — one that minimizes the chances of being struck by a defeatist attitude — is to use a two-step process, the first step being incredibly easy:

1. List those things you’d do over, given the chance.

2. Start doing them.

For example, “I’d have accepted fewer low-paying vision care plans” or, “I’d fire incompetent employees sooner.”

THE “DO-OVER” LIST

Essentially, you’re making a list of your desired “do-overs”for mistakes that have been haunting you and going back in time to finally get to work on them!

The beauty of this approach is that the list will contain items that are uniquely yours (even if 10 doctors write, “I wish I worked on my social media earlier,” each doctor will execute differently). Also, if you’re brutally honest, the completed items should make a big impact on your practice.

FOR STARTERS

To give you some ideas, here are examples from Dr. A.P., a Power Practice client from California:

1. I wish I learned earlier how to hire better people.

2. I should have charged what I’m worth earlier in my career.

3. I wish I’d gotten smarter about billing and coding sooner.

4. I wouldn’t have waited so long to buy newer technology.

5. I would have sought expert help as early as when I started my practice.

6. I wish I struck a better balance between office and family.

7. I should have learned more about when to hire an associate and done so sooner.

Next, prioritize the order of how you plan to attack each item, and put a time stamp on it. Let’s use the above list as an example; assume after you’ve prioritized your list, that “learned earlier how to hire better people” makes it to the top of your list.

Put together a calendar that contains milestones of exactly what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. For example:

a. Compose a comprehensive list of relevant job-hiring sites and recruiters by Aug. 1.

b. Write relevant job descriptions and help wanted ads for each possible position in the office by Sept. 1.

c. Source a company to perform background checks and drug testing by Oct. 1.

Of course, if the reason you never did any of the above is because you didn’t know how, then your first item would be, “Get outside help on how to hire better people by Aug. 1.”

A BETTER FRAMEWORK

When this is done, you’ve got more than just another generic practice-building “to do” list. You’ve got the start of a framework that is 100% relevant to your particular practice and goals. And if you succeed in executing the list, you should draw more personal fulfillment and less regret from your practice. OM

DR. GERBER is the president of the Power Practice, a company specializing in making optometrists more profitable. Learn more at www.powerpractice.com, or call Dr. Gerber at (888) 356-4447.