Written by: Alan Stern, DDS
How many times have we heard that phrase used to justify actions that are morally wrong or out of alignment with our personal or professional values? How many times have team members left or resigned from our practice, saying, “Don’t take this personally?”
And how often have we hired someone whose values didn’t align with ours, only to see things fall apart?
In dentistry, we spend a third of our lives in close physical, mental, and emotional proximity with others. Business is personal, and our values must align not only with the way we practice but also with the team members, coaches, consultants, and advisers we bring into our practice. The same holds true for associates and other team members—the practice we work with has to be congruent with our own values, philosophies, and attitudes toward the services we deliver.
Do you have a practice mission?
All clinicians, whether they own or not, are much better off if they are clear in their professional mission. And that mission must be in line with our personal values and attitudes toward people and practice if we are to practice happily for a long time.
You are different from what you were in the past
Have your vision and mission changed as you’ve grown? Is it still congruent with how you intentionally live your life? Does it still reflect your core values? A significant part of what we call burnout is deeply related to the disconnect between how we work, how we live, and how we want to be treated.
It’s a lot to ask, but doing this exercise will make your life much more rewarding. For starters, let’s ask ourselves: Why did we enter this profession, and are we walking that WHY? Has our vision of the profession changed since we graduated from dental school, and have we adjusted how we practice to evolve in a changing world while staying true to our core values?
Do you and your team regularly review your mission statement? Do you ask for examples of how you’re living it? If your mission statement needs updating—or if you don’t have one at all (no judgment here, by the way)—it would be great to create or re-create one with your team’s input. This way, everyone can own it and live it with accountability and mutual support.
And how about your coaches, consultants, and financial advisers?
One of the more serious mistakes I made in my career was hiring consultants and advisers without thoroughly examining their values and philosophies. I lost a significant amount of money and wasted a considerable amount of time trying to work with advisers who simply didn’t align with me. I knew they worked well with others, but I did not scrutinize them closely enough. When you know who you are, what you want, and what your long-term goals are, finding the right team of coaches and advisers becomes much more predictable.
Business is personal!
You are very much allowed to feel pain or even resentment when a patient or team member leaves your practice. You are very much allowed to feel a bit of angst when an adviser lets you down or takes you down the wrong path for you. That’s OK. Just don’t cling to it for very long. Embrace the pain, see it for what it is, and move on. Business is personal. But, as Viktor Frankl, Elie Wiesel, and many of the great thinkers of human history wrote, “Pain is mandatory. Suffering is optional.”
Fight Burnout. Be Happy.
Keep putting your heart and soul into the business that fulfills you. Stay true to yourself. Stay true to your purpose. Keep a watchful eye on your practice and your values. Share it all with your team. Hire and engage people who are in harmony with you. It will hurt sometimes, but remember Alanism #4: Emotions are like enemas—they are fleeting! Embrace the suck for a moment and then let it go! When you do this, prosperity will follow, and you will be more likely to Enjoy the Ride.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan Stern, DDS, retired from clinical dentistry in 2023 and now operates Better, Richer, Stronger, LLC. He is a dental practice coach, keynote speaker, and author.
His book, Enjoy the Ride, is available on Amazon.
Join his Facebook group, strangely called Better, Richer, Stronger.
He can be reached at [email protected].
