Chris Barrow’s Blog

Today I facilitated a meeting between two dentists who are considering a business partnership.

My opening comment was:

“Have you agreed what the actions will be in the event of the 3D’s?”

Of course, that produced a couple of quizzical looks and a request for an explanation.

So what are the 3D’s?

Death

Differences

It’s all well and good getting excited about the business opportunity – and I’m not trying to be cynical BUT

I have witnessed the wars that can occur when the 3D’s are not addressed – lawyers get rich.

Death – do you really want to be in business with your deceased partners, ex-wife’s next husband?

Disability – I recall many years ago, two happy fellows in business together, until one of them fell off a cliff whilst fell walking and became a paraplegic. All well and good until the “survivor” ended up in business with an embittered wife whose glamorous lifestyle had become that of a full-time carer.

Differences – you are not “the same”. You are simple treading the same pathway for a short while – but inexorably, the differences between you will manifest themselves. You WILL drift apart.

So.

I’m not in favour of complex legal drafts.

I am in favour of a simple exchange of letters that witnesses the steps to be taken if, God forbid, any of the 3D’s occur.

When that’s done – we can get on with the exciting bit.

Which is what we did.

• Last morning in Altrincham – back on the road for 4 days. Its been nice to not have to pack/unpack. 3 hotels next #
• There's a ladybird walking along the top of my Macbook Pro #
• A brilliant surprise this evening #
• "Country House Hotel" = cold shave and a 15-minute wait for warm water out of the shower #
• here goes with the IDH Leadership Day in Exeter #
• Leadership is the confident and authentic way in which you manage your insecurities #
• I'm hungry and I want my breakfast #
• "you can't sit in this area for lunch, the area downstairs has been reserved for conference delegates" idiot #
• Watching the match in Dartford and waiting for some food #
• I've just realised that both pairs of suit trousers have a hole in the same place – a rather embarrasing place #
• I always giggle when I hear that individuals have been criticising my communication style – behind my back #
• Day 11 of 11. Leadership Day with the IDH South East region – and then the long drive home. Its been a great tour, I love my job! #
• When somebody says "that's not my job" they are right – "not anymore" is your response. #
• How come after 11 days on the road I get home and wake up in the middle of the night with a burning sore throat? Immune system down. #
• I've got a memory like a………. #
• 16:30 and the whole day invested in phone calls – not even started the "to do" list. #
• Saturday morning at my desk – I can enjoy the weekend if I complete some work that is haunting me. Peace and solitude. #
• work done, head clear – going for a soak in the bath and then a bimble around town – I still have an estimated 4 hours work on my desk #

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To add more depth to my Tweet of a few minutes ago.

I’ve been away from home for 11 days, training, consulting and coaching – also visiting with family in Manchester (last weekend) – and arrived back just before 22:00 last night after an epic 330-mile drive from Dartford to Falmouth.

The last three working days have been back to back workshops – and I normally expect to be somewhat hoarse after “all that speaking” – but not to wake up at 04:30 this morning with a temperature and a raging sore throat.

The fact is that we all have to recognise the message when our bodies or minds tell us that they have “had enough” – and mine is saying just that.

Fortunately I have three days at home now before leaving again on Monday morning – and a chance today to catch up and prepare.

I find myself repeating a process that I have written about before.

In the foreground of the photograph you see the pile of post that has accumulated down here whilst I have been away.

I add to that a very long “to do” list that has built up in my Franklin Day-Planner.

Paperwork does not play a significant role in my life, currently due to the world-class efforts of my personal assistant Phillippa Goodwin.

I delegate at Olympic Gold Medallist standards:

• set a task
• set a deadline
• agree a feedback system when the task is completed
• DON’T INTERFERE
• trust

That approach empowers Phillippa to run the admin side of my professional life better than I ever could.

However, there is a general build up of domestic “stuff” that we all have to tolerate (I have thought about employing a butler – but I think you would all laugh at me).

So I return to the “pile of post” that you see before you – and slip into the time honoured protocol of:

• making a list
• prioritising the list
• doing the A’s first etc

You’ve heard me say that so many times.

So here goes with my desk day – tempered by my sore throat and general burn out.

We’ll see how it develops – steady as she goes.

I’ll be expecting lots of sympathy……..

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In Maidstone today for the very last of my 12 marketing workshops with Practice Plan.

I’m going to take this opportunity to thank the PP field and head office team for the unconditional support since we began discussing the tour in 2008 and began the tour back in the summer.

I have already written about Practice Plan’s professionalism and team spirit, about the excellent branding and preparation for the workshops – and about the enormous fun we have had on the tour with open-minded audiences who have arrived with (thank goodness) a sense of humour.

We have inevitably created some legendary moments, including my standing on a table-top and unzipping my fly in front of a dentist from Hull (don’t ask) and my famous “El Cid” appearance in Scotland after a night of food poisoning and delirium!

By the way – we have had lots of laughs but also covered some extremely important and serious issues along the way.

Perhaps I’m tempting fate by writing this before the final gig but my impressions have been that

• there are still a majority of independent practices whose marketing is stuck in about 1998 and
• there is a willingness to learn and to change in the face of impending competition from the retail sector

At the end of each day we have asked for feedback on the “actions” that each team have agreed – the clear winners have been

• re-branding and
• effective web marketing

Even in the 6 months that we have been touring, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of new patient enquiries originated with a Google search and a web visit.

The web architects, designers and optimisers are in for a rich harvest.

As well as that, we have explored relationship marketing, networking, direct marketing and strategic alliances as elements of a co-ordinated marketing programme.

I remain as confident as ever that, with effective marketing strategies in place, the independent practitioner can look forward to a “best year yet” in 2010.

Now that the tour is coming to its conclusion, I’ll be talking with Practice Plan about how we can make sure that this workshop remains embedded in the psyche of the teams who attended – and doesn’t just end up back on the shelf or course binders.

We have a cunning plan……

It is certainly not the people who need it the most – an early lesson for all coaches.

My good friend and client Simon Reilly works with financial advisors all over Canada, helping them to remove the roadblocks to their success with his excellent speaking, coaching and writing.

I’ll let you see a 9 minute video of Simon in action in a moment – presenting to financial advisors but with a message that is relevant to all of us.

Simon emailed me in exasperation after a speaking gig in Canada – at the end of which nearly 40 people expressed an interest in his coaching gym.

Just like me – the gym is made up of email and telephone coaching PLUS access to a library of intellectual property.

And just like me – he makes a KEDO that the first month is free, so that you can dip a toe in the water and decide if it feels comfortable.

Great offer.

40 sign ups.

All receive a welcome package with coaching information and ideas.

All receive a weekly progress email.

Response – nothing – nada.

Let me tell you its not about Simon – he is a great coach and a personal motivator with an excellent client list that includes some of Canada’s top investment companies and entrepreneurial advisors.

Its about people.

Dan Sullivan taught me many years ago that you cannot “sell” coaching.

You have to make people aware of coaching and then “they wake up one morning, having had enough of the situation they are in and think – I’ll give that coach a call – and so your marketing is about making sure that they call you that morning.”

I have had similar experiences – whipping an audience into a frenzy and then wondering why very few took up my irresistibly attractive offer?

Same in dentistry – I bet – patients who tell you that its 100% certain they will proceed – and then disappear forever.

Good old human nature.

Here’s Simon on form – make a coffee and enjoy his style – 9 minutes.

Dear Chris,
 
I read your “Tips” booklet on the train while I went up to London on a course last week. One tip was getting help with maintaining an emotionally cost free practice. I will say that ending the relationship with my associate cost me quite a bit at the time, although now of course I am quite over it and I look forward to a much improved working relationships for next year.

Please have you any further advice on how to try and detach myself from the stress of such situations?

You cannot “detach” yourself from the stress – stress is what happens when you lose control.

That can happen in a traffic jam/delayed flight with no explanation.

It can also happen when we lose control to somebody else’s performance or behaviour – as with the associate.

My own “antidote” is to have an inner circle with whom I can discuss:

• the situation and
• how I feel about the situation

These are two different conversations – and I always like to separate them.

I’m here for you on both counts.

An emotionally cost-free practice is one in which the team are in conversation – remember my conversation schedule:

• daily huddle
• weekly reflection
• monthly management
• quarterly goals
• annual retreat and celebration

Dare I say it again?

All problems exist in the absence of a good conversation.

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Rachael Blyth and the team are about to open the doors on one of Scotland’s brand new practices, Tooth+ in Stirling.

I’ve been working with Rachael and her team behind the scenes for some months now, discussing the marketing plan for the first few months.

What you are seeing here is the first ever public appearance of the practice as part of a Christmas Fair at Dunblane Hydro.

The web site will be ready very soon and the overall branding has been excellent, a breath of fresh air.

I’ll keep you posted as to developments.

• ambling today – phone calls, finances, preparation, packing and cooking dinner.. #
• after a busy Tuesday in Plymouth, Salisbury and Kettering (ouch), today is the 11th Practice Plan workshop – always a pleasure #
• Kettering Conference Centre – very cold place – very functional – room with no windows – I'll have to work that bit harder #
• Yet another 17-hour day draws to a close, it was great fun. Based from my Fortress of Solitude for the next few days http://bit.ly/2gREZm #
• Leadership Day with IDH Midlands Region #
• RT @toputop: 10 Best Productivity Books of 2009 http://ad.vu/nwry #
• Have discovered another way to not make a lightbulb #
• Helping a friend this morning. Soul food. #
• Friday – soul food, fascinating meeting with new business, speaking gig and then dinner with friends. This morning a new road bike. #
• Bike ordered for delivery in December. Very exciting and fantastic customer service at http://www.racescene.co.uk #
• Sunday morning in my apartment – reading, laundry, e-bimbling, soak in the bath #
• The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places – Hemingway #
• off to take my youngest daughter out for the afternoon – probably a movie #

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Surgery 1 – Lead clinician

Triages all new patient consults and delivers high value treatment

Average Daily Productivity £3500

Days per week clinical – 4

Days per week leadership – 1

Weeks per year worked – 44

Annual Gross = £616,000

Surgery 2 – Intern dentist

Responsible for maintenance and delivery of higher value treatment

Average Daily Productivity £1250

Days per week clinical – 5

Weeks per year worked in practice – 46

Annual Gross = £287,500

Surgery 3 – Therapist

Responsible for maintenance and simpler procedures

Average Daily Productivity – £850

Days per week clinical – 5

Weeks per year worked in practice – 46

Annual Gross = £195,500

Total Gross Revenue = £1,099,000

Net profit before tax = £300,000