Things I know

It’s often not good to think that you know best.

There are two types of people: Those who want to know more and those who want to defend what they already know.

Several years ago I mostly gave up on doing one-on-one coaching of dentists. The reason was that I frequently found it frustrating.

A dentist would have a problem and I’d offer them a solution to try (one that I had personally used and I knew that worked). They would then explain to me why the solution would not work and what they were already doing was a much better idea.

The first time that happened I thought that it was strange but it happened so often that I came to realise that it is normal.

As dentists we are “experts” and we often get held prisoner by things that we think we know. Once we find a way to do something that works we tend to stop looking for ways that will work even better.

Ask yourself, in the past 90 days have I:

• changed the way I work to make myself more efficient?

• discovered a new and better material or piece of equipment?

• talked with colleagues to find better ways to do things?

• asked the staff for ideas and suggestions? [They know a lot more than many dentists give them credit for!]

If the answer is “no” to all or most of these questions then you have some work to do.

Free up your thinking and get to work re-inventing how you do things. It’s the best way to become more productive.