In our work with more than 25,000 clients over the last 30 years, Levin Group has seen first-hand how powerful a practice owner’s vision can be. As in businesses of all types, a written vision statement shows the orthodontist and staff what success will look like. It points the way to a desired destination, and this in itself—this projection of a future condition—actually makes it much more attainable. You owe it to yourself, your staff, and your family to take advantage of this potent leadership tool.
Where do you want to be in 3 years?
From time to time, you probably think about what you’d like to accomplish, in both your career and your personal life: Breaking the $2 million mark? Owning several offices? Having enough time and resources to do pro bono orthodontic work in underserved communities? Seeing the world? Driving your own race car? These examples are all long-range life goals (unless your practice is growing extremely fast), but you’ll need to establish a number of interim vision statements to take you from here to there. We recommend a 3-year time frame for each of these. To bring your current vision into focus, ask yourself these questions:
- How do you want to differentiate your ortho practice?
- What types of ortho techniques and technologies do you want to offer?
- What kinds of patients would you like to be treating?
- What proportion of your time would you prefer to spend on orthodontics rather than business management?
- How many days a week would you want to work?
By answering these and similar questions, you’ll be able to arrive at your definition of success. Hone this emerging picture into a concise description of how you envision your orthodontic practice 3 years from now—including tangibles like number of treatment chairs, as well as intangibles like staff attitude. In written form, this vision statement should be 100 to 150 words long.
By looking at your vision statement frequently, sharing it regularly with staff, and brainstorming ways to achieve it, you will be following in the footsteps of the most successful business leaders.
For a clear picture of where your ortho practice stands today and what it will take to achieve your vision, schedule a No-Cost Practice Diagnosis from Levin Group. To learn more, click here or call (888) 973-0000.
