Tired of being a master juggler?

Aug 17, 2009

Editor's note: The Coaches Corner column appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.

Attention all dentists: You have more than 1,000 hats to wear, and they're growing in number every day! What are you going to do? Abort? Full steam ahead? Jump ship?

Wow. The joys of running a practice. If only it were as easy as doing dentistry all day -- well, maybe a half day. I don't know about you, but when I went to dental school I didn't know I had signed up for all these other things we have to do each day. I mean, really, I didn't. Did you?

So, is the answer to learn to become a master juggler? I know many dentists who do just that -- at a very costly price. They may be "masters of their domain," but they have no life, no peace, no sense of fulfillment, no joy. For the most part, they do have failed relationships, heavy employee turnover, and huge amounts of anxiety and stress. Trust me: They don't like it one bit, but they don't know any other way to do it all.

Or so they think.

I challenge you to put aside your juggling skills and learn a new set of skills that will bring you what I know you want: peace, fulfillment, prosperity, happiness, and freedom. (Go ahead, you can add to the list if that isn't enough for you.)

Now that you're not juggling, are you feeling lost already? You're not alone. When we've been doing something a certain way for a long time and then we stop, it's normal to wonder, "What now?"

Here are my suggestions for "what now":

Let go of your control over every single thing in your life. Security is nonexistent. You can't control everything; in fact, you'll die trying. This control thing is a big one, so don't panic. Start small by delegating more to your staff. Let them make mistakes, if need be; they'll learn -- didn't you?
Drop the ego. You and I know you're very special, but not everyone else believes that, so your ego clouds your judgment -- badly. Seek to understand everyone around you, not to be understood.
Learn how to communicate. I can hear those groans! Think you're a great communicator? Send me an e-mail and I'll send you an assessment to complete on your own. Every great communicator practices great communication every day -- and has a ball doing it. You can, too.

Is that all? Certainly not, but it's a great start.

Oh -- and leave the juggling to the entertainers.

Don Deems, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., known as the Dentist's Coach, is a co-founder of the Dental Coaches Association, an organization of dentists who are professional coaches committed to bringing professional coaching to the dental profession. Learn more about professional coaching by visiting www.dentalcoachesassociation.org.

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