Over the past 30 years, author and self-made millionaire Steve Siebold has interviewed over 12,000 of the wealthiest and most successful people around the world. What did he find? They read – a lot. From Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg to Oprah Winfrey, they have a voracious appetite for books that reflects a mindset of continual learning. Ultimately that’s what separates the good from the great. Great leaders in all industries, such as in the dental business, never stop learning, either from books, peers, consultant, or other professionals.
Rather than reaching a certain amount of success and letting your learning plateau, embracing the lifelong journey of seeking knowledge and wisdom is the most important part of leadership.
Here’s why you should adopt a mindset of continual learning as a dental practice owner & how learning from others helps your business grow.
Personal Growth = Business Growth
I’ve always said that the growth of a business is directly correlated to the growth of its owner. This is the same in your own dental business as an owner.
There is a multitude of hard and soft skills that are required of you as an owner and a leader; qualities like assertiveness, emotional intelligence, decisiveness, empathy, and strategic thinking.
As we research and delve deeper into the psychology behind success, more and more important leadership skills come to light.
For example, Brené Browns’ discovered that the most whole-hearted and accomplished people aren’t afraid to express vulnerability. This could be a game changer when it comes to your personal growth and the way you interact with your team and patients, which can give you an edge over the competition.
So, seek out interviews with people you admire, learn more about how billion-dollar businesses were built, and in the dental business industry, don’t be afraid to reach out to a dental professional or consultant to help you and your business grow. Make use of the abundance of resources available to you – you’ll become a well-rounded and balanced leader that can drive a mission like no other.
There is something to learn from everyone!
Everyone can teach us something new. Whether it’s your employees, your patients, industry competitors, your children, your dental business consultant, or the barista who hands you your coffee each morning; they can offer you a unique perspective.
You might already be surveying your patient base, asking for feedback, allowing your employees to give suggestions, or seeking advice from a dental business consultant – and this is a step in the right direction.
Google is renowned for its extensive research into what makes employees happy, the skills their top employees have in common, and how they can better create a productive and satisfying work environment. Needless to say, they’re pretty successful as a result.
As dental business owners, it’s important for us to have the humility to understand that we don’t have all the answers, we don’t know everything, and sometimes there are better ways of doing things. Consulting other dental professionals, such as business consultant, on how to improve your practice cultivates your growth and your dental business’ growth.
A dental business consultant advises on marketing, management, and advanced skill training in dental specialties, which are important areas that can help you improve your dental practice.
It might just be with the most unexpected people or place where you find a great idea, sage advice, or learn something crucial.
There are also numerous publishing platforms like YouTube, blogs, newsletter lists, books, podcasts, documentaries, movies, and resources that are created by people with all manner of perspectives and outlooks on life. Have the humility to learn from everyone.
We all make mistakes – so learn from them!
Another great source of knowledge is actually from some of your greatest setbacks. Mistakes and misjudgements are often some of our most valuable lessons if you look for wisdom within them.
The greater the stakes, the steeper the losses, and the more likely you are to never want to repeat the same mistake. Thus, take the time to stop and reflect after every perceived loss or defeat.
Did you rush in too quickly? Were you indecisive and lost your opportunity? Was there advice you could have sought? Did you listen to the concerns of people around you? And, most importantly, what mechanisms can you put in place to ensure the same mistake doesn’t happen again? Talking to a dental business consultant might have saved you from those business mistakes but they can also prevent you from making the same ones in the future.
So, be open to creating strong relationships with key people around you and absorbing whatever lessons come your way – and do your part to seek more knowledge, wisdom, and guidance, wherever they come from. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself, your team, and your practice.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready …. here are 4 ways I can help you grow your dental practice:
1. Grab a free chapter from my book “Retention – How to Plug the #1 Profit Leak in Your Dental Practice”
The book is the definitive guide to patient retention and how to use internal marketing to grow your practice.
2. Join the Savvy Dentist community and connect with dentists who are scaling their practice too
It’s our Facebook group where clever dentists learn to become commercially smart so that they have more patients, more profit and less stress.
3. Attend a Practice Max Intensive live event
Our 2-day immersive events provide access to the latest entrepreneurial thinking and actionable strategies to drive your practice forward. You’ll leave with a game plan to take your results to the next level. If you’d like to join us, just send me a message with the word “Event” and I’ll get you all the details!
4. Work with me and my team privately
If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take your profit from 6 figures to 7 figures …. just send me a message with the word “Private”… tell me a little about your practice and what you would like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details!
